Job offer start date too late, no flexibility

Question

I’ve received an offer for a highly prestigious management consulting position, but the start date ranges any time from 8 months to 1 year+ after graduation. Given my financial situation, I can’t afford to wait without income. I’m considering applying for full-time jobs in the interim to ensure I have work experience post-graduation in case my consulting offer falls through and for financial stability. I’m worried that potential employers will be very reluctant to hire someone who plans to leave after a few months and ethically it appears I must disclose this other offer.

What can I do? I’m concerned about the risk of companies rescinding offers at the last minute (this has happened recently with very large, well-known companies) and don’t want to put myself in a vulnerable position. Given this situation, would it be wise to apply for and accept a full-time job now while waiting for my consulting role to start?

Answer 1

Hi there,

First of all, congrats on the offer! :-)

I think there is no other way than to find another full-time offer for the meantime. You could also start your own venture but the time until reaching a positive cashflow might not be immediate so that would not solve your short-term issues.

In terms of full-time positions, try to look for roles that would be okay with you staying just for a year, e.g., start ups or scale ups. They are used to fast growth, high staff turnover, etc.

All the best,

Florian

Answer 2

Hi, A couple of angles to consider as you make this decision. Building your abilities/skills/experienceTo me this is... (read entire answer)

Hi, A couple of angles to consider as you make this decision. Building your abilities/skills/experienceTo me this is a function of project exposure, client exposure and internal... (read entire answer)

Answer 3

Hi there, 1) Is a year of experience in my current role and my background overall enough to apply to MBB firms? Your... (read entire answer)

Hi there, 1) Is a year of experience in my current role and my background overall enough to apply to MBB firms? Your background looks good. Yes, you can apply after one year, y... (read entire answer)

Answer 4

Hi there, First of all, congratulations on the offer from McKinsey! I would be happy to share my thoughts on your que... (read entire answer)

Hi there, First of all, congratulations on the offer from McKinsey! I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question: First of all, no, there is no downside to choosing th... (read entire answer)