In "About to Abandon a Job Offer? Consider This First," Stella Thomas, Head of Talent Acquisition at Tally Solutions, provides insights on the complexities of reconsidering a job offer after acceptance. The article explores both employer and candidate perspectives, offering a guide on reflection, prompt communication, and legal implications. It serves as a valuable resource for professionals navigating the delicate decision of rescinding a job offer.
Read the original article here.
You interviewed for a company, aced the interview, received
an offer and accepted it. However, before the date of joining, you realise that
you are not taking up the offer. The reason could vary. Before you take this
call, there are a few things you need to know in order to make an informed
decision.
Stella Thomas, Head of Talent Acquisition, Tally Solutions,
a leading business software provider, says it is important to understand the nuances
involved in taking such a complicated decision.
First of all, there are two sides to the story. On one hand,
companies face a huge challenge if people do not join, especially at the last moment,
and they have to restart the hiring process. Thomas says that it is
unprofessional to decline an offer after accepting it, and it can affect the
candidate’s personal brand to some extent. Furthermore, the organisation
concerned may not have a positive orientation towards such candidates when they
reply later to the company.
She says, “We do witness multiple instances of candidates
declining an already accepted offer. In the recruitment world, this
nomenclature is termed as renege. Recently, we experienced a similar situation
with one of our tech hires. The candidate declined the offer on the day of joining.
Any previous experiences do not prepare the talent acquisition team to deal
with such situations.”
While talking about the difficulties faced by employers, she
explains that one of the challenges a product company of their size faces is that
there is a provision to roll out only one offer per requisition. Hence, it is
necessary to have a continuous flow of pipelines ready to mitigate such
challenges.
“It is also essential to give strong feedback to candidates
who renege at the last moment and, in principle, we do not encourage this behaviour
as an organisation,” she says.
Let us now look at this situation from the candidate’s
perspective. There could be circumstances that might make this decision
unavoidable from the candidate’s point of view.
Circumstances that usually compel individuals to take this
decision
According to iHire’s 2023 Job Seeker Report, “Approximately
one in four job seekers (24.7%) have declined an offer after accepting it verbally.”
What drives this?
According to Thomas, when people have multiple offers, they
tend to compare numbers and go for the one with higher compensation. Besides, companies’
product line and market value, culture, work environment, preference of
location, especially in case of relocation, interest in remote work opportunities, and inclination
towards monetary benefits are a few common points that may overturn an
individual’s decision to join an organisation.
Thomas offers a quick guide for individuals to help them
carefully deal with such a delicate matter:
Reflect and re-evaluate - Determine why you would want to
decline the offer and if there is a valid reason
Be prompt and honest – Inform the employer as soon as the
decision is made
Apologise and express regret – Never avoid a difficult conversation.
It is best to clearly state facts
Personalise the communication - It is advisable to decline
the offer through a phone call or in person to show sincerity and respect. However,
if necessary, you can also follow up with an email
Express gratitude – It is important to express gratitude and
maintain a professional approach while acknowledging the employer’s decision to
hire you
Keep the door open – If an individual has a genuine interest
in working with the company in the future, he/she must appreciate being considered
for any future opportunities. This helps to maintain a positive relationship
and leaves the possibility open for future collaboration
Follow up with a thank-you note
Are there any legal
implications that individuals should be aware of?
“In many cases, a job offer is considered a legally binding
contract once it is accepted. If you decide to decline the offer after formally
accepting it, the employer might claim damages if they can demonstrate that
they suffered losses due to your actions,” says Thomas, while explaining the
legal consequences of declining an accepted job offer.
She further adds that the actual enforceability of such
claims can vary and will depend on the circumstances and local laws. But in India,
there are no legal implications as of now.
What’s clear is that this is a tricky situation and best
avoided. But, in case it is unavoidable, it’s important to have a clear and honest
conversation with the company concerned, and do that as quickly as possible
instead of waiting till the last day to renege on the offer.