What is the Etiquette for declining new offer?

QuantumKnight

Good day all. I recently just accepted a new job offer as a Network engineer for another company and placed my two weeks at my current company. I however recieved an offer at my current job as a Network Engineer with better pay and quickly retracted my two week notice as I do enjoy being at my current company. I will soon be signing the offer letter for my new role here. I wanted to know the best method to let the other company know I will not be accepting their offer since I am to start next week. I want to be as professional as possible. Should I send an email then call or call only. My wife who works in HR states it happens all the time that people leave before starting but I don't want to burn bridges even if I never cross again in the future. Any advice?

networker050184

Give them a call and explain the situation.

BradleyHU

Before you do anything, ask yourself this, why were you looking to leave in the first place? And if you hadn't left, would you have gotten this new opportunity @ your current employer?

Sometimes, its just best to move on to a new role/firm...imho

si20

^ This.

If you were looking to leave, you simply can't have enjoyed it as much as you say, or you'd have stayed. I stayed in my first role for 5 years before leaving - because after 5 years I was bored and felt like I could learn more.

As BradleyHU says, if you hadn't handed in your notice, would you have got the counter-offer? It's nice that they gave you a counter-offer, but will you be looking to leave that job in X amount of weeks?

You need to have a serious think before you turn down this other company. Are they offering new challenges that you wont get with your current employer? Is the travel distance better/worse? Is there a pension scheme etc etc.

jdancer

A counter-offer is always a belated recognition of your efforts. This is why you never accept a counter-offer. Remember, management may forgive but will never forget.

networker050184

I think that is making quite a few assumptions jdancer and we certainly don't have all the info. It can be a much more complicated situation than a simple blanket statement of never accepting warrants.

JoJoCal19

REMOVED UNNECESSARY QUOTED REPLY FROM PREVIOUS POST



There is an oft quoted survey/study here that showed that over 80% of people who accept counter-offers are gone within a year (either willfully or not). Either way, what jdancer said is true that a counter-offer is a belated recognition of your efforts (an seemingly it's to cover things while they look for your replacement anyways). My co-worker just went through this last week. After we have been bringing things up to the security director about how security is treated here, our pay, etc, etc, his response ultimately was if you're not happy you can always find another job. Well my co-worker put in his notice last week and the director called him into his office acting like he was shocked and said he wanted to have a chance to counter. My co-worker declined. Too little too late.

QuantumKnight

Let me back up and clarify, I enjoy the company but I accepted the offer for the other company because it was for networking. I currenly work as a help desk for my current company but do not want to make this my career which is why I put in my two weeks once the network role was offered. I don't believes ones decision to pursure a job role that fits their goals equates to them not enjoying the workplace of their current employer. I had interviewed for the network position here some time agao and did not thing I got it but the offer happened around the same time so I am grateful.

As networker said It would be probally be more appropiate for me to call them personally

JoJoCal19

Ok, had you let your current employer know you wanted off the help desk before? Have you tried to move to a networking position there previously? The question is, why are they willing to do it now, but not before? It's the same premise.

networker050184

Maybe because the timing wasn't right? Maybe they really like him and will do whatever to keep him? Again, it's not always a clear cut answer. We've made positions for people in the past just not to lose them because they are good workers. It's not a one size fits all never accept answer.

si20

I'm with JoJoCal on this... You said your wife works in HR - she'd know the etiquette for turning a job down. I get the feeling that you're not 100% sure with your decision. It is a tricky situation.

dustervoice

If you've made your decision to stay i would recommend you call the other company and decline. personally if i've started to look elsewhere for work nothing would make me change my mind not even if my salary was doubled. moreover after a few years we all need a new challenge even seeing new faces makes life more interesting!

JoJoCal19

@=networker050184

And that's my issue with employers. Be proactive and not reactive. Speak with your employees and let them know how much you value them and that you want them to stay. There should be periodic 1:1 meetings to speak with employees about their progress, goals, etc. If you try to do all of this as I've already put one foot out the door then it's too late. Happy employees generally aren't out there looking at new jobs and looking to leave their current one.

networker050184

That would be nice! As well all know stuff happens, people get busy etc. I'd never make a hard fast rule about anything though. Always circumstances to consider.

BradleyHU

QuantumKnight wrote:

I had interviewed for the network position here some time agao

what's some time ago? A month, 2 months, 6 months?

coreyb80

I don't think that matters anymore. He got the offer he wanted from his current employer so at this point he's happy with his situation as we should be happy for him.

Plantwiz

Anytime I have worked with folks who were set to leave (accepted a new position outside the company) and the company reacted to then offering the employee what they wanted, the employee ended up leaving withinin two years regardless (seen this at least a dozen times over a couple decades).

Each time I'd hear the story, it certainly seemed like it would work out, but in every instance, the employee still thought the grass was greener elsewhere.

I hope staying works out for you in the long run! If things change, it certainly sounds like you will be able to pickup a new job opportunity easily enough.

Good luck to you, and I agree the phone call is the best way to decline the offer, sooner rather than later though.

Kinet1c

Take the networking position and get out of help desk, it will benefit you more in the long run.