Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#11

Post by rmc » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 9:08 AM UTC

greenyoda wrote: post #6

davismwfl wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My younger self would have said the same thing, that you have a moral obligation once you make a commitment. But having been around quite a while now, I have seen companies retract offers between when it was accepted and when the person was supposed to start, because they "changed their mind", or had a change in circumstances. So I take the opinion now that as long as you are up front and honest it is just a business…

"I have seen companies retract offers between when it was accepted and when the person was supposed to start..." I've also seen companies hire people and then turn around and fire them after a couple of weeks because they "weren't working out" or because "the funding for the job disappeared" or because they had layoffs due to financial difficulties (which they probably could have seen coming at the time they hired th…

Even in countries without "at will" employment (e.g. Europe), companies can still dump employees. It goes both ways, everywhere.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#12

Post by barry-cotter » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 11:45 AM UTC

MarkMc wrote: post #10

patio11 wrote: post #2

Totally legal. Your main risk is social opprobrium. There exists a social norm that you not do this, and it may be considered unprofessional behavior by the people attempting to hire you. People do talk, so I'd weigh the possibility of burning those bridges over the relative certainty in the differences between offer Y and offer X. In my younger days, I would have flatly advised against it for mostly karmic reasons,…

I have to disagree: It may be legal and in your self interest, but I don't think you should reneg on your offer. You should treat others the way you want to be treated, which means honouring the email agreement. And if you do withdraw your offer to company x, don't complain if company y withdraws its offer to you. If you stick with company x then show them the job offer from company y at your next salary review. It i…

He's not dealing with pre Lou Gerstne IBM, or a Japanese keiretsu. He's dealing with a company that has no loyalty. I appreciate that you may remember a time when company loyalty wasn't the punchline of a joke but noon under 30, probably noone under 40 did.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#13

Post by arisAlexis » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 1:39 PM UTC

sure it's bad karma but just be flat out frank with them, apologize, forget about it, have a nice new life with Y.

US and especially silicon valley is very clear about the rules of the game, and the rules is that there are no bad moves only illegal ones.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#14

Post by loumf » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 1:55 PM UTC

marylu wrote: post #9

hello,i am a new comer

Please only make comments that add to the conversation (not small talk or introductions). Read this to understand the kinds of comments that are welcomed:

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#15

Post by davelnewton » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 2:44 PM UTC

barry-cotter wrote: post #12

MarkMc wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have to disagree: It may be legal and in your self interest, but I don't think you should reneg on your offer. You should treat others the way you want to be treated, which means honouring the email agreement. And if you do withdraw your offer to company x, don't complain if company y withdraws its offer to you. If you stick with company x then show them the job offer from company y at your next salary review. It i…

He's not dealing with pre Lou Gerstne IBM, or a Japanese keiretsu. He's dealing with a company that has no loyalty. I appreciate that you may remember a time when company loyalty wasn't the punchline of a joke but noon under 30, probably noone under 40 did.

You don't know anything about the company and its "loyalty", you're guessing. (Unless you're not, in which case, you should disclose that you have inside information.)

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#16

Post by zhte415 » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 2:49 PM UTC

Appreciate the connection and chance X is giving. By phrasing the question in a very position based nature (legality, contract, risk) I'm worried you may be framing out and sacrifice the relationships or interests with X. Seek agreement this is a good opportunity, but you appreciate the opportunity with X. Don't make it sound superficial. The short term cards are in your hands, longer term you may well meet again people from Y.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#17

Post by jenkstom » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 3:25 PM UTC

Most companies have a "probation" period for the first 30-90 days. The idea is that if it isn't working for the company or the worker, they can end the relationship without drama. You're just doing it even earlier than that. It will cost them less for you to drop out at this point than after you have actually gone through the process of being hired.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#18

Post by JoeAltmaier » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 3:28 PM UTC

You have no problem. Many states are at-will employment, which means you can leave for any reason or no reason. If they have not paid you anything, then you own them nothing - employment is about the money, and until money changes hands, there's no obligation.

This is an extremely common occurrence. Folks take jobs all the time and never show up. My old boss at Intermec complained that 1/3 or more of the people he 'hired' never showed.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#19

Post by mattwritescode » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 3:37 PM UTC

You are allowed to change your mind just make sure you are doing it for yourself and not looking through recruiters tinted glasses.

Re: Ask HN: Can I decline a job offer already accepted?

#20

Post by chc » Tue, Nov 04, 2014, 6:02 PM UTC

MarkMc wrote: post #10

patio11 wrote: post #2

Totally legal. Your main risk is social opprobrium. There exists a social norm that you not do this, and it may be considered unprofessional behavior by the people attempting to hire you. People do talk, so I'd weigh the possibility of burning those bridges over the relative certainty in the differences between offer Y and offer X. In my younger days, I would have flatly advised against it for mostly karmic reasons,…

I have to disagree: It may be legal and in your self interest, but I don't think you should reneg on your offer. You should treat others the way you want to be treated, which means honouring the email agreement. And if you do withdraw your offer to company x, don't complain if company y withdraws its offer to you. If you stick with company x then show them the job offer from company y at your next salary review. It i…

It is not usually the employee who sets the deadline on the offer, so I don't believe this moral equivalence is real. If a company does not want this situation to come up, it is at liberty to give a deadline that's long enough for the employee to consider other offers and make an informed decision. A company that attempts to rush an employee to accept an offer before others come in is attempting to exploit the employee's feelings of responsibility to the company's advantage. I do not think people are obligated to allow themselves to be exploited in this way.