Withdrawing job offer ... erk

[glassspider]

Hello,
I am just finishing a temporary employment contract and am about to start a five-month fixed term contract on Monday.

However I have just been offered an interview for a permanent position that I have had my eye on for some time, taking place this week.

I have decided to go to the interview. I am not sure if I have done the right thing though. If I am successful in this interview, and it all looks good and I accept, I will have to tell the employers I am due to start with next week that I will not be joining them after all.

I really do not want to do this. It has taken a while for them to get references from my current employer, they've been waiting a while to recruit someone and I don't want to mess them around. I have received a conditional offer from them, but not an unconditional one as yet.

On the other hand, I have been looking for permanent work for some years now and the post I am being interviewed for looks like too good an opportunity to pass up.

I know I am jumping the gun a bit as I don't know if I have got the job at this stage, but if I am successful, should I take it? Has anyone else been in this situation? Interested in perspectives of both employee and employer.

Thank you!

My understanding is that if they have offered you a job and you have accepted it then legally you have entered in to a contract of employment with them. They could hold you to the notice period

If you are offered and accept the new job you will negotiate your start date. They won't expect you to start immediately, unless you have told them you can.

Hi, they could hold you to the notice period, and your new employer if you get the job will be fully expecting you to have to work some notice before you join them.

If they don't... bonus!

You have to look after yourself first and foremost - the benefit of having a permanent job that you want far outweighs the discomfort of the situation you will find yourself in for a few weeks.

glassspider, check the terms of your temp contract. Even if fixed term it may well have a notice period in it. Mine is normally 1 week even if the term of the contract is say 6 months.

Hi, thank you for your replies. Even if I do get the job, I don't mind working notice period for the new company. Just don't like the idea of messing the temporary employers about and causing them problems, but I know having a permanent job and being able to plan fior the future is more important :-)

Your current employers may well be a bit annoyed but they must also appreciate that is the drawback of offering short-term contracts. Anyway, if you have the interview this week, there may well be second interviews, delays while they interview others, any number of delays and then they will probably be expecting/prepared to wait at least a month for the successful candidate. You could be half-way through the temp contract before anything happens!

The other thing you could consider is whether you could use it as a bargaining position...I really want the FTC role....but have just been offered a perm one....any chance you could make the FTC one permanent?

Go for the interview but if you get it, and subsequently accept it, then you'll have to suck it up on the notice period.

I would look after number one personally. Very much doubt that an employer would look after you unless it is in their interest...

I agree with doodle, this is simply the price companies have to pay if they wont commit and also want to keep very short notice periods. Fixed Term or no Fixed Term, if the employer wants rid of you then they will offer you only the notice in the contract.