It’s quite likely that your interview processes for multiple companies will overlap (or that you’ll have multiple offers at or near the same time), and it’s important to manage the timelines correctly so that you get your desired outcome. Here are a few scenarios to consider and what action you should take if you encounter each one  (assume that Company A is your top choice and Company B is your backup option).

The interview process for Company A is ahead of that for Company B.

Great, no need to worry! Don’t try to speed up or slow down the process for either company.

The interview process for Company B is ahead of that for Company A.

You can try to slow down the process for Company B by scheduling interviews multiple weeks out, taking a few days to respond to emails, etc. But make sure to not be rude! Also, let the recruiter from Company A know that you may have an upcoming deadline for a competing offer, and ask if they are able to speed up their process for you.

Company A has given you an offer and you’re still waiting to hear from Company B. 

Congrats! Accept the offer!

Company B has given you an offer that expires tomorrow and you’re still waiting to hear from Company A. 

Send one last email to the recruiter from Company A explaining the situation and expressing that you’ll have to accept the other offer if you don’t hear back. Hopefully, they will get back to you, but if not, you have a few options (see the section below).

Tough Scenarios

The toughest of these scenarios is the last one, in which your back is up against the wall with your less-preferred company. The correct choice depends entirely on your situation, so you’ll have to decide for yourself. Your options are:

Accept the offer

The internship market is tough and you haven’t heard from many other companies. You’re satisfied with Company B and aren’t sure if Company A will give you an offer, so you accept the offer with B.

Ask for more time

You can email Company B, say that you’re still going through the process with another company, and ask for more time to decide. This option risks a response of “sorry, we can’t do that, your offer is no longer valid.” However, the response could also be “okay, you can have another week.”

Pass on the offer

Thank Company B for the offer, but kindly let them know that you aren’t able to accept it. If you can, provide an explanation for this decision (e.g. location, salary, etc.). This option avoids burning any bridges, and may make you a favored candidate for future internships or jobs at that company. But, it also risks having to continue the internship search if Company A doesn’t give you an offer.

Accept the offer and plan to renege

Accept the offer with Company B with the hope that Company A will offer you an internship, in which case you’ll go back on your agreement with Company B. ‍

We strongly discourage this option.

Not only is it dishonest and untrustworthy, but it also may prevent you from getting a job at Company B (or its partners) in the future. Think about the personal connections that you’re sacrificing when you choose this option, as well as how much benefit you’ll really be gaining from joining a different company for one summer.