Reneging on a job offer...where do I stand?

[WWYD2016]

Hi. I've been offered a job which I have accepted in writing and I'm now working my notice period with my current employer. In the interim I have been invited to interview with another organisation which on paper could be a better opportunity longterm. If I reject the first offer could I find myself in legal hot water for reneging on my written acceptance of the role?

Employers do it the other way round.

And we had a guy who joined us a few years ago and he left after 6 weeks to go to a role that he'd wanted in the first place.

It happens. Employers will show you zero loyalty so don't feel guilty. If you get the role you want more, just explain. They won't blacklist you or anything like that, no doubt if they really liked you and you go back in a few years for another vacancy they wouldn't hold it against you at all.

There was a story in the press a while ago about graduates not turning up for graduate trainee roles because they'd had better offers. Not turning up is rude and unprofessional, but writing a friendly letter to explain you've had a better offer is not.

I would challenge the above slightly

• I work in HR and reneging after acceptance would irritate us.

It takes quite a while to make a hire and we start planning for a new joiner almost immediately (getting kit sorted, building access, induction plan) so a renege puts us back to square one.

I would frame the new offer as a complete surprise - something you thought was dead in the water but that recently popped up. Saying you've simply had a better offer would irritate me no end.

If it was the other way around they would not hesitate to get rid of you before the end of your probationary period.

It works both ways, you can just say the role is not the right fit and leave.

You're jumping ahead. :)
Apply for the job, see what happens and then worry.
For what it's worth, if you don't end up taking the job it will irritate the company but they'll get over it and it happens lots more than you realise.