Job Offer & Acceptance

[Matello7777]

Hello,
I'm looking for some advice.
A recruitment agent approached me about a job and I said I was interested.
I had an interview and was offered the job.
I responded to the agent saying mg that I confirm I accept the offer.
However the agent said not to resign until the contract comes through from the company.
I suffer from anxiety and am now having major doubts over accepting the offer. I feel pretty awful about this.
Is there anything I can do or do I have to go ahead and resign from my current job and take the new one?
Can I be made to pay compensation if I back out?
Thanks for your understanding.
Mark

[pje16]

I think the agent's advice is fine
He is just covering himself
It sounds as if you are having doubts about moving more than if the new job doesn't come through
Are you happy where you are
It is always difficult changing jobs

best of luck

[Matello7777]

I think the agent's advice is fine
He is just covering himself
It sounds as if you are having doubts about moving more than if the new job doesn't come through
Are you happy where you are
It is always difficult changing jobs

best of luck

Thank you. Yes I'm pretty happy where I am. They are lovely people to work with on the whole.
I'm concerned the agent will be annoyed and want compensation for putting him in an awkward position with his client.
Afterall I did confirm by email to him that I would accept the offer subject to seeing the contract.

[pje16]

subject to seeing the contract.

There's your get out clause, should you need one, but I doubt it will come to that

[servodude]

subject to seeing the contract.

There's your get out clause, should you need one, but I doubt it will come to that

Indeed. You don't have to worry; you haven't even had a chance to read the contract.
The agent might try to exert some soft pressure on you but you aren't obliged to do anything you don't want
Take your time and don't be pressured

-sd

[uspaul666]

Congratulations! You’ve found out that you are doubly employable and you’ve realised you really love your current workplace.
Please try not to worry about hurting the agents feelings. They’ll likely move on to the next position without a second thought.

[gryffron]

Even if you formally accept a new job, you’d only be on 1 weeks notice so you can resign before you start!

In your case, as pointed out, you haven’t formally accepted. You have accepted “subject to contract”. If you don’t like the contract, or anything else, or just changed your mind, then turn it down.

No employer wants an employee who doesn’t want to be there.

And BTW, it is fairly common for people to be “made a better offer” by their current employer when they try and resign. Employers and agencies are used to this. People change their minds. It happens.

Just think about what’s best for you and don’t worry about any legalities. Don’t let other parties’ interests pressure your decision. It’s your life and your career.

Gryff

[didds]

ive often wondered if in these scenarios what would happen if one turned down the new offer and just frankly lied and say the current employer has now offered you double the salary of the new employer. They've no way of calling you out, and the worst case scenario now is the new employer matches the doubled salary (they wont!) and so you are quids in!

(Of course - this can't work presumably with organisations that have published bands of salary etc eg NHS ! But then you probably wont be going through an agency for such roles probably)


didds

[DrFfybes]

ive often wondered if in these scenarios what would happen if one turned down the new offer and just frankly lied and say the current employer has now offered you double the salary of the new employer. They've no way of calling you out, and the worst case scenario now is the new employer matches the doubled salary (they wont!) and so you are quids in!
didds

I may have mentioned a friend who went IT contracting back in the 1990s. One of his first interviews was with a major bank in London. They wanted him and started to talk money. He quoted a rate, they looked shocked and said something like "oh, normally we pay about half of that on hourly contracts." He had quoted his day rate.

4 years later he was living on a boat off the coast of Australia.

Paul

[gryffron]

ive often wondered if in these scenarios what would happen if one turned down the new offer and just frankly lied and say the current employer has now offered you double the salary of the new employer. They've no way of calling you out,

I think such dramatisation is quite unnecessary. Just tell them that after discussions with your existing employer you've decided to stay where you are. They'll get the hint. Or they may even make a better offer.

If you do get lucky find a good employment agent, it is well worth keeping in with them and mentioning you're still open to better offers. IME many of them are useless charlatans, who'll waste your time sending you all over the country to completely inappropriate interviews. But there are a handful of good ones who match your skills to genuine opportunities when they come up. Better still, good employers know the good agents too, so they often get the best posts advertised.

Gryff

[Lootman]

ive often wondered if in these scenarios what would happen if one turned down the new offer and just frankly lied and say the current employer has now offered you double the salary of the new employer. They've no way of calling you out,

I think such dramatisation is quite unnecessary. Just tell them that after discussions with your existing employer you've decided to stay where you are. They'll get the hint. Or they may even make a better offer.

Employers have also been known to withdraw job offers after they have been accepted, and quite possibly after you have already resigned from your old job.

The difference is that in such cases the employer withdrawing the offer will usually offer compensation. That happened to me once when the hiring manager was himself fired, and so my new job position ceased to exist before I had even started, but after I had quit my old job.

They paid me 3 months salary as compensation. It was paid gross and, as an ex gratia payment, it was not taxable. I was happy enough with that.

[didds]

...
They paid me 3 months salary as compensation. It was paid gross and, as an ex gratia payment, it was not taxable. I was happy enough with that.

ooo... please tell us your old employers took you back as that was easier/cheaper than a new hire

(assuming of course you wanted to go back etc )

double bubble!

[Lootman]

...
They paid me 3 months salary as compensation. It was paid gross and, as an ex gratia payment, it was not taxable. I was happy enough with that

ooo... please tell us your old employers took you back as that was easier/cheaper than a new hire

(assuming of course you wanted to go back etc )

double bubble!

.
You know, they probably would have done, but I didn't ask. I took it all as a sign that I should move on.

I took the 3 months off but did some hourly paid work here and there, and otherwise passed time pleasurably. Then started a new job.

[Matello7777]

If you do get lucky find a good employment agent, it is well worth keeping in with them and mentioning you're still open to better offers. IME many of them are useless charlatans, who'll waste your time sending you all over the country to completely inappropriate interviews. But there are a handful of good ones who match your skills to genuine opportunities when they come up. Better still, good employers know the good agents too, so they often get the best posts advertised.

Gryff

That's my experience too. I got the impression this agent was one of the rare good ones and he approached me with a job right for my skills with a good company. So much so I was put straight through to 2nd & final interview stage.
On the downside for me I've probably burnt my bridges with one of the few good agents I know who could've been useful in the future should my new internal role not work out.
Thanks all for your responses.

[Pendrainllwyn]

Agree with much of the advice here. I have seen many people accepting offers and not showing up at all or giving notification even up to a day before they are due to start. Companies counter-offer and personal circumstances change. The agent will be frustrated but if you got accepted for the first job they put you up for then you have demonstrated your marketability and I suspect they will move on and try again in the future. If anxiety is going to hold you back from good opportunities then that might be worth getting some help with. Best of luck.

Pendrainllwyn

[gryffron]

On the downside for me I've probably burnt my bridges with one of the few good agents I know who could've been useful in the future should my new internal role not work out.

Hi Matello,
Don't get down about it. Employment exists for the mutual benefit of employeRs, employeEs AND employment agents. You've made the best choice for you.

By all means drop them a short polite email apologising that it didn't work out this time. Tell them what you have told us, that you want to try out the improved role your existing employer has offered, but maybe they can contact you again in 12 months. Bet they will. As Pendrainllwyn said, your interview results have shown you to be a highly desirable employee. The agent won't want to give up on you. They know it doesn't always work out. You should not give up on them.

Best Wishes whatever you decide.
Gryff

[servodude]

On the downside for me I've probably burnt my bridges with one of the few good agents I know who could've been useful in the future should my new internal role not work out.

Hi Matello,
Don't get down about it. Employment exists for the mutual benefit of employeRs, employeEs AND employment agents. You've made the best choice for you.

By all means drop them a short polite email apologising that it didn't work out this time. Tell them what you have told us, that you want to try out the improved role your existing employer has offered, but maybe they can contact you again in 12 months. Bet they will. As Pendrainllwyn said, your interview results have shown you to be a highly desirable employee. The agent won't want to give up on you. They know it doesn't always work out. You should not give up on them.

Best Wishes whatever you decide.
Gryff

Indeed.
Just be pleasant and honest.
Any agent worth their salt will add that to the record they keep about you

[servodude]

On the downside for me I've probably burnt my bridges with one of the few good agents I know who could've been useful in the future should my new internal role not work out.

Hi Matello,
Don't get down about it. Employment exists for the mutual benefit of employeRs, employeEs AND employment agents. You've made the best choice for you.

By all means drop them a short polite email apologising that it didn't work out this time. Tell them what you have told us, that you want to try out the improved role your existing employer has offered, but maybe they can contact you again in 12 months. Bet they will. As Pendrainllwyn said, your interview results have shown you to be a highly desirable employee. The agent won't want to give up on you. They know it doesn't always work out. You should not give up on them.

Best Wishes whatever you decide.
Gryff

Indeed.
Just be pleasant and honest.
Any agent worth their salt will add that to the record they keep about you

Matello I was about to PM you but I thought I'd drop this here instead.

If you have conducted/conveyed yourself in communication with the agent half as well as you have on the forum here you'll be well thought of (if the agent is of any use)!

There's a lot of tyre kicking goes on in the recruitment industry and people pull out (or decide to re-engage) with position at all sorts of different levels/stages.
Be honest with everyone involved and if they have any worth (to you or their clients on the "other side") they will respect that; that includes not being shy if you have concerns or thing you are being undersold.
The agents that don't respect honesty (they just want to to fill a position) - just aren't worth the bother... and I've had to deal with them from both sides

I wish you all the best in whatever you get up to
Good luck
- sd