So context: accepted and signed a job contract a week ago, but the company has not yet countersigned and will do so in the next week (due to holidays).
In the meantime, certain developments happened which secure me another placement in my dream job / In fact, for this to happen, I did not continue interviewing etc but came out of connections of hearing of my transfer to CH...
While I was thinking of possibilies it comes down to:
- honour the signed contract and exclude any reputational risk etc.
- wait for countersigned, submit resignation/renege on offer before start and then start with the choice B
- asap inform the company with which I signed that due to certain development I need to back out and do not even countersign if possible
Honestly, I very well understand that the first option is the fairest, lower risk and most ethical one in a sense. However, I am really also considering here that if I move with this, it would influence my performance and also would be something that I would carry with me in the future... In this context, I am seriously contemplating sending them upfront first thing Monday that due to personal reasons I need to back out before they even sign, which would at least give them the longest possible heads up and transparency.
Please let me know what you think as it is highly important considering also the context of CH. These things are differently perceived in different markets and I have no experience from Swiss market yet
Do you already have contract secured for the dream job? All signed and dotted?
If so, life is too short. Your new company would not hesitate to terminate you if it suited. Just let them know and they will move on fairly fast. Stringing them alongnis much worse.
If you do not have a secured contract though, just get that first.
Thanks for your thoughts all - really appreciate the input.
Does anyone have info on the enforceability of non compete clauses if you rescind ahead of starting a new job or in a case you resign first day with a 7 day notice period? From the info I gathered it seems that in these cases such a clause would be practically non enforceable given the non access to trade secrets, clients etc.
Do you already have a permit to work in Switzerland ?
If not, don't assume you are going to get a work permit for your 'dream job' - the signing of a contract is only the first step. Does your 'dream job' employer know your permit requirements and are the confident they can get you a permit ? Did your 'dream job' already sign a contract with you ?
As a line manager who’s constantly recruiting people (and Italian, knowing the differences between Italian and Swiss way of acting in these situations), let me give you my personal comment:
- try to go over the full process of your dream job asap and, ideally, drop the other process before you even start
- the contract, even when you sign it, isn’t enforced (or actually doesn’t include liabilities/commitment of any sort) till the first day of work, and even afterwards, during probation period you can usually drop the ball within 7 days, which is nothing
- the latest you inform the potential employer, the most you create issues (operational) the most will be pissed off at you and , depending with whom you’re dealing, your reputation can well be compromised, Switzerland is such small world!
Work permit, as mentioned by someone above in the thread, is just a formality as Italian and with “educated” work options
Yes, this is worth bearing in mind, although of course it isn't going to be a determining factor in what the OP decides.
The hiring manager for the "non-dream" job is most likely going to have to restart the hiring process, which means that there will be a gap of maybe 3 or 4 months to fill, during which someone else in the team - who is probably already overloaded - is going to have to do the work. And that doesn't make people happy.
Will not make anyone happy but it's also very much business as usual. This happens more and more especially in this work market and hopefully the company has a silver medalist to turn to. I would not scare OP too much, honestly as a hiring manager to whom this has happened 2 times already, one just moves on
Hardly, the employer has just done the process selected what he thinks to be the best candidate for the job, however there were surely other candidates who may still be interested.
Best case, the employer has a reserve candidate on hold, who is just as good (or almost), and who is available immediately with no notice period to work. In that case, the gap may only be a month while the contract stuff is done again (HR processes don't allow hiring managers to move any quicker than that in my experience).
But it could take a lot longer if the reserve candidate has to work a notice period, or has accepted another job in the meantine, or if there was no clear "second best" candidate and another round of interviews is needed.
But as others have said, at the end of the day this isn't the OP's problem.
Thanks so much to all of you for the info. At this stage, I am trying to secure the 2nd contract and as soon as possible and then communicate to the other company - hopefully it will be at more than a month+ from starting date.
Does anyone also have some insights on whether an email confirmation can be legally binding? ie if I communicate with email to the company I signed to drop out of the process and they say OK go ahead ciao, is this actually enough? Guess would be better to have also a written proof?
First, no company is going to want to onboard someone who will leave immediately during their trial period. So as soon as you have the second offer secured (signed contract in hand), get in touch with the first company.
Personally, I would give the hiring manager a telephone call -- and tell them the truth. Thank them for their offer, but that you got another offer that was your dream job and couldn't refuse. Once you've had that conversation, I would follow up with a written letter (registered) that confirms that you are withdrawing your application for the position.
No company wants to hire someone who doesn't want to be there. Just handle the situation with sensitivity, be polite but firm, and you'll be fine.
Stuff like this happens a lot, it is pretty normal when looking for a job to apply for several. On several occasions we have selected a candidate and had them provisionally accept, only for them to come back and say they'd found something e.g. closer to their home, or with a % working that suited them better.
As the others said, just be transparent and polite in your communication. Best of luck for your "dream job".