How to back out of a job after accepting it?

[pondereplay90]

I've accepted a job but now I'm having second thoughts. I took it as I was flattered to be offered, and to get out of my current job.

But now I'm thinking, it's not really what I want to be doing.

I haven't signed a contract but I have accepted both verbally and written in an email. I am supposed to start in 3 weeks.

How do I get out of this? What do I say to them? Can there be any legal repercussions?

Why did you apply if you didn't want to do it?
You're really messing them around, what if their second choice candidate has taken an alternative job now too? Or they have to reinterview again, costing them time and money?

I know I feel terrible @AlmostAJillSandwich

I thought it was what I wanted but it turns out my initial view of what the job was isn't what it actually is. I

If you have not signed a contract, you can back out with 1 week notice.

@AlmostAJillSandwich

Why did you apply if you didn't want to do it? You're really messing them around, what if their second choice candidate has taken an alternative job now too? Or they have to reinterview again, costing them time and money?

All true, but not especially useful here.

OP, if you're 100% sure you don't want the job, call them and say that unfortunately due to a change in circumstances, you can no longer take up the position, you appreciate that this is an inconvenience to them and you apologise profusely again. You don't need to say more than that.

If you've already given notice at your old job, though, are you sure you don't want to try the new one for a bit until you find something else?

You apologise profusely and say something non-committal like "on further consideration I realise that my personal circumstances don't allow me to accept this job right now"

But you've burnt some bridges there, what a waste of everyone's time.

You can back out as you have not signed a contract. Be honest.

But yes also apologise massively !!

I did this last year.

Tell them, ASAP and verbally. Tell them how sorry you are, but your personal circumstances have changed and you are now withdrawing.

There are no legal repercussions. Even if you had started you could quit with a week’s notice, so you can think of it as being far better to tell them now then once you had started.

I work in HR and people sometimes let the company know by not showing up.

If you let them know now they may be abl3 to go back to their number two

OP,

I recruit people into my business. Situations change and things like this happen from time to time.

Yes, It's a blip in recruitment, but ultimately it's not your fault and I'd rather you tell me ASAP than start the job and decide then (or worse - stay and be unhappy and unproductive).

A simple email like:

Thank you very much for the offer of xxxxx.

I'm sorry to say that after further consideration, I won't be able to take up the position.

This isn't down to salary or terms - I've really had a rethink about what direction o want to go in and this role isn't going to work for me.

I really appreciate your time and the opportunity and I apologise for the inconvenience.

Just because you haven’t signed a contract doesn’t mean there isn’t one. A verbal acceptance is the start of a contract. Just for PP who have advised otherwise.

That said, all you can do is be honest. Say that on reflection you don’t think you’re right for the role and you’d rather tell them now than waste months of their time training you up and inducting you.

I would say the role wasnt what you had initially understood it to be. They can amend the advert

What has changed re the job? Just out of interest

@CrunchyNotMe

If you have not signed a contract, you can back out with 1 week notice.

Having worked in recruitment, some people let us know by just not turning up on Day 1. There's no need to give 1 weeks notice.

OP - tell them sooner rather than later, others have given you good scripts, but please tell them soon so they have time to backfill you

As someone who lost out to a job recently but was firmly told I would have walked it had this person not had an additional qualification I would urge you to be honest with them. They are trying to find me a role because they want to keep me (job I lost out on was temp contract) however it won't be doing exactly what I want to do now. I'm also covering for this person until they can start so please please just be honest so if they do have a number 2 they have a chance of offering it to them.

@devildeepbluesea

Just because you haven’t signed a contract doesn’t mean there isn’t one. A verbal acceptance is the start of a contract. Just for PP who have advised otherwise.

That said, all you can do is be honest. Say that on reflection you don’t think you’re right for the role and you’d rather tell them now than waste months of their time training you up and inducting you.

Nonsense. Even a written contract would have a start date of the 1st day of employment - not anything binding before you've started and are likely employed by someone else.

Let them know asap as the longer you leave it the more annoying it'll be for them but really don't worry about it. It happens all the time.

I once changed my mind after accepting a job. Just tell them as soon as possible. You don’t have to tell them your life story either just say you have changed your mind. This is something that happens regularly enough and nothing for you to feel bad about.

If you know you don’t want it don’t be swayed by the responses saying you are messing people about. Just tell them ASAP that your circumstances have changed. You shouldn’t take a job out of politeness or a sense of obligation (take it from someone who did). If you’re sure you don’t want it, draft the email and send it now. I’m assuming you can still stay in your current job?

Just politely tell them that on reflection you dont think the role is for you. You dont owe them more than that.

Until the contract is signed, you can both back out. I say that as someone who has twice accepted job offers and had them rescinded due to restructuring/programme changes.

It happens all the time. People usually give some story about a change to their personal circumstances.

It's annoying, but if you don't think the job's right for you we'd rather you didn't start too.

Are you 100% sure you don’t want it and it’s not just the nerves of changing jobs?

Is it not something you want to try for a few months?

I would ring them up and make an excuse up and apologise profusely.
It will mean they’ll be able to hire someone else.

I’m a Recruiter.

No legal implications. Just tell them sorry but after some thought you’ve decided that the role is no longer for you.

Will they be pissed? Probably.

Can they do anything about it? No.

You are not legally obliged to start a job, just because you’ve accepted a job offer. Even after you’ve signed your contract.

@devildeepbluesea

Just because you haven’t signed a contract doesn’t mean there isn’t one. A verbal acceptance is the start of a contract. Just for PP who have advised otherwise.

That said, all you can do is be honest. Say that on reflection you don’t think you’re right for the role and you’d rather tell them now than waste months of their time training you up and inducting you.

It doesn’t matter even if you have signed a contract. There’s no legal obligation for you to start the job.

I’ve worked in Recruitment for 20+ years.

I’ve had many many people accept a job offer, sign the contract and then just not turn up on the first day. Legally, there’s nothing we can do at all.

I got offered the job but turned it down.

They were pretty annoyed but better that than accept and then leave.

Basically by the time I had applied and got the offer, a better job that suited me better had been advertised and I'd got it.

I really hadnt expected to pass the first job interview anyway and was doing it for practice, but a better job for me turned up, so when I was offered the first job it was really awkward turning it down.