Hi guys!
Last year I applied to a bunch of internships in January and got my first interview and subsequent offer in February. They gave me a week to accept or decline, and since it was the only place I had had any correspondence with up to that point, I accepted. It wasn’t my top choice, but it was in the location I wanted and the work was interesting, so I felt really lucky regardless.
Other places I had applied did end up getting back to me, but not until March-May. This included what had been my top choice internship, who wrote to know my schedule for a potential interview. Since I had already accepted another internship, I declined the interview along with all the other internships. I don’t super regret turning them down, but I do still wonder what my options were. So this year, I want to be prepared.
I’m once again applying to a bunch of internships, all fairly competitive (from my understanding – some more than others) and all jobs I’m at least somewhat qualified for. I’m also applying to last year’s top choice again. Some of the deadlines are rolling, which, depending on the number of applicants they receive, presumably means I could hear back relatively soon after they receive my application. Others (including internships I would perhaps prefer over the ones with rolling deadlines) are clear that I won’t hear back until after the deadline – around March.
If I get an early offer, can I tell them I’m still waiting on other offers and ask for more time to make a decision? Or, if they force me to make a decision sooner, can I accept their offer but potentially decline it later if a more desirable internship comes along? I think I’m just too concerned with being rude – it’s not like I’ll be signing a contract (at least I didn’t last year) and in many cases these are unpaid. I want to be able to do what’s right for me without overstepping the boundary of what’s considered acceptable (or at least fairly commonplace). Any insight/tips/personal stories would be appreciated!