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Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

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Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#1

Post by narmakse »

I have had an offer from a company in Berlin, Germany around two months ago which I accepted and have had to join next month. I have got a better (much better in terms of salary, relocation benefits, tech stack etc) offer from another company in the same city and I want to accept that. Now a part of me is telling me that I should stick to what I accepted before and it would be wrong if I tell them that I am not coming and the other part of me is telling me that I will not be happy there both from the work that I will be doing and the other monetary benefits and so wants me to accept the second offer.

I am confused now that whether I should join them or accept the other offer. Did you ever had a situation like this, did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

Re: Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#3

Post by kurthr »

sharemywin wrote: post #2

if your going to do it tell them as soon as possible. It will probably burn bridges, but don't get stuck at job your not going to like.

Exactly, they need to hire someone for that position now. I dont know employment law in germany, but I doubt they want a miserable employee, and they'll want to start searching immediately.

Re: Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#4

Post by redsable »

Be honest. Tell HR the truth. Tell them the other company has offered you a much bigger salary. Tell them that salary is very important to you at this stage of your life.

The big question.....have you signed a contract? If not then get the second contract signed before you diss the first. You never know what might happen. Even if it entails traveling there to sign the contract...do it. And while you are there go in person to the first company that offered you. I believe that until you sign the contract you still have room to make changes. The contract is the key. If you have already signed a contract with the first company it could mean trouble. That changes everything.

Re: Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#5

Post by epc »

As an employee I almost resigned the first week at a startup but convinced myself the bad vibe I was getting was an overreaction. It wasn't. I ended up resigning within six months.

As an occasional hiring manager I would prefer a candidate reject my job offer as early as possible. First, so I can revisit the other candidates and hopefully not have to repeat the entire process. Second, if the new employee quits, it's more expensive to restart the process six months.

I don't know German employment law, but in the US you would have no obligation to the employer unless you've accepted reimbursement already or signed a contract of some sort, and even then you can usually work out not takng the job.

Re: Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#6

Post by neerkumar »

In the US, in tech, it is relatively common for people to sign an offer and then change their mind and choose to not join. It happened a few times in different companies where I worked. It wasn't really a big deal, it is considered part of the game.

Note that the opposite can happen too and it is much more frequent. It can happen especially to students. They get an offer starting in 6 months after they graduate and by then the company has problems, like layoffs or hiring freeze, so they cancel the offer.

If company A is paying you much less than company B, that means they are paying you below your market value. So it is up to them to either match the other offer or lose you.

Re: Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#8

Post by abpavel »

Definitely let them know immediately. You not being happy in your job (because of a better offer), or you quitting within first 3 months, is much worse than saying even a day in advance that you had other offer and this is how things are. Really tell them your position, there is nothing wrong with this.

Re: Ask HN: Did you ever resign from a company on your first day?

#10

Post by AznHisoka »

epc wrote: post #5

As an employee I almost resigned the first week at a startup but convinced myself the bad vibe I was getting was an overreaction. It wasn't. I ended up resigning within six months. As an occasional hiring manager I would prefer a candidate reject my job offer as early as possible. First, so I can revisit the other candidates and hopefully not have to repeat the entire process. Second, if the new employee quits, it's…

What were examples of those bad vibes?
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