@ClassicRockerDad Although I respect your take on the situation, many companies don’t think twice about reneging on an offer (or offers) made to college recruits. As in @publisher’s example, many companies are constantly assessing and re-assessing operations, staffing strategies and headcount and have no qualms about backing out of new grad offers and/or laying off current staff.
I think it’s reasonable for students to at the very least monitor what is going on in the company they have committed to, and see nothing wrong with being open to a better opportunity coming along. Really not different than someone who already works at a company accepting a better offer elsewhere–an employee that the company spent considerable resources training. Many don’t see any ethical lapse on the employee’s part in that situation, why is it different before they start, before they have benefitted from the company’s training and education?
As a hiring manager for 20+ years, if a new grad renegs on an offer, I fill the spot again and move on. Over the next week, I am sure I would have forgotten the name of the person who reneged on the offer. I echo other posters who have said no company wants an employee who doesn’t want to be there, so why waste significant time and money knowing they will just move on sooner rather than later.
Employers rescind their offers when it suits them, so I am not sure why employees couldn’t do the same. This is what happens when there is no loyalty from either side. Unfortunately it is the kind of culture we have in this country. Companies only care about their bottom lines. They fire employees who have been with them for 20+ years because they are too expensive/too old.
The difference between marriage and employment is marriage is supposed to be for better or worse, and employment is not. When there is divorce, marital assets are divided between the couple. I don’t remember last time when a company gave me part of its assets when I was let go. So I think there is different degree of commitment between marriage and employment.
I like to think accepting a job offer is comparable to the college WL process. You can accept a spot on May 1 (because that’s the deadline), but if you should get off a WL that you like better then you should be able to accept it and notify the other school right away. The only time it is not kosher is if you should accept 2 offers at the same time.
As a hiring manager, I never take it for granted my potential employee would show up because a lot could happen (counter offer, another job offer), so I make sure I am in constant contact with new hire until he/she shows up.
Really, nobody would say to an employer “I am accepting your offer but I am continuing to look for a better one” and expect the offer to not be rescinded. It IS as absurd as telling your fiancee’ that you are continuing to pursue other partners.
People have said to me that they have open applications to graduate school, or have applied for a scholarship, or something, and I know about it and in that case everyone is open and honest. I’ve had “two body problem” cases where the SO couldn’t find a job in our location and the person had to rescind. Again, open dialog, unforeseen circumstance. That’s not bad faith. Continuing to interview just to get something better most certainly is.
When you accept an offer, the req for the job is closed, and other candidates are sent rejection letters. Opportunities to hire others are missed. The employer is relying on your word and your good faith. Continuing to interview after you’ve agreed to terms is bad faith.
I do keep the names of folks who renege in bad faith on offers and they never ever get another one from me.
These days some companies don’t bother sending rejection letters, or delay them until a candidate starts. It’s why in many cases it seems to take forever to get the acceptance letter! And, yes, some candidates move on without waiting.
It’s simple. Treat people (employers) they way you would want to be treated. If you accepted an offer, stop looking for another job. If you do leave once employed give them plenty of opportunity to transition your position. I think we lose sight of common courtesy and professionalism in the workplace.
A common scenario is that many companies require multiple interviews (up to five separate interviews in recent experience) and sometimes the process gets delayed after a few interviews. Yet the student job applicant is in the process of interviewing with multiple companies often in different industries. Sometimes one accepts and the manager to whom that student applicant was to report leaves or transfers.
In football & basketball recruiting, students often switch commitments based on factors beyond their control (coach gets fired or leaves, too many recruits at the same position make playing time unlikely, change of offensive or defensive coordinator).
My point is that in "at will " employment situations everything & anything is subject to change without any need for justification. In fact, in at will employment jurisdictions, employment attorneys often advise companies that the safest course of action is to give no reason at all for terminating an offer or for terminating one’s employment.
In short, it depends upon the facts & circumstances of each individual case. At least in the real world.
As for when one shares the fact of continuing interviews, it only makes sense after an offer has been extended.
One area with which I am familiar is in the legal field. Young attorneys who have accepted an offer from biglaw often share that they will be continuing to interview for federal judicial clerkships.
Also happens with major accounting firms & with major tech companies, but these tend to be experienced hires.
I don’t think employers for the most part after giving an offer for a role, interview others for that same role, which is the situation, in reverse, that the OP laid out. They renege for the reasons Publisher mentions, but if they feel you’re a good fit for the role after the interviews and give you an offer and you accept, they stop recruiting for your role. If you continue looking for jobs after you accept, things happen, but it is bad faith on your part.
Most definitely. I always try to operate that way. A lot of people do. It’s part of the culture at a lot of companies. Google Forbes - America’s best employers.
My son’s university career placement office does not permit you to renege on an offer once you accept. It makes them look bad and they don’t want to burn any bridges with any companies that recruit there.
My son had an internship last summer and they invited him back for this summer. He wanted to see what other opportunities he could get but was afraid to say no right away. They originally wanted an answer in 2 weeks, but he asked for an extension. Once he started having interviews and second interviews he felt confident that he would have something else for this summer so he declined the offer. His boss from the internship told him if he ever wanted to go back there he should reach out to him and was pleased with how he handled the situation.
^^ you also need to remember that reneging on your offer hurts the employees of the company not just the employer. Those company employees could be you someday in the reverse situation. Most professions operate in a relatively small business world and your reputation in that industry gets around fairly quickly (good and bad). It’s easy to do the wrong thing, what’s harder to do sometimes is the right thing. Continuing to look for a better job once you accept a position, but did not start yet, is by definition unethical.
Employers can protect themselves by giving the employee a contract for a certain term. That’s done in the radio and TV business, and there is consideration given by both sides. If the employee quits, they can’t work in the same market; if the employer fires the employee, they pay out the contract.
It is pretty rare for an employee to tell the boss he’s looking for a new job, so why should an ‘employee’ who hasn’t even started yet owe more consideration? Job offers can come from referrals from friends, from relatives, from former employers. You don’t even have to be looking to get one, so should you be required to pass every opportunity just because you accepted an offer when the job won’t even start for 9 months?
I say just be honest with the employer who offered, but look out for yourself too. Don’t play games of asking for a different location just to compare offers, but don’t shut the door on opportunities.
Many employers expect employees to sign non-compete agreements where if the employee ceases employment (whether s/he quits or is fired), s/he cannot work at a (sometimes broadly-defined) competitor for some period of time, but without the employer giving any consideration beyond merely getting or keeping the job that may otherwise be at-will.
Employee non-compete agreements are not enforceable in a few states (notably California, but also North Dakota and Oklahoma), but are enforceable (though often with vague limits that probably require expensive litigation to find the boundaries of) in most states. http://www.beckreedriden.com/50-state-noncompete-chart-2/
Non compete agreements are rarely enforceable. In my business it is fairly common for us not to work for a period of time (3-6 months) before we start a new job, and the ex-employer would usually pay for the employee not to work even if it is a voluntary resignation. We call it a garden leave.
My DH has been offered a number of jobs with non-compete clauses. He has graciously declined. What this would do is prevent him from earning a living where we live if he left a job.
So…he has said NO to the non-compete clause.
In every case, the company has removed that, and offered him the job without it.
The point is that a non-compete clause is a negotiable part of a contract. If the employer wants you locked in, he pays for it. I think a bonus is a lot more effective, either that you don’t get it until you have worked there xxx amount of time or that you have to repay it if you leave before xxx.
I worked for a company that ran through VPs at a rapid pace. We could tell how long their ‘buy out’ package lasted by when their company cars arrived back in the parking lot. “Oh, Joe got 9 months rather than 5. Good negotiating, Joe.”