Dealing with an Exploding Offer or Sliding-Scale Signing Bonus as an MBA Candidate

In the high-stakes world of MBA recruitment, candidates often encounter tactics designed to speed up their decision-making process. Most commonly, employers will use exploding offers and sliding-scale signing bonuses to pressure candidates into accepting an offer. Here’s how MBA candidates can deal with these types of offers.

What Is an Exploding Offer?

An exploding offer is a job offer that comes with a tight deadline, often requiring acceptance within 24 hours to 72 hours. If it isn’t accepted within the given time frame, the offer is rescinded. Employers will use this tactic to pressure candidates into making quick decisions, limiting their ability to consider other opportunities.

Other reasons employers might use exploding offers is to secure top talent quickly, or to prevent candidates from leveraging an offer elsewhere during their job search. If you ever receive an exploding offer, you can politely request more time so that you can make an informed decision.

To mitigate challenges associated with receiving an exploding offer, take extra care in determining whether the role aligns with your career goals in the first place. In addition to this, pay close attention to how far along you are with other companies in your job search—would receiving an exploding offer interfere with an upcoming interview?

What Is a Sliding-Scale Signing Bonus?

A sliding-scale signing bonus decreases over time. For example, accepting an offer within a week might yield a $30,000 bonus, while waiting two weeks might reduce it to $20,000.

Employers may use sliding-scale signing bonuses to incentivize candidates to make quick decisions, or as a method of saving money. In other words, employers can allocate bonuses based on candidate responsiveness, which can sometimes cut costs.

Candidates who are offered a sliding-scale signing bonus should first clarify the timeline and the amounts involved. Along with this, they should weigh the financial incentive against the need for more thorough consideration (or a look at another offer). Keep in mind that you can also try to negotiate the bonus timeline if necessary (more on that in a bit).

Strategies for Navigating These Tactics

For starters, you should always be informed about common recruitment practices in your industry. This will help you anticipate the possibility of receiving one of these kinds of offers.

Communication is key; from your first contact with the hiring manager, all the way up to receiving an offer. Be transparent about your decision-making process, ask questions when you’re unsure, and maintain professionalism throughout all your interactions.

Your enthusiasm for a role can go a long way if you’re feeling pressured to make a decision, and it will make negotiating for more time seem much more reasonable in the eyes of the hiring team. Check out this sample email requesting more time on an offer:

Subject: Request for Extension on Job Offer Decision

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

Thank you for extending the offer for the [Job Title] role. I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to join [Company Name].

To ensure I make the most informed decision, I kindly request an extension of [specific time frame] to consider the offer thoroughly. I appreciate your understanding and am eager to provide a definitive response by [proposed date].

Best regards,

[Your Name]

As with mostly anything in life, balance is key when dealing with exploding offers and sliding-scale signing bonuses. By understanding these tactics, you’ll be able to confidently navigate the challenges involved while making informed decisions about your career.

Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.