DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been applying to a number of jobs in hopes of advancing my career. I expect to get interviews in the near future, but I struggle with accepting the first offer I get. I do not know how to express to interviewers that I am considering other jobs, and I often feel pressured by them to take the job on the spot because they convey an attitude that if I don’t accept at that very moment, I must not want the job badly enough. This makes it so I don’t get to hear what other jobs have to offer or process all of my options to the fullest. How can I express to interviewers that I am considering other jobs without ruining my chances of working with them? -- Keeping Options Open
DEAR KEEPING OPTIONS OPEN: You cannot tell a potential employer that you aren’t ready to accept their offer because you are waiting to see if something better comes along. That is out of the question. At the same time, you can ask for a certain period to make a decision. Since you seem to be getting offers, you can even be more discriminating with the interviews that you take. Select companies and opportunities that you are very interested in so that if you get an offer, it is for something that you really want. If you happen to receive two job offers in the same short space of time, you should think of which job you want the most. Decide what makes the most sense, and go with the one that will advance your career.