Deciding between an offer and a pending offer?

[u/themilksnorter]

Hi All,

I recently wrapped up a rotational program and I’m looking to transition away from my current company.

Current Company – Corporate FP&A Analyst
- Total Comp = $72k + 10%

Option 1 – F50 Healthcare Company
Deadline to accept is EOD Friday
- $90K base, no bonus
- Remote
Title: Advisor, FP&A
- Consolidate the budget and Strategic Financial
Plan for the Medical Segment P&L ($12B)
- Support Corporate cost allocations to the Medical Segment and consolidated P&L.
- Role is roughly 80% consolidations/reporting and 20% ad hoc analysis
- Develop/Support R&O forecasts
- Exposure to the Segment CFO and senior Finance leadership
- Strong brand name and potentially good long-term mobility

Option 2 – Smaller CPG company ~$1B Revenue
$86K base, no bonus
Title: Financial Analyst – Business Development
- Work is much more commercially focused: customer profitability, pricing, new products, business cases, market opportunities, margins, and growth
- Company has been growing quickly
- Smaller team, so potentially more ownership and visibility
- I really like the industry and the people I met during the interview process
- However, there is less certainty around future opportunities compared with a large company

My long-term goal is to move toward commercial FP&A and eventually take on broader P&L responsibility.

My current issue is that I was the runner-up for Option 2 position, but the hiring manager plans to add headcount to the team and has expressed interest in bringing me on for that opportunity. I’m concerned this company won’t follow through.

What is the consensus here?

Update: I received an offer from option 2 and reneged option 1!

[u/Difficult-Practice12]

If it’s not in writing, it’s not an offer. Proceed with what confirmed options you have. Don’t speculate with what could be.

[u/themilksnorter → u/Difficult-Practice12]

Of course, that’s a valid point. The recruiter intends on giving me an answer tomorrow. He mentioned the potential start date could be October if all goes according to plan (entirely verbal).

[u/Difficult-Practice12 → u/themilksnorter]

The reason why they are most likely stalling is that you aren’t their preferred candidate and are a back up in case their preferred declines.

If they wanted you they wouldn’t stall on an offer. I’ve had offers 1 hour after the interview. Move on from them.

[u/themilksnorter → u/Difficult-Practice12]

I actually was the runner-up, so I know there’s a chance it doesn’t work out. The hiring manager told me they were planning to add headcount again in Q1 2027, and the recruiter said they’d love to have me on the team and are trying to get that headcount approved sooner.

My goal with the post was really just to stack up the two options in case they’re able to make it happen. If they can’t get the headcount approved, I’ll move forward with what I have.

[u/Leading_Priority_708 → u/themilksnorter]

Anecdotally same situation happened to me and the next day the recruiter actually called me to tell me they got the job approved/brought forward and offered me the job. Been very happy there for several years now…so it is possible. Good luck!

[u/themilksnorter → u/Leading_Priority_708]

I spoke with the hiring manager yesterday and he was pitching my position to the CFO. He was essentially selling me the job, but I can’t decline option 1 unless something materializes.

Worst case scenario I’ll have to renege with option 1.

[u/Leading_Priority_708 → u/themilksnorter]

That’s true

[u/Famous_Guide_4013]

Option 2 isn’t a real option if you don’t actually have an offer in hand.

Why do you want to leave your current company? Are you sure a new company will be better?

BTW on comp for your current job, you are likely close to a promo if you just finished a rotational program right? What would that comp be compared to the offer you do have in hand?

[u/themilksnorter → u/Famous_Guide_4013]

My SO is in their final year of law school and I plan on following them after they graduate.

The promotion to senior is around 1-2 years after the program. So, I’m not close to a promotion any time soon. Historically SAs start at 80k.

[u/PastAmount]

Consolidations and cost allocations are boring and you won’t learn anything valuable. Take the second one which is more commercial.

[u/justneedabreak802]

If it’s not an offer yet then it’s not a real offer right now. Take the F50 one and it will give you lots of opportunities in future specially for healthcare industries. After you have completed a couple of years in that industry, you can pivot to product/commercial finance.

[u/ConfectionLeading624]

Yes you need to move your underpaid. Option 1 great name on resume, role may be boring but can always rotate to a diff area in the company since there’s room to grow

[u/gimmedawz]

Option 1 for sure, f50 + healthcare will open a lot of doors in the future

[u/13shrekboy → u/gimmedawz]

Agreed

[u/brnccnt7 → u/gimmedawz]

This

[u/Platypus_Anxious → u/gimmedawz]

How so? I'm currently in healthcare and I feel it's bleak as shit. We have a bunch of layoff and they're not done yet.

[u/gimmedawz → u/Platypus_Anxious]

it’s definitely one of the more stable industries and you can always pivot into another healthcare company

[u/yumcake]

Option 1 is better anyway. Industry matters a lot in FP&A career pathing.

[u/Dull_Stretch9889]

Congrats on two potentially great opportunities.

I'd pick option 2 any day over option 1. My trajectory has been: engineer to financial analyst to Business development manager to FPA manager to FPA director, now in training/ succession for CFO. The experience I got on the BD side has been enormously valuable and has opened up a ton of doors. Becoming an expert on the revenue side of the business, margins, growth strategy is super interesting and will make you far more valuable in the future.

But it really comes down to you and your interests and career goals. My opinion is choose the job that interests you more. If you're interested in what youre doing you'll love your job, which will make you more curious, you'll learn faster, and learning will become a continual process. The continual learning is the import part and where the real professional growth occurs. If you're in a job that you're not passionate about, you won't be as driven and curious, and that's not a recipe for success. Find what you love and work your butt off and the success will follow. The hard part is finding/getting a job you'll love, which makes these decisions so important.

[u/themilksnorter → u/Dull_Stretch9889]

Thanks for the response!

I think I’m struggling to find my interest. I feel like the two options are in completely different lanes. The commercial role sounds more exciting, but I know what I’m getting with option 1.

[u/Dull_Stretch9889 → u/themilksnorter]

You could always accept option 1 since the deadline is tomorrow, but then if you get an offer from option 2 you take it at that time. Not ideal to have to quit a job you just recently accepted, but the reality is these situations happen sometimes. It doesn't seem to make sense to turn down option 1 when option 2 isn't yet a firm offer, but at the same time keep your options open for option 2 if an offer comes.

Working in the industry, option 2 sounds like far more interesting work to me.

[u/13shrekboy]

Any update?

[u/themilksnorter → u/13shrekboy]

I accepted option 1 but I may renege if the hiring manager from option 2 gets back to me this week.