Rescinding a job offer after having verbally accepted -ADVICE!

kayjones83

Hi,

I verbally accepted a job offer with a company which was my 2nd choice . The contract was sent out to me within a few days of which I have not signed.
During this time , I was called in for an interview with a company which was actually my first choice. They said that they will get back to me within a week as they are at the beginning stages of interviews.

Tomorrow will be a week since I verbally accepted the job offer 2nd choice. I have never been in this situation before so a little unsure on how to go about things.


1. Is it acceptable to ask for more time even though i verbally accepted the offer?
2. Could any legal actions be taken if I decided to rescind the offer ?

Any advice on this matter would be much appreciated.

[Deleted User]

1. Depends if given a start date I'd have thought?

2. No I think it's shaky ground - any new employment in the first 4 weeks under statutory guidelines can be terminated with no notice.
You could also read something in the offer letter, which renders you unsuitable so would be doing the employer a massive favour by not starting. I speak as someone who received an offer letter as late as could have done which read we offer this position and you accept .. only to get to the second page and die at what wasn't ever mentioned throughout recruitment. I can't imagine what would have happened if left until the day I was due to start to be seeing this so I'd learnt a massive lesson about waiting and seeing offer letters before proceeding.

Always best to make an early decision and let the company know you are turning down in as early time as possible just for the mental side but I'm aware this is easier said then done in uncertainties and risks taken.

kayjones83

Hi there ,

Thanks for your response.

I have been given a start date which is the beginning of next month.

I do not want to burn any bridges but I guess I have to do what is right for me in the long run.

Many thanks again for your advice.

TELLIT01

No action can be taken against you if you withdraw your acceptance of a job offer. I think a bigger problem could be the proposed start date of the new job. If you haven't heard from the other job by the proposed start date what do you plan to do? I don't think a prospective employer will look too kindly on an attempt to defer the start date at this late stage. It's probable that they will have an induction timetable set up.
It would be a risk to turn down a firm job offer in the hope that you will be offered the other job. Although not a great thing to do, there is nothing to stop you starting and then resigning if the other job does come through.

kayjones83

Hi Tellit01,

I suppose the earlier I decline , the better.
I'm now having doubts with the job offer , I should have thought more carefully about whether or not I wanted it before accepting.
I think my insticts was to go with the first offer regardless .
As I don't actually need to rush to find work, I should take the time to find out exactly what I want to do.

Just a little pickle that I'm in! :S

jobbingmusician

Then why not accept the job, keep looking and if you find something better within your probation period, you need only give a week's notice? Are you working at the moment?

DCFC79

kayjones83 wrote: »

Hi Tellit01,

I suppose the earlier I decline , the better.
I'm now having doubts with the job offer , I should have thought more carefully about whether or not I wanted it before accepting.
I think my insticts was to go with the first offer regardless .
As I don't actually need to rush to find work, I should take the time to find out exactly what I want to do.

Just a little pickle that I'm in! :S

Yes I understand the pickle your in.

Why not do as poster pelow says, you get a job and can still look for something else, its what I would do.

jobbingmusician wrote: »

Then why not accept the job, keep looking and if you find something better within your probation period, you need only give a week's notice? Are you working at the moment?

kayjones83

Hi jobbingmusician,

Im all about loyalty plus I don't like messing people around especially if I do leave.
I'm not currently working at the moment which quite handy.

But I guess it's probably safe to take the job and resign if something better comes along.

kayjones83

Hi DCFC79,

You are probably right , it would be safer for me to accept and keep looking if I am not happy.

As I was saying in my previous post , I don't like wasting people's time.
Thanks for your help.

Should I still do the security check with them If I decide to not go ahead with the job offer ?

[Deleted User]

kayjones83 wrote: »

Hi there ,

Thanks for your response.

I have been given a start date which is the beginning of next month.

I do not want to burn any bridges but I guess I have to do what is right for me in the long run.

Many thanks again for your advice.

If you mean Sept which is end of this week, you are likely to get checks performed as you start. If Oct then you've a lot of time for anything to happen.

The longer you leave it you just accept that you are never likely to work at the particular company in the very near future. That's just my thoughts.

Sorry it took me a while to learn one sided loyalty doesn't get you very far - you could start at a company and easily be let go. I've started jobs recently to find actually I was starting as a multi starter so a company can balance it's loss just as well. Blimey I was glad I didn't leave it until the first day to discuss any issues with one in particular I'd never have been aware if I hadn't the need to call
but it did make guilt much easier to deal with as soon as I found out it wasn't all about me.
Then there is what about the stuff you are never told about during the interview process which doesn't become your defence. Hell it was the first job of this year started when it was randomly stated on the first day of induction or on boarding whatever it's to be called, actually it be ok if a few days in if we realised this wasn't the job for us and removed ourselves, so loyalty?

I recently asked for a headset to answer calls to avoid RSI to be looked at if I had 2 heads, one of those things I just had to ask - don't half wish I went to the customer service open event which I didn't learn about until the day before due to start so could hardly go. #gutted! My just before 5pm call on a Friday regards plan c before due to start on a following Monday at plan b just couldn't have been any worse. Yes it can happen right up until hours to go!

So I'm no advocate on how to decide (except writing a list of pro's + cons) and maybe asking if you would ever want to apply to same company in the near future at this stage.

I'm undecided about starting anywhere if you know strongly you'll be leaving, it can all become a bit traumatic then what's needed. This is just my 2pence worth.

kayjones83

Hi Deleted User,

No worries on the delay.
I would be starting towards the end of next week.

You are right , one sided loyalty doesn't get you far .

I've already started questioning some parts in the contract which weren't discussed in the interview of which I was not informed about in the interview.

I'm going to sleep on it a little more and then make my depiction.
This is all too much :S

Thanks again for your help!