Have you ever asked a new job to delay a start date?

[Deemarie11]

And what happened. Did it work out for you?

I just got offered a new job. The start date is 21st November. I really want to do this job and I am glad to get it.

However something has happened in my own life, where it would really be much better for me if I could delay starting by 2.5 weeks. So I would like to start on the 8th December.

I've never asked a job to change start date before. I'm worried it might cause me hassle and it might look badly on me. They might just say "well you agreed to this date, so if you can't commit, we don't want you at all".

I'm not looking for advice on my situation. I would just really like to hear other people's stories who have done this.

If you asked to start at a later date, what happened ? Thanks so much

I ended up being on jury duty and having to delay by a month as it was a big case. They were fine about it.

I did. I was due to start 4/1 but they delayed until 11/1 as their IT wasn’t ready. Then had a close family funeral so I asked to start a few days after to avoid scenario of being off week 1. Manager was fine.

Yes, I have, and they thought I was the right person for the role, so worked out a way of covering me for 3 months until I could start.
A couple of weeks is nothing in the scheme of things generally.

This bit though
The other thing is that I need to do four weeks training at the start of the job And I think they take a lot of people on, on the same date so they can all start their training together.
puts a different perspective on it. Obviously, depending on the role and the company, but if you have to do the training before you can start, and they only do the training once a year, then, no, I wouldn't expect them to push it back. Might have been helpful if you'd put that in your opening post.

Also, we recently offered someone a job. He said he had already booked to go to a wedding in France, could we delay the start date? I was skeptical, I said he is probably waiting on another offer. Boss said, no, it's fine.

Fella gave back word a week before he was due to start. So we were back to square one with the hiring process

I asked and was declined. It was actually the employers I was leaving who wanted me to hang on as it was inconveniencing them. They were complete wankers but I felt obliged. I was glad my new employer said no as it meant I didn’t have to slave for them a moment longer.

Ask them now - I asked to delay mine 1 week so I could have a longer break between jobs, was fine. But told them as soon as I got th contract

Completely normal and commonplace thing to do - extremely likely to say yes, 0% chance they will withdraw the offer of employment

When does the course start? How often do they run it?

If it's a company that has intakes for training you may find you need to delay for longer

I delayed mine a week because I was doing ivf and those dates can shift. I was totally honest so they also knew I was trying to get pregnant!

They really wanted me and it's better to wait than start recruitment all over again. So it was no big deal.

Years later I was away at a leadership thing and the toddler and partner were visible in the hotel with me. I had gotten permission to bring them as I was just wrapping up breastfeeding. Both the executive and the number two came up and said they were glad he was there and I was being visible balancing care duties with my role.

Just to say that this didn't go well for me.

It is a large multinational company, that do all their hiring remotely. They hire hundreds of people and I'm just a number The people who interviewed me online were not in the same country as me. So it is a bit more impersonal.

I sent an email last week asking if I could delay my start date by two weeks.

I had a really bad gut feeling about it over the weekend, that it was not the right thing to do, that they would just decide not to go ahead with my job.

I emailed him today and said to disregard the email I sent last week, that I can start on the original date.

He emailed me back and said that when I emailed him last week, they had withdrawn my job application altogether. They were not going to start me in the job at all.

He said that after I emailed him this week, he reinstated my job application.

eek. So I nearly lost the job. I feel stressed about starting this job now, as I feel I looked unprofessional.

just to give my story to others - sometimes it is really not a good idea to ask for a delay in starting.

That doesn't sound great op. Had they even let you know that they'd withdrawn your application, or were they not going to let you know? Seems strange that they only told you this once you then got in touch again

That's terrible and very unprofessional of them. People delay starts for all kinds of legit reasons. A delay is not a withdraw!

It sounds like a company that starts with A and is notorious for treating staff poorly.

Glad it has worked out for you but be aware that companies that treat people poorly in the recruitment process or make you feel grateful to work for them are often unpleasant to work for.

Hope you enjoy the job and once you are actually with them, they have a better attitude! 🤞

Hah well I stand corrected. That really is quite exceptional, I've never heard such a thing in twenty years of working alongside recruitment and hr teams.

I can't fathom that they would simply retract the application without telling you, that is highly irregular.

Well done for getting it back on track

Glad you got it sorted OP - but you weren't the one being unprofessional in that situation!

I think it maybe makes a difference that it is a large European company, it has offices in the UK, Ireland, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands

They hire hundreds of people remotely. If I say I can't commit to a starting date, they could probably just pick another name off a list of applicants to do the job.

I'm not sure if they are legally entitled to do that, but they could argue I guess that they hired me on my agreeing to start on one date?

Remote working is good in one way, but it can be a lot more impersonal as well, and it can feel less a lot less secure in the hiring process.

Doesn't bode well for the job to be honest - are you sure you want to work there?

It doesn't sound like they particularly value staff if they went straight to withdrawing the offer over such a minor request.

Most companies would barely bat an eyelid at a request to delay by 2 weeks.

I think this is more true though if you are working in a highly qualified job, where they really need you.

I am working in remote customer service role. Anyone could do it, you don't need to be highly qualified. They definitely wouldn't really value me as they have hundreds of customer service staff. Do you know what I mean.

I do still want to work there as there are not loads of jobs around in my area, (for example I applied for 15 jobs and got interviews for 2, this was one, and I think that the other job is worse pay) and I also really wanted to work from home. Hopefully it will be ok

Thanks for updating. At least you know what they are like. It sounds like a mass recruitment and training to start on x date so if you miss that then not possible to do role. I’d take training and get experience and keep an eye out for other opportunities.

i hope this isn’t outing, but if you are working for a company who has hiring offices in Dublin and Waterford and has contracts for companies in UK etc then AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! You don’t want to work for them at all - and the fact that they withdrew your offer without saying a word says it all.

best of luck OP

Haven't RTFT, but lots of jobs have reasonably long notice periods, so companies shouldn't be surprised when prospective employees need flexibility on start dates.

I got a term's supply teaching money out of this once, thank you very much!
The school had found a new music teacher to succeed the one retiring, but she had to serve notice at her previous school. I wasn't looking for another job (just retired myself) but a nice school and handy extra cash for Christmas!
They had found the right person for the job, and if they had refused her request, they would have to restart the whole costly process of advertising, interviewing, shortlisting etc. from ground zero, so if you are confident that they are keen to acquire your services, and don't want the hassle of starting the whole recruitment process again, go for it!

Hi! I don't think that is my company as my company don't have a hiring office in Waterford, but I think I know which company you are talking about, as I had an interview for them too. I'll send you a DM

Thanks for the update op.

Glad you have still got your job, I guess if you don't like it you can search for something else. I think it's easier to get another job if you already have one.

Yes, I was on 3 month's notice and they had to wait while I negotiated a leaving date with my then manager. Then just before I was supposed to start I had a death in the family overseas and had to postpone by another two weeks.