Received Better 2nd Job Offer after Signing 1st. What Should I Do?

amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 07:04
Last edited 07/07/2021 - 07:48

Hi All,

Following up on the discussion in the velow thread of whether I should stay with my current employer or leave - thanks for the great advice and response from the ozbargain community. I really appreciate it.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/634030

I signed the job offer to start in Company A in 2 weeks, but I also got a better offer at a larger company (Company B) and an excellent compensation package, with a good mix of managerial and technical duties. After further thinking, Company B might be a better fit for me in terms of a long term career.

Of course, company B doesn't know that I took the position of Company A.

My concern is that if I want to take the 2nd job offer I have to tell the company A that I am not going to work at the company as soon as possible, however even after I sign the contract of the company B they have to do a reference check.

Do I have to tell company B that I have resigned with my current company?

I am not sure whether company B will call my current company HR to check whether I am still working there as part of the reference check?

What happens if after I sign Company B's contract and they find out I've accepted and declined another offer? Will they terminate my contract as part of reference check not successful because I am not open to them?

What should I do?

My time is running out, so I must act quickly.

Thank you for your help. I very much appreciate this community great support.

Regards,

Education & Work

Comments

  • poboy on 07/07/2021 - 07:17
    +3

    What does your contract with company A say? If all ok, then sign with company B first, then really nicely tell company A that your circumstances have changed and that unfortunately you can't move forward with the role.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 07:23

      Thank you for the advice. I read the contract of Company A, it says provide 1 week notice after start the employment if want to terminate but never mentioned penalty or anything if I break the contract.
      My concern that will it affect the reference check of Company B if they know I am no longer in my current company? They plan to do online reference check.

      • JustinHardie on 08/07/2021 - 12:50
        +2

        Not advice, but remember that probation period is there for you too, so if you don't like the role or not what you expected or was promised you can terminate the contract with minimal complications. Even if you start with Company A, you can be professional and explain your situation. If you start and really like Company A you can explain you have a much better offer and see if they will match it.

  • Pelicannn on 07/07/2021 - 07:45
    +7

    If you haven’t even started working at company A, why would Comapny B even do a reference check on it? Just don’t tell them you ever worked at A and say your previous job was the actual job you did do.

    Unless I’ve missed the TLDR on previous post about company A being a different part of your original company.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 07:51

      What I meant was if Company B would call my current company (I am about to leave in less than 2 weeks time) and find out I am not longer there.
      Sorry for the confusion.
      Thank you.

      • Archi on 07/07/2021 - 08:14
        +5

        Reference checks have nothing to do with whether you are still employed there or not..

        You can still get reference checked or called to provide a reference years after you have left that company

      • b0rnwithabeard on 08/07/2021 - 16:15

        they won’t call your current company

  • Platinumtelecom on 07/07/2021 - 07:57
    +22

    Honesty is the only thing that works. Be 100% transparent and honest about the whole thing.

    Tell company B that you had accepted an offer from company A but that you think company B is a better fit. Tell them you had already resigned and if this would be an issue for them.

    If you have 2 offers, clearly they see value in you. If so, they won’t mind.

    There is no use trying to hide any of this.

    And worse case you already have campany A secured.

    Honesty is what companies want.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 08:15

      Thank for your advice.
      My concern is that company B might be thinking that it may happen to them again, so they might not be happy.
      Or they can say yes and understand at first, suddenly they change their mind, so is it posing a risk?

      • Platinumtelecom on 07/07/2021 - 08:21
        +4

        Yes agree, they might think that. But now that you are in this situation it’s best to be honest.

        There is a risk you don’t get the job, but there is a bigger risk if they find out you are lying.

        I myself wouldn’t hire someone who I find out was hiding something from me. But if the person is honest and explains the situation then I would have no issues.

        Don’t forget, employers are humans too, and they too would understand why someone who go with a better offer…

        • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 08:27
          +1

          Thank you. That makes sense.
          I will get them to draw up the contract and see the terms and conditions and then once I am comfortable with it, will sign it let them know the situation.
          Do you think it is the best way to do about it?

      • star-ggg on 07/07/2021 - 09:50
        +1

        Don't worry, you won't be seen as a bad employee by going with company B. You might get headhunted a week in, a month in, 6 months in, there's nothing stopping any employee from giving notice. That's a risk for any employee.

        At the end of the day, the company is just a customer for your labor. If your company found a customer that was willing to pay a higher price for their product or service, do you think they would hesitate to sell to the highest bidder? The whole culture about employee loyalty is encouraged by companies because it benefits them not you.

    • andrek on 08/07/2021 - 00:22
      +2

      +1 to that. I was in a similar situation. Verbally accepted the offer, was about to come to the office (that was just before Covid) to sign all the paperwork in the afternoon… only to receive an offer for a much better suited role at another company in the morning.

      I still visited their office, but instead of signing all the paperwork explained what happened and apologised. The hiring manager agreed that the other role and company suited me better. She was not thrilled, but definitely appreciated the honesty and after 1.5 years we still catch up in a chat sometimes.

      I told the new company the same story and they also appreciated the clarity

  • jjjaar on 07/07/2021 - 09:04
    +3

    It’s your career. You need to do what’s best for you. I’ve said this before, but you don’t owe anyone anything.

    As long as there’s nothing in your contract stopping this, which seems like there isn’t, then you just need to politely explain the situation and apologise.

    • isthatallyougot on 07/07/2021 - 09:25
      +1

      I totally agree.

      Its your career and you make the choice to do whats best for you.

      You haven't started working at Company A which means that there is no valid contract with them . The contract can only start from your first date of employment with them .

      Company B will definelty call your current company for a reference check , they will ask for your period of employment. I don't see why that is a bad issue , you only need to give the dates of employment to the reference check agency.

      If you want to be honest with the Company B then tell them you had already resigned from your current company, doubt why that would make a difference to them.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 09:46

      Thank you for your advice.
      The other thing that I need to think about should I tell company B about the real situation (that I have accepted the company A offer), as suggested. Will it be a double-edge sword…

  • garetz on 07/07/2021 - 09:28
    +2

    Signing the contract doesn't mean you entered slavery, just do what you feel to be right.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 09:49

      You are right. Thank you.
      I am relatively new here, but I really thankful with the community support for general advice.
      What a great community here…👍🙏

  • OwMeKnees on 07/07/2021 - 09:46
    +4

    Company A wouldnt hesitate to pull the offer if they needed to. So dont worry about it and just do what's best for you

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 09:55

      Absolutely. We need to take care myself.
      Thank you.

  • tsunamisurfer on 07/07/2021 - 11:07
    +1

    I had this same situation.

    As soon as the mind was made up I immediately called Company A explaining the situation.

    They were angry, I assumed I would never be hired there again, but was many many years later.

    You shouldn't need to worry about the background checks, I would leave out Company A as you haven't even started.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 12:43

      Thank you for your advice. It totally makes sense.

  • Drakesy on 07/07/2021 - 11:17
    +1

    You're free to do whatever you want.
    You haven't officially started with the company yet so there's no recourse.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 12:43

      Thank you. It's a freedom to choose.

  • POSITIVEVIBESONLY on 07/07/2021 - 11:40
    +1

    If no repercussions are stated in your contract that you signed with Company A, it's fine to reject the offer before you have started. The only thing might be burning the bridge as HR might blacklist you for doing something like this but this depends on the company.

    I'm pretty sure you alright made up your mind, I wouldn't stick with a less promising offer where there's a better offer already in front of you. I guarantee you Company B would not have given a shit about you and Company A. You haven't even started working there, for all Company B knows, you just were talking with them. This happens all the time, you have every right to sell yourself.

    Background checks don't check for this stuff, it's just a police check.

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 12:40

      Thanks for the advice.
      They will do an online reference check as well and I am not sure they will call my current company HR.

  • orangetrain on 07/07/2021 - 12:14

    If there are a lot of employers in your industry. Be honest, because:
    - An honest employee is valued more leading to more trust and relationships and that means better careers
    - Any immature employers that blacklist you, are doing you a great favour, saving you time in the future from getting a job at a toxic workplace!

    • amaz1nggreat on 07/07/2021 - 12:45

      Open communication is really important.
      I am waiting for the official contract from Company B.
      Hopefully it will get it soon.
      Thank you.

  • cauilfield on 07/07/2021 - 12:54
    +1

    don't be honest, do you think your employer or their HR (hired to protect the interest of the employer) will ever be honest with you? forget about loyalty.

    • amaz1nggreat on 08/07/2021 - 12:49

      We only loyal to ourselves :)
      Thank you for the advice.

  • ashtdp on 08/07/2021 - 08:31
    +2

    Take it from another IT professional.

    It’s pretty common for someone who is in the job market sometimes to receive multiple offers and the recruiters sure know that the candidate must have applied somewhere else as well.

    About reference checks, the companies usually do reference check to cross validate the facts you stated on the resume and character. They don’t bother about how many offers you received and home many times you rejected.

    Even if they find out you have already resigned from your current job, it doesn’t mean anything to them. In many cases people leave their current job first and then start applying for new roles for various reasons, and I have many friends in IT who did that. As long as there is no huge career gap, they don’t care.

    • amaz1nggreat on 08/07/2021 - 12:48

      Thank you for your advice. It makes total sense.

  • Myone888 on 08/07/2021 - 09:53
    +1

    You have a good problem. You are in demand with 2 jobs offer. Congrats.

  • SlavOz on 08/07/2021 - 16:02
    +2

    Go with the better offer. You need to look out for your own interests and you are legally entitled to change your mind.

    Any contractual obligarions are rarely enforceable before the employee has even started. If they say you need to give 4 weeks notice, you can just do so and call in sick for the next 4 weeks. Tell them to take it off your non-existent annual leave allowance at a company you don't don't work for.

    It's useless. Just take the better job and move on.

    • amaz1nggreat on 08/07/2021 - 19:25

      Thank you for your advice.
      Very straight and sharp.👍👍👍

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