Stuck Between Two Jobs: How to Handle Conflicting Start Dates and Employer Pressure

Hi,

I have received an offer letter from the company. While accepting the offer, I noticed that it mentioned for me to join not later than November 22nd, as the letter was typed on October 22nd. I spoke with the manager and explained that it would not be possible for me to join on November 22nd as I would only be submitting my resignation on November 24th, the date I received the offer on October 23rd evening. The manager agreed at that time, and I subsequently signed the agreement. However, the company's HR department is now pressuring me to join on November 21st, and my current employer is also not releasing me. I requested to join on November 28th, as agreed upon when I accepted the offer.

I am concerned that the new employer may retract the offer if I do not join as stated in the offer letter. I was notified of the offer on the evening of October 22nd and collected the letter on the evening of October 23rd. I am anxious about potentially losing both job opportunities.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Janani

Can the new employer take away the offer just because I may not be able to join on the dates he expects me to join?

I have already explained this to HR and the manager in person when collecting the offer letter. How complex is this issue? Will it cost me my job?

Janani, your apprehension is correct. If they wish then they may withdraw their offer but usually the employers don't indulge in such practices. The best solution is this problem is that meet them personally and give them a written assurance that you would join on a particular date. You may even give a copy of your resignation and the acceptance to them. In such cases they should not withdraw the offer but still the decision entirely remains in their hands.

So far, they have just been trying to tell me to join at the earliest. They did not explicitly express that they would take away the offer. But personally, I fear if they would take back the offer. I have already informed them.

They first asked me to join on the 15th of November; now they say the 21st of November. Even this date, they communicated to me only after I inquired about an update on the joining date. If it was very urgent and compulsory, they should have asynchronously emailed me regarding this matter, am I right?

Don't worry. Just go there and submit a letter personally intimating the date you can join.

-Hiten