Well as it stood a couple of months ago I was looking for a move out of London to get back home to Cheshire.

I went for a couple of interviews for jobs back home, got an offer, verbally accepted an offer, had an eamil detailing my start date etc and am set to start in the new year. So I handed in my notice with my current employer, I have yet to sign a contract with the new company.

This week I get an email from HR saygin there’s a role within my current company based back home, was I interested, I thought to myself lets see whats on offer.

Turns out it’s rather good, more money that the one I’d accepeted with the new company and more than I’m on now, so I thought yeah I’ll go for it and the transfer is in process.

Where does that leave me with the original one? As I’ve not signed anything would it just be a case of a phone call saying I’ve decided to not take their offer?

yes but they may try and make you pay for the re advertising of the position but this is quite unlikely
Fake your own death with them IMHO 😉

You hadn’t signed anything with the new employer but handed in your notice? 😯

Stick to the one with better long term prospect regardless of the pay for now.

I would write a letter/e-mail to them – but otherwise, you’re golden.

Nice to see this working in your favour, was expecting a tale of an “evaporating” job offer just prior to christmas!

Just a suggestion: Why not word the letter as a “would really have loved to come and work for you, but have been made a very gererous offer that I can’t really refuse”. You never know, they might come back with a counter offer.

Congrats btw, nice to hear some good job-related news!

Let them know ASAP so they can start looking. Don’t burn any bridges , its a small world.
TBH, it wouldn’t look to bad if you’re honest with them and say you had a better counter-offer from your current employer. At least they’ll have a good reason why you don’t join them, and “its not their fault”. Also, they’ll know that you’re back in Cheshire, for if anything else comes up in the future. Always assume that your paths could cross again, so stay friendly.

Edit: what batfink says is sound, he beat me to it. And chewie speaks sense too. Whatever you do, don’t try to play them off against each other, you’ll make 2 enemies. Choose whichever is best for you, then be honestwith the other.

I agree on politley asking the first offerists for more cash.

There’s very little chance of more mony from the first ones, this was explained to me in the interview.

So a polite email it is then 😀

Usually a bad move resigning before signing new contract. Its only an offer until you sign, and if they had let you down they wouldnt have given you any compensation. So like already said, call to tell them its off and write a nice letter saying sorry. I would tell them personal circumstances unexpected changed so you cant join them at this time but would like to keep in touch in case an opportunity arises in the future. Best not tell them you had a better offer. esp. from current employer because they can feel used.

Recruiting staff is very time consuming so the potential employer is likely to be cheesed off – they will probably be left with a vacant position for an extra two months (unless they have a second candidate who is still keen).

Turning them down is very likely to make them not consider you in the future (this has happened to me as an employer and when I saw a CV from the same guy 12 months later it was binned immediately).

Choose the option that you believe offers the best prospects, job security and satisfaction and take that one. Accept that the other employer is unlikely to consider you in the future.

You hadn’t signed anything with the new employer but handed in your notice?

+1

They don’t have the decency to give you a contract?

I’d investigate the internal role, at this stage you don’t really owe this new company any loyalty.

“Turns out it’s rather good, more money that the one I’d accepeted with the new company and more than I’m on now, so I thought yeah I’ll go for it and the transfer is in process”.

How certain are you that the transfer is going to complete? Be careful of who you trust in your existing company. Get something in writing.

The contract is sat at home back in Cheshire, it arrived yesterday.

The role within my existing company has been sanctioned by the PM & HR, I’m just waiting on confirmation of the salary etc which is due in the next 24hours.

It’s an internal transfer within a massive construction/engineering company so it’s all got to be processed by central HR etc.

I’m not doing anything until I’ve got confirmation from my HR rep that it’s all gone through and they’re chasing it at the moment.

Sounds like you know yourself what you really want to do. Good Luck.
You (and the other new company) have both put time and effort into developing a rapport, and establishing that you would be suitable to work for them. Don’t let that go to waste, keep honest with them, you have a contact there.
The Construction Industry can be more fluid than most, with regards staffing. People move as different companies win and lose contracts, you will cross paths again, you may even meet if they join you. Good managers remember good people, and want to work with people that can get the job done. People that have worked in construction for 20+ years will verify all this for you, talk to you senior colleagues.
Ignore what was said above about options closing, it would be very small-minded of anybody to hold a grudge over you not joining , and bad management on their part to exclude suitable people in the future.
TBH, you’d be better off not working with a person like that anyway, but most people are not so petty.

Well, I accepted the internal transfer, bagged myself a pay rise too and still get to have from the 16th December to 3rd January off 😀

Sent the other company a nicely worded email and thanked them for their offer and wished them all the best in finding someone to fill the position.

Can’t wait to start the new position and be at home full time for the first time in over 3 years, get in!

No signature = no contract = you owe them nothing!

And you must be a bit crazy to hand in your notice without a new contract, in this economy??

Good luck. Sounds like a great result.

cheers Ioum,

For the doubters I had written agreement of my start date from the other company, i just hadn’t signed the contract they’d sent to me 😉