<p>We agree, mommaJ.
I consider a poor decision what now appears to have been a hasty answer to the first offer; I don’t mean the change of mind that came later…</p>
<p>I am in the camp of saying it is unethical. I have had this situation happen more than once in my professional career, where I accepted one job, then got called by another company for an interview shortly after that. And I really wanted to work for the 2nd company (in fact, this has happened to me twice with the same “second company” – they are too darned slow in their hiring process!). But I had accepted a position at the first company, so kept my word and went to work for them.</p>
<p>Now in your situation the other company has already notified the other applicants that they won’t be hiring them, and potentially has to start the hiring process (wining and dining, etc.) over again. That takes company time and resources.</p>
<p>There is ALWAYS a better job out there. IMHO, my reputation as someone who keeps their word has been one of my most valuable assets in the last 30 years in business, and looking back I would not trade that for having had a chance to work at Company #2.</p>
<p>I am guessing then that intparent(post 42) has never quit a job, and likes the scenario I posed in post 32, in order that the potential employee can remain honest.
I think there are ethical people that have given proper notice and quit jobs.</p>
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<p>Sorry, but I couldn’t disagree more. It would be a different thing if this company has invested in your development (tuition/training), and now you owe them. </p>
<p>It works both ways: I have colleagues who, when they graduated from school, had job offers rescinded. In my 20+ year career, I have seen too many of my productive professional peers “axed” by their employers during an economic down-cycle and left w no pension. Have you ever watched a 40 year old man cry as a security guard ushers him out of the building, holding a cardboard box w the personal contents from his desk? I’ve watched plenty. </p>
<p>As the OP indicated that his/her start date is in May, 5 months is a very, very generous notice period for an entry-level hire. Let the employer know ASAP, and be gracious.</p>
<p>I agree with GMT. There is nothing unethical in the least. Graciously inform them, and take the second job.</p>
<p>Aren’t we talking about an internship here? No offense to OP, but it’s not like they are hiring him/her to run their international operations. Typically losing an intern is not something that is going to cripple a company. And I suspect they can find a reasonable replacement prettty quickly. Yeah, maybe they wasted a little time, but that happens.</p>
<p>I just looked up the guidelines about rescinding offers at a few schools. These seem to only apply if the offer was done through the school’s career office, which I assume was the case for the OP, since the interview was on campus.</p>
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<p>I would definitely talk to your career office about this.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to know if the Op continued to seek jobs after the first acceptance. The OP does not say… though s/he does say an offer came after the first acceptance.</p>
<p>D1 had to sign a contract with her school’s career office before she was eligible to apply for on campus recruiting, likewise employers were also required to sign a contract. It was to protect both parties. D1 was not pressured in accepting an offer until all offers were in.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.career.cornell.edu/employers/hiring_students/recruiting/upload/EmployerPoliciesUpdate12-13.pdf[/url]”>For Employers | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University;
<a href=“Career Services | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University”>Career Services | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University;
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<p>Younghoss, you could not be more wrong. I bet I have quit more jobs than anyone on this board. I have been an independent project management consultant for the past 15 years, and spent many years as an employee of various firms before that. Counting up quitting “real” jobs and not renewing contracts when my employer wanted to offer me an extension, I have “quit” 10 times (one of those was a job I quit twice – they convinced me to stay the first time I tried, and I worked for the company for another two years before giving my notice). In fact, I am currently “unemployed”, going on 5 months because of a recent choice to not renew a contract. I keep a lot of money in the bank against this prospect, and very much like the freedom to work where and when I choose.</p>
<p>That said, I believe I have never left a company “in the lurch”. I have always given sufficient notice, and sometimes a lot more than two weeks to make the transition easier when I knew that is what would be best for the company. I have only left a contract once before it was complete, and that was due to a family emergency (not counting that as quitting). I don’t think a single one of my employers would say that I have not kept my word and given them the value I agreed to provide when I committed to work for them, and I have a very good reputation in the business community in my area.</p>
<p>Maybe that is why I think the OP should stick to his original commitment. There are so many jobs out there, and reputation is important.</p>
<p>Well then apparently intparent agrees with my scenario in post 32, and does not feel that 5 months notice is advance enough, but working 1 day then quitting is ok, since the prospective intern has not promised how long s/he’ll work there. S/he’s only said s/he’ll work there, and one day of work would keep the intern honest.
I am pleased to hear how honorably intparent has run his/her business life, but I respectfully disagree on this issue. Intparent has sometimes quit jobs with more than 2 weeks notice in order not to leave the employer “in the lurch”. The Op is considering quitting with 5 months notice.</p>
<p>IMO, basically it comes down to the fact, do whatever your heart desires but do it in a polite professional way. I do not see anything unethical here, the offer will go to the next in line, believe me this type of situation always have a runner-up and possibly a second runner-up fot the position. The company will not spend much of additional money/time (if any at all) filling the spot. Do not worry much about them! Evaluate your own pros/cons and make decision based on that. And absolutely be prepared to the fact that at the end it might not be the best for you personally. Has happened to me several times, although I never rescinded. You can only tell after starting working there. Whatever is looking better on a surface might not be the best after all. However, you just have to plunge and see what happen.</p>
<p>Thank you, Warbrain and oldfort for posts #47 and #49!</p>
<p>Here is what RPI’s Center for Career and Professional Development has to say on the subject:</p>
<p>“Never accept an offer and then back out later! This is called reneging, and it is highly unethical. When you commit to a job offer, you are giving your word that you will follow through with this commitment. Deciding the job wasn’t for you after the fact is inappropriate, too late and very upsetting to employers. Not only will they remember what you did, they will also tell others!”</p>
<p>Also:</p>
<p>“The Final Decision
You’ve made a decision, congratulations! First, call your employer to verbally accept your offer and then confirm all of the details of your offer in writing. Next, call all other companies you have received offers from or have had interviews with to withdraw yourself from their process or to turn down their offers.”</p>
<p>The OP really needs to call his career office.</p>