Post Final Round with T2

Totally fair and normal for you to follow up.

How to do it well:

• Be factual and calm
• Do not frame it as pressure or an ultimatum
• Be explicit that the T2 firm is your first choice

Suggested structure:

1. Thank them
2. Mention competing offer and deadline
3. State clearly that they are your top choice
4. Ask about expected timing or alignment

Template u could use

Hi ...

Thanks again for the final round earlier this week. I wanted to share a quick update: I’ve received another offer with a response deadline of ...

Your firm is my clear first choice, so I wanted to check whether you have visibility on the decision timeline or if it might be possible to align decisions.

If they are a yes, this often accelerates things. If they are still debating, they will usually tell you transparently. Either way, you lose nothing by reaching out.

Hi there,

Yes — in this situation, it’s absolutely appropriate to reach out to the T2 recruiter and mention the competing offer. This is very standard, especially after a final round, and recruiters expect it.

A few guidelines on how to do it well:

• Timing: Three days after a final round is reasonable, particularly since you now have a concrete deadline.
• Tone: Be transparent, respectful, and calm. This is not pressure — it’s information.
• Positioning: Emphasize that the T2 firm is your top choice, but avoid sounding ultimatum-driven.

A good way to frame it is:

• Thank them again for the final round and reiterate your strong interest.
• Mention that you’ve received another offer with a response deadline.
• Ask whether they have a sense of timeline or if it’s possible to align decisions.

You don’t need to ask for an “expedited decision” explicitly — recruiters will read between the lines.

This kind of nudge often helps prioritize internal discussions and, if you’re a yes, can speed things up. If they’re still undecided, they’ll usually tell you honestly.

In short: yes, reach out, keep it professional and appreciative, and clearly signal that they’re your first choice.

Best,
Evelina

This is the exact high-leverage scenario you should deploy. It feels awkward to push, but this is entirely professional and, frankly, the strongest tool you have right now to get an immediate answer from the T2 firm. Do not wait any longer.

You need to reach out to your main recruiting contact (usually the recruiter or sometimes the Partner who ran the final round) right now. The existence of the competing offer is critical information that signals two things to the T2 firm: (1) you are a desirable candidate validated by a competitor, and (2) they risk losing you entirely if they don't act quickly. This moves you from the general decision queue to the urgent, high-priority review pile. Firms respect this leverage because it de-risks their hiring process.

Frame the email carefully. State clearly that you received a generous offer from the Big 4 firm that expires on [Date]. Then, pivot immediately to expressing enthusiasm, emphasizing that the T2 firm is your absolute first choice. The key line is: "I wanted to share this update immediately as I hope it allows your team to potentially accelerate internal discussions, as I would much prefer to accept an offer with [T2 Firm Name]." You are asking them to expedite their decision process, not demanding a specific outcome. This usually forces an immediate internal discussion and gets the decision finalized within 24–48 hours.

Hope this helps you manage the timeline effectively. All the best!

Congrats on already having one offer in the bag :)
And yes! You should absolutely reach out.

You can send an email saying something along the lines of,

"Dear [name]
Thank you so much for the opportunity to interview, throughout the process it strengthened my keenness to work for [firm] due to [reasons]. I have recently received an offer from a competitor and have only [x] days to respond. I do wish to highlight that [firm] is my preference. Is there any chance I would be able to receive the final decision in time to respond to the competitor?

Thank you in advance, 
[Your name]" 

Fill in the blank and you should be receiving some insights soon :) They will also likely ask you where you got the offer from.

Good luck!

It's absolutely appropriate and you shouldn't even overthink it. 

Write to the recruiter telling them that you received an offer in the meantime, but that you would ideally prefer them, and if there is any possibility for the recruiting process to be fast tracked so you get an answer from them. 

Good luck on the first offer btw!

Cristian