I accepted a position in the civil service late last year, having been unemployed since the summer. It wasn’t really what I wanted but I thought it better to accept given the state of things at the moment. It’s due to start in the next few weeks.
As luck would have it, a really interesting job came up that would really make use of my skills but also take me in the direction I want to go, and I’ve now been offered an interview. Obviously there’s no guarantee I’ll get it, but if I do, I would want to accept it. I would feel very guilty towards the original employer and don’t want to leave them in the lurch, although it was a big recruitment drive and they will have reserve lists.
Is this really poor form? I can’t help thinking that an employer would have no hesitation in withdrawing the offer at short notice if they needed to, so it works both ways, but equally I don’t want to screw up my chances of working for them in the future.
Any thoughts? It may all be moot anyway if the second company choose someone else!