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I accepted a role and am mid-way through the on-boarding process.

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Anonymous

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I accepted a role and am mid-way through the on-boarding process. However, I received a call on Friday that the job I really wanted (after 2 weeks of no contact) has decided to make me an offer. Am I eligible to back out of the role I accepted?

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  1. Anonymous

    Of course, you are. They can't make you take a job you don't want.

  2. Anonymous

    Congrats! And yes, you can do what is best for you!

  3. Anonymous

    Congratulations. I am guessing that the new offer is in writing. Not sure when your start date is. I would suggest letting your current employer know you are leaving but you are willing to stay until you need to be at your new job for coverage. My guess is that you will be let go immediately. The goal is to not burn bridges in case you need to interact with the current company or current employees sometime in the future.

  4. Anonymous

    Is this offer from the same company? Do you have the offer in writing?

  5. Anonymous

    "Eligible"?? You can leave a job at any time. The others applicants probably haven't received rejection notices, so they will jus hire one of them.

  6. Anonymous

    of course.

  7. Anonymous

    Eligible? You have to make decisions about your own destiny. Think long and hard about burning the bridge since the other company that you are so hot on left you hanging. If you truly want that other role think about how to get out gracefully without injuring your own credibility and the company that probably rejected others to hire you. I'm not saying don't do it but if you make that move make it not about money and instead about the work content.

  8. Anonymous

    Unless you signed a contract and are in a right-to-work state, you or your employer can terminate your employment at any time. You may have to pay back if you received any sign-on compensation (bonus or relocation, for example).

  9. Anonymous

    Yes, you can.

  10. Anonymous

    Sure you are. Just make sure the WRITTEN offer for the new position meets your approval.

  11. Anonymous

    The two weeks of no contact is kind of minimal in my world, though I do make a lot of effort to keep in touch with my top candidate. Even then, 2 weeks is not uncommon to finish interviews, make a selection, check references, and get an actual offer from HR. And if you are the 2nd (or 3rd) choice, their loss is your gain. One hire was our 3rd choice: 1st choice turned us down, 2nd choice had already accepted another offer. The new hire was fine and did well in the role. If we hadn't agreed that the candidate was viable, we would have restarted the search.

  12. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career Coach

    You are always in control - however I wouldn't do anything until you have a formal offer in writing, signed, and accepted.

  13. Anonymous

    listen to Meagan below. it costs them more money the longer you wait however, get the other offer and negotiation in writing.

  14. Anonymous

    Of course you can back out of any role at anytime, if the other one is your true love then do it… just explain properly make a good transition agreement with the company to not burn bridges, the chance they want you back in future is slim unless there is mgmt change just make sure you don’t regret leaving so secure the other one first

  15. Anonymous

    Unless you have a contract, if you are in the US, you can generally leave any job for any reason at any time, just like an employer can end your job with them at any time.

    As other commenters have noted, you want to make sure the offer is confirmed. I don't see the two weeks as a huge red flag alone, but you will learn more as you work with them to get the offer confirmed.

    Have you actually started with the current company or do you mean you are mid-way through the pre-start date onboarding tasks? Either way, you want to handle the notice professionally, but I would also expect that they may not hire you again in the future. You may be fine with that, and some companies might be willing to consider you again, but it is one thing to consider.

  16. Sandy Pochapin

    When you say "contract" do you mean a signed contract or a contract job (where you work for an outside agency)?

  17. Anonymous

    I meant contract in terms of a contract that has a specific process for ending the employment relationship

  18. Shelly Katzeff

    If you have not accepted (via contract) and/or started the job, it is acceptable to stop the process. Just like an employer can let you go for any or no reason, you have the same rights. If you accept the current job, you will probably regret it, and the opportunity at your doorstep will no longer be available. So you do not burn any bridges, I would explain that your dream job just became available and you do not want to pass up the opportunity.

  19. Kim Raper

    happens all the time, just be professional about notifying them you have decided not to pursue it further and thank them for the opportunity.

  20. Anonymous

    Yes. This is common. Be professional and gracious.

  21. Gail Buckley Crane

    Whoa! So you do not burn any bridges, I would explain that your dream job just became available." ????? That implies you were "settling" for the current opportunity - Talk about burning bridges!

    To save face for you and the new company you could say that as you have become more knowledgeable of the details of the position you don't think this would be a good fit FOR ME. Puts the onus of the decision on you without putting down the organization.

  22. Anonymous

    I did this at my last job offer. I completely regret it!

    They waited 2 weeks most likely because the first candidate turned the position down and they moved on with the list of candidates IMHO

  23. Heather Haaland

    You have to protect yourself and your own best interests. If this new job is what you have been looking for take the leap.

  24. Anonymous

    Has the offer been made and accepted for the job you really want? Have you signed anything accepting the job you really want. Literally in my company I have made a potential employee an offer and the very next day, we had to call and tell her we had to rescind it (no papers were signed and she had not accepted at that point). It was a hiring freeze from corporate and since she had not signed and accepted, I could not hire her.

    Things can change in an instant. Make sure you have everything locked down in the position you really want before letting the other you are onboarding with go.

    We have had people here go through onboarding and quit their first day of training so it happens. It is worse when you start and complete training and work a few weeks. The entire process has to start over.

    Good luck, I wish you the best in what you do.

  25. Anonymous

    I would notify your current job and give them minimum information and take the job you wanted. Life is short and you need to look out for you.

  26. James Herendeen

    It's your life, do what's good for you...but it's possible that you burn a bridge here and there...but, work where you get the most benefit ...

  27. Nancy Stein-Pizzo

    If you don't go the one you really wanted, you'll kick yourself later. I speak from experience.

  28. Anonymous

    I backed out of a role I accepted and took another role.

  29. Julie

    If you haven't signed any contracts, you can do whatever you want. After leaving, I would send a nice letter to the hiring manager to thank them again for the opportunity. Let them know this was a very hard decision as you saw a lot of potential in the role/organization that they offered to you. If you think it's a place you may want to work at later, make sure you connect with them on LinkedIn. Comment and engage with their posts and keep the connection alive.

  30. Anonymous

    I would back out and go with the role that you wanted. You will regret it in the future always wondering what if.

  31. Sarah Mayfield

    Yes.
    Unless you signed a binding contract with penalties. Be sure that this is what you want. But especially if they offer more money. But keep the current job until you have a written letter of commitment.

  32. Anonymous

    The same thing happened to me a few years ago. I told the company who made me the second offer I had already accepted another position. I called the company I was onboarding with and told them of the situation. They were very understanding, so I called the other company back and told them if it was still available, I would accept and let the other company know. It all worked out. Best wishes!

  33. Anonymous

    I hired a candidate who resigned at the end of day 3 with little or no explanation. With no feedback, I was left wondering whether the candidate oversold their skills, whether our company/department was too chaotic, and what could we have done better to keep this candidate.

    If you decide to leave, please be gracious and offer an explanation and a period to transition. The company that hired you recognized the value you brought to the table, invested in you, and will be devastated by your decision to leave.

  34. thumpertrax

    Don't burn a bridge and be courteous if you back out once you have the other job secured.

  35. Anonymous

    Please ensure you secure the other offer in writing before you do anything. Unless you signed a binding contract to work for them for x amount of time, etc., you are free to do what you want.

  36. Anonymous

    I am somewhat in this position. I had agreed for a second interview with a company. Then I found out the first company had provided me an offer. However, I haven't started the onboarding process.

  37. Anonymous

    Yes - get the offer in writing ✍️ and signed. Then discuss with your current position that this came up and was where your passion is and what you really wanted. Thank them for the opportunity and apologize for the extra work this caused them. If you’re honest with them. Most employers will wish you well because most employers know that either they lose you now and start over with minimal invested into your onboarding or it will likely happen later.

  38. Anonymous

    Get the new offer in writing, negotiate up on your salary and benefits, and then graciously leave your current position. Do what’s best for you (which includes being professional and courteous so as to minimize burning bridges). You have nothing to lose.

  39. Trish Schaefer

    This!

  40. Anonymous

    It feels weird to walk away from a role that you accepted in good faith, but honestly, companies can and do let people go at the drop of a hat so protect your best interests and do what's best for you.

  41. Trish Schaefer

    This!

  42. Evelyn Cruz

    Do what is best for you. Also review glass door to find out what people say about the company. Go with your gut feelings

  43. Milissa Jacobs

    You are free to do whatever pleases you unless you have signed a contract. But expect the people in the company that you are leaving to have negative feelings about you,

  44. Anonymous

    Oh well.

  45. Milissa Jacobs

    Your 'oh well' could turn around and bite you in the butt, lol. I had a new hire that did this and then her 'dream job' in the new company was consumed by the company she had left behind. Her position was the first one cut in the merger.

  46. Anonymous

    And.

  47. Milissa Jacobs

    aaaand, her job was the first one cut. She no longer was employed in her dream job, she did fill in work until her contract expired and they immediately released her. ( I didn't realize the inferences weren't there)

  48. Anonymous

    Yes you can, but as others have said, there will be negative feelings and the company you walk away from probably won't consider you if you apply for another role in future as they have wasted time and resource in their eyes.

    But I also echo do what's best for you. Good luck.

  49. Anonymous

    Ask yourself this, would you want to join a company that immediately recognized your value, or would you rather work for someone who is unsure and most likely continued to interview candidates (most likely the reason for the delay)? Personally, I wouldn't want to be offered a job by default. I need to know that I am your top candidate. How you prove that would be by extending me an offer, not by ghosting me for 2 weeks.

  50. Anonymous

    Would they just let you go? Of course. You must think of what is best for you because no one else wil.

  51. Eloisa Jacinto

    Yes, you can. But first, check if you already received from them something that has a binding contract e.g., signing bonus that you might have to repay. Second, it is a small world so make sure to not burn too many bridges when you leave. If you are currently in a decent company and you discuss with them your decision, they would get hurt but would understand. So do what’s best for you in a right way. Good luck!

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