How to decline jobs and take risks?

[Itsmahoneybaloney]

I've recently got a new job, it starts Monday. I've already left my last job and worked the notice period.

During my notice period I saw another job ad online that sounded even better than my new one so I applied. I then got a call and had a first and final interview yesterday- it went really well and sounds fantastic. It would pay around £15k more than my current new job and would also involve a 15-20% yearly bonus.

There is only me and 2 other people being interviewed. The final interview is being done on Thursday and I have been told I'll find out Friday or possibly Thursday afternoon. I've never been in this position and I'm going to feel so uncomfortable calling my new job who have waited for me for 6 weeks to tell them I've actually got another job and don't want to start!

Then I'll worry the other new job might not come off for some reason (say I accept the offer on Friday and then don't get the contract for a short while but have already declined the other new job!)

But If I start the job on Monday as intended then have to somehow get out of it - that seems worse and also my contract for the new role requires a 3 month notice period.

I'm so torn and I realise it's a hypothetical situation right now but I had a really strong feeling about this interview yesterday and I need to be prepared. Any advice welcome.

Does your new role have a probation period, or gradual increase of notice based on time served?

Mine now for example is 8 weeks, some of my team it’s 2 weeks, and the ones still in probation it’s zero. Those apply to all sides, so they could leave and I could dismiss with that notice.

I honestly think it’s about doing what’s best for you, but personally if someone started and then decided to pursue something else very shortly after, I’d feel like I’d invested very little in them (no offence) and everyone would, in my view, move on with no hard feelings involved.

You expect to start on Monday but do everything you can to get the job on Friday.

Ultimately it won't make much difference to new employer 1 if you do a couple of days before telling them - if you secure the new job. But this is a real bird in the hand situation and you have no way of knowing if job 2 will work out, if they will issue the offer, if they are going to have a last minute conversation about whether to restructure and bring across that guy from Dusseldorf...

Wait until you have signed the new contract and have firm confirmation and a start date to give notice at the new job even if that means starting

Your new job will have 1 week notice for probation as standard even if after that it’s longer (I have 3 month notice but all probation periods are immediate or 1 week) Even if it doesn’t no one would bother to enforce longer for a new hire that doesn’t want to be there.

yes it will feel shit for a week but in a year when you are doing a Scrooge mcduck and swimming through all that extra ££££ you won’t care

That made me laugh thank you.

I had a bad experience recently when I accepted this current new role I had to decline an offer for another job. I typed up a really lovely email and copied in the manager and the recruiter with my decline - i had to email as it was outside of office hours and they had asked me to reply by email or phone the next day if i had further questions. Not a word back and the recruiter blocked me on LinkedIn 🤦‍♀️ so I feel wary of turning things down now.

Well I've heard nothing today about the other job. Hoping no news is good news but not sure. Either way I'll now be starting my new job on Monday and try not to be disappointed if I get a No for the other job. It would save me all the anxiousness around then telling my new employer I've got another job at least.