Anyone passed on a job offer and then went crawling back?

[Corporate Thug]

I'm just curious if anyone here pass up an offer and then re-initiated contact with the potential employer to express interest in the position after the fact? I'm think about doing this and trying to think of the least pathetic way of expressing my interest.

 

[xeemzor]

More than likely it's too late and you should move on for a ton of reasons.

However, if you decide you still want to do this just contact HR to see if they have yet to fill the position. If they haven't you can express your interest. Either way it's going to be awkward and look bad for you. May even result in a lower salary offer.

 

[Ns1]

You should resubmit a cover letter. ASCII art of dog with head down and tail between legs.

 

[Spineshank]

I have. Only once though because the company told me if things change to contact them. I knew the position was still open. Contacted them, never heard back.

 

[kranky]

I think there would have to be one heck of a good reason to explain the change of heart.

Trying to think of what kind of explanation would pass the smell test with me and not make me think the person was a nutcase... I might buy a story that said the person had a close friend who has been very ill, was helping out as much as they could, and was reluctant to take a new position at the time due to the additional stress. But the friend (has greatly improved | died) and due to the new circumstances the person would once again be interested.

It would have to be a compelling, one-time event that by terrible luck happened to coincide with the previous offer and that the typical person would not have volunteered to me when they turned the offer down originally.

If there was no very convincing story to justify what happened, I would not reconsider the candidate just because they would seem flaky to me.

 

[mike2fix]

A lot also would depend on your reason for declining the initial offer and how you left things with them, when you declined.

 

[Corporate Thug]

I think there would have to be one heck of a good reason to explain the change of heart.

Trying to think of what kind of explanation would pass the smell test with me and not make me think the person was a nutcase... I might buy a story that said the person had a close friend who has been very ill, was helping out as much as they could, and was reluctant to take a new position at the time due to the additional stress. But the friend (has greatly improved | died) and due to the new circumstances the person would once again be interested.

It would have to be a compelling, one-time event that by terrible luck happened to coincide with the previous offer and that the typical person would not have volunteered to me when they turned the offer down originally.

If there was no very convincing story to justify what happened, I would not reconsider the candidate just because they would seem flaky to me.

Actually, I told them the truth back when it happened: I had to accept the pending offer by the end of the week and they could not put a finalized offer on the table for another month (I had to do another background check and one more round of interviews).

The recruiter did not seem angry at all and wished me well.

This is a huge multi-national company with thousands of employees if that makes any difference.

 

[Corporate Thug]

A lot also would depend on your reason for declining the initial offer and how you left things with them, when you declined.

Clarified to reflect that a formal offer was not made, we were in the latter stages though.

 

[lxskllr]

You should resubmit a cover letter. ASCII art of dog with head down and tail between legs.

That would go a long way with me if I were hiring, but I think most have a greater appreciation for corporate BS than I do.

 

[polarmystery]

I think there would have to be one heck of a good reason to explain the change of heart.

Trying to think of what kind of explanation would pass the smell test with me and not make me think the person was a nutcase... I might buy a story that said the person had a close friend who has been very ill, was helping out as much as they could, and was reluctant to take a new position at the time due to the additional stress. But the friend (has greatly improved | died) and due to the new circumstances the person would once again be interested.

It would have to be a compelling, one-time event that by terrible luck happened to coincide with the previous offer and that the typical person would not have volunteered to me when they turned the offer down originally.

If there was no very convincing story to justify what happened, I would not reconsider the candidate just because they would seem flaky to me.

I applied for a job back in December and found out in January I got the job. I was still in grad school at the time. When I got my offer letter, I wrote them back saying that I am ready to accept the position but I couldn't because of the required service I had to my company who was paying for my tuition (a year after the last class you take is the required service).

I also told them I intended to re-apply when the time comes. Oddly enough, I got a response back with only three lines. It went something like this: "We were disappointed that you were unable to accept the position. If things change, please call us back at the number from the packet. Good luck in your search." That was it.

The position is no longer listed on their website, but I'm curious if they'd hire me again. I informed them in my letter back that I didn't know about my year service requirement (which I didn't). I wonder if I re-apply what they'll say/do.

 

[purbeast0]

i don't see what harm could come out of contacting them and just telling them the truth. i mean any reasonable company would understand that just because you want to work for them doesn't mean it is your "dream job" and that there is a possibility that you would want to work elsewhere. you had a better opportunity that fell through, and now you are interested in a place that was just a level below them. if something like that bothers the company, then they probably aren't a place i would want to work at anyways.

just have the confidence and mentality that you are doing them a favor by working for them, not the other way around.

 

[child of wonder]

I'm just curious if anyone here pass up an offer and then re-initiated contact with the potential employer to express interest in the position after the fact? I'm think about doing this and trying to think of the least pathetic way of expressing my interest.

I did. Company said they could only offer me 20% less than what I was making before. Since I was still 12 months away from my last day (company bought out, told our positions would be eliminated in 18 months) I politely declined their offer.

2 months later I reached out to the hiring manager and asked if they had filled the position. I interviewed again and this time they matched my current pay so I took the job.

 

[Kaido]

You should resubmit a cover letter. ASCII art of dog with head down and tail between legs.

I literally laughed out loud when I read that

 

[Fritzo]

"I would like to reconsider employment in your company, and I retract any references to 'run-down, fly-by-night, lame, shady, or mismanaged' when referring to your fine establishment."

 

[xeemzor]

i don't see what harm could come out of contacting them and just telling them the truth. i mean any reasonable company would understand that just because you want to work for them doesn't mean it is your "dream job" and that there is a possibility that you would want to work elsewhere. you had a better opportunity that fell through, and now you are interested in a place that was just a level below them. if something like that bothers the company, then they probably aren't a place i would want to work at anyways.

just have the confidence and mentality that you are doing them a favor by working for them, not the other way around.

It sets the tone of employment that they were a second rate company to work for and that you weren't excited to be there. Companies don't like that and it only makes it harder now that it's an employers market.

 

[Red Squirrel]

There's someone where I work who's done it like 4-5 times. Job comes out, he applies for it, gets it, turns it down. Job comes out again later, he applies, only to turn it down again lol.

I suppose it does not really hurt to try. You can just say something to the effect that you don't know what you were thinking when you passed on it and were not in right state of mind. Just be sure that if you do get the job that you really show interest from the get go since you're already going in with a vibe that you are not fully interested.

 

[Alienwho]

I once quit a job because I got a new job. A week before I was to start the new job they rescinded the job offer and it turns out they were under some federal investigation for some stuff. I went crawling back and rescinded my quitting. I then found another new job a week later and quit again. Pretty much the crappiest week ever.

 

[Kaido]

I once quit a job because I got a new job. A week before I was to start the new job they rescinded the job offer and it turns out they were under some federal investigation for some stuff. I went crawling back and rescinded my quitting. I then found another new job a week later and quit again. Pretty much the crappiest week ever.

Haha holy cow man

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I'm just curious if anyone here pass up an offer and then re-initiated contact with the potential employer to express interest in the position after the fact? I'm think about doing this and trying to think of the least pathetic way of expressing my interest.

I did a few years ago. Cliffs below:

1. 2009 - Became in house counsel for startup company in NH. Company was on the up and up.

2. December 2010 - Company enters tailspin. Downsizes from 100+ employees to <25. Its riding the no operating capital roller coaster and I'm holding on with both hands but no seatbelt.

3. January 2011 - I start looking for a new job, land an interview with a good local firm. Get offered a position for more money than I make in house. I accept offer. Tell new employer I will come on board in March.

4. February 2011 - I tell the CEO of my current employer I'm leaving in 2 weeks. CEO says "we need you." Offers me very enticing 6 months severance package if company goes under (Company maintained reserve capital for windup employees, I checked). I fall for it (saw dollar signs because company was surely going to fail in 3-6 months) and accept the offer for the severance.

5. Mid Feb 2011 - Tell new employer about my situation. Didn't do it over the phone. Went in person so that I could look the partners in the eye and explain the situation. They were amazingly cool with it and understood the situation.

6. Late March - company situation is getting extremely bad. I start getting jittery. "What the hell am I going to do if the company fails? Its not as though patent positions grow on trees where I am!?!?!?" Lost a lot of sleep. Finally got the guts to call the firm back and tell them that I want the position again if it was still open. Thankfully it was (I called just before they sent out an offer to another candidate), and thankfully they were still interested.

7. Next day - went back to the CEO of the company, told him I was leaving again. This time effective at the end of the week (I had very little to do at that point). CEO understood and asked me to still handle the company's IP work.

8. Ultimately I ended up with a new job and brought a new client to the firm with me. Win win.

 

[sjwaste]

I'm just curious if anyone here pass up an offer and then re-initiated contact with the potential employer to express interest in the position after the fact? I'm think about doing this and trying to think of the least pathetic way of expressing my interest.

I sure have. They still had a need so I ended up joining them. Then I left 6 months later.

Think hard about why you passed. Unless it was just because another employer blew you out of the water, those factors probably still apply.

 

[Corporate Thug]

I sure have. They still had a need so I ended up joining them. Then I left 6 months later.

Think hard about why you passed. Unless it was just because another employer blew you out of the water, those factors probably still apply.

Passed basically because of the representations made by my current employer, which really turned out to be misrepresentations. It really had nothing to do with the company.

 

[sjwaste]

Passed basically because of the representations made by my current employer, which really turned out to be misrepresentations. It really had nothing to do with the company.

Call the hiring manager and ask them if they still need help. Tell them things are a little off with the position you did accept. I don't think you have much to lose by being honest. This is a situation where you'd probably bypass HR.

 

[SunnyD]

Why the huge fascination with ASCII art these days? Modern laser printers do quite a remarkable job with vector graphics too.

 

[purbeast0]

It sets the tone of employment that they were a second rate company to work for and that you weren't excited to be there. Companies don't like that and it only makes it harder now that it's an employers market.

and again, if the company took that personal and not as a business decision, then that is not a company i would want to work for anyways, so if they lol'ed in my face when i asked them about the position, i'd say thanks and continue looking elsewhere.

 

[Dulanic]

I did last week. But it was more of a negation tactic. I knew they wanted me and I said no but I might reconsider if they could offer xyz. They came back as I expected.