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[2cents]

I've completed my on-campus interviews and am now waiting.  I've been told by my second choice (of three) that it's a "done deal," that they want me but are being forced to bring a second candidate on campus by the admin, and that said candidate can't come for another month (my other two schools said they would let me know in the next week or two).  They assured me that the admin. also liked me and are prepared to make an offer but, for issues of compliance, need to have a second cadidate.

I know that a "done deal" is never a "done deal" until the papers are signed, but I'm wondering a couple of things:
a)  if I get an offer from my third choice (and not my first) and can't put them off, is there anything I can do to ask second choice for more reassurance before I turn down third choice?
b)  if I get a rejection from first and third choice, is there a politic way to approach second choice to re-emphasize my interest?  Or will it seem overly eager and obvious that I've only got them left?  (I'm a bit worried about being "forgotten" in the meantime).


Essentially, their new, extended timeline has really limited any potential bargaining power I might have.  Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[%sig%]

[Genghis Cohen]

There is no such thing as a done deal. They would not bring in another candidate if they weren't at least considering him/her, despite their excuses.

Once I heard the same story, they had to bring in someone else for technical reasons but it was only a matter of time before I got my offer. This was especially stressful for me because my deadline for another "less desirable" offer was the final day of the interview! So I ended out calling from my hotel accepting this second job, and then completed the interview feeling like I was being deceitful for not telling them about the situation.

Two weeks later, I got an email from the departmental chair of the "done deal" place informing me how there was a tie between me and the other guy, and there was a tiebreaker, and unfortunately they had to go with the other guy. But if they had positions the following year, I would be on the top of their list. And sure enough the next year they had positions.. but of course my field was not one of their priority areas and I never heard from them again.

So I end out going to this supposedly undesirable place, and I actually ended out liking it there. If I had not accepted this offer, I would have ended out with just another postdoc, if would have been my third...

[readymade]

Ignore the "done deal" talk.  It's bulls***.  Proceed as if you'd heard nothing from them.

[Dubious]

...and even if they believe what they are saying, if the next candidate knocks their socks off, your deal could be undone.  A signed contract is a done deal, everything else is negotiation.