You have done everything right & received a job offer.
Yet.
Your advisor has shared that until the final contract is signed, you are to keep looking.
Why?
Bc you do not know that the school with either keep its word on the verbal offer or that you will complete a successful negotiation.
So this uncertainty places you in the awkward transition between on and off the market.
You need to (a) keep your options open, (b) pressure places you prefer to make an offer and (c) be honest with all potential employers.
So what to do?
First, assess the state of your search.
Review the list of places you applied, who you are scheduled to talk to, and who you have a campus visit already scheduled with.
Note which ones might be as appealing as the place you have an offer with & ask will they contact you?
Second, ask for time.
If you have campus visits scheduled, you have to complete them.
Manners and best practices demand that a school wait for you to decide - until the day after your last visit.
You can share information on scheduled visits with your potential employer.
Third, notify schools.
Contact schools that you have had a screening interview or campus visit scheduled.
Share you have an offer, that it has a deadline, and ask if they might be able to hurry up the interview process.
This is another best practice.
Most schools will appreciate the integrity.
Some schools will not. I had one dept chair yell at my student about her choices.
That school was struck from the list of possibilities.
Fourth, do not lie.
This is important.
While we all compete to hire people, we also all compare notes.
If you lie about having an offer, it will get around, & someone will label you as having integrity issues.
You do not want to start your career with that brand.
It will make it harder to find a second job.
Fifth, keep interviewing.
Even if someone yells at you about it, you need to take interviews until you sign a contract.
I know one student who had an offer revoked bc the economy took a dive.
They had to scramble to find a job at the end of the market.
If invited to do a screening call, do it - esp. if it’s on the list of schools as good as where the offer is from.
Sixth, stop applying.
I know this is contradictory.
You can always apply later.
Most negotiations are done in less than a week.
Most schools honor contracts.
Work with the applications and interviews that are already out there.
Don’t waste your time by starting new applications.
Seventh, make a decision.
If it is to take the offer and sign the contract, don’t look back.
If it is to keep looking, no regrets (& start applying).
It is that black & white.
You should not string a school along. It’s not fair & bad for your rep.
If you are organized, honest, & systematic, you will find you manage the uncertainty of waiting for a final contract with aplomb.
Best of luck!
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