How Should I Handle My Job Being at Risk After a New Company Backtracked on Their Offer?

I would like to know, I had gone for an interview with a reputed limited company. All rounds pertaining to HR, personal, and technical interviews were cleared. HR offered a salary, which was negotiated and mutually agreed upon on 27.10.2016. Later in the evening, I received a letter of intent for joining, for which I sent a confirmation email to HR. However, the hard copy was received after 6 days, and the salary structure was not mentioned.

I was waiting for the hard copy of the offer letter to tender my resignation at the current organization. But to my surprise, my Director and HR knew on 03.11.2016 that I had gone for an interview with the said company.

When asked about giving my resignation that day itself, the new company mentioned that verification is ongoing.

Later, they mentioned that they are reviewing the position for which I was interviewed.

In all the above scenarios, my current job is at stake, and my current organization has lost its faith. The new organization's unfair decision-making process, wherein they were reviewing the position after giving the letter of intent, is concerning.

I see two issues in your post. One is the dilly-dallying that your future employer is doing in the completion of the recruitment process. The other is the leakage of information to your current employer about your job search. You feel that you have been caught in a pincer.

Future Employer's Unprofessional Behavior

As far as your future employer is concerned, nothing can be done. Even if they provide a proper Offer Letter, I recommend you reconsider whether to join or not. This is because they started blowing hot and cold when the recruitment process was about to complete. This is unprofessional behavior. Therefore, unless you know very well about the internal work culture of this company, I recommend not joining them.

Addressing Job Search Disclosure to Current Employer

Regarding the disclosure of your job search to your current employer, go and talk to HR. Tell them that it is important to climb the career ladder. One cannot stagnate at the same place. The way people leave one company to join another, similarly, they will leave them to join somewhere else. Opportunities do not come frequently. These need to be grabbed with both hands when one comes across them. Assure them that your job search has not diluted your loyalty in any way. You will render your duties to the best of your capacity until your last working day.

Preventing Information Leakage

Lastly, about the disclosure of information to your current HR or employer, you need to find out how this cat has come out of the bag. Did you engage in loose talk? Did you pass on this information while talking on the mobile and someone overheard it? Did you use your official e-mail ID to send your CV? There has to be some reason. You need to learn from this experience and ensure that this information does not leak out until the right time arrives.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Thank you indeed, Mr. Dinesh, for your prompt reply.

My current HR and CMD want to discuss the reason for going for an interview. As far as the new organization is considered, it is a highly unethical and unprofessional attitude and behavior they have adopted. I have taken a lesson, but deep down, a sense of losing on professional grounds.

If your CMD and HR have called you for a discussion to understand why you are looking for opportunities outside the current organization, then it could be a blessing in disguise. You may turn the leakage of information, which was an adverse situation, into an opportunity.

Preparing for the Discussion

I have specified why employees look for career opportunities outside the organization. However, when it comes to the meeting, you need to prepare a list of points on which the discussion could take place. You need to tell them in what field you are looking for job enlargement and how this job enlargement could go hand in hand with salary enlargement as well.

Possible Offers from CMD

CMDs are seasoned negotiators. Therefore, be prepared for a career ploy. They could assure you of any of the following:

a) Promotion + salary hike

b) Only a salary hike

c) Change of department within the company, relocation to some other station, etc.

d) Any of the above-mentioned options plus an agreement for a lock-down period with the current company.

While giving any concession, they could also ask for concessions from you. Therefore, be prepared for the concessions that you might have to give.

Possibly, they may present you with a threat cloaked with a concession. Therefore, their position could be "either take what we give or face adverse consequences." Be ready for this scenario as well.

All the best!

Regards, Dinesh Divekar