What to do if your job offer gets pulled back

Do you know what every job seeker's worst nightmare is?

Getting their job offer rescinded after they’ve put in their 2 weeks notice at their current employer. 😱

So, today I’m going to talk about reasons why companies pull back their job offers, what you can do about it and how you can avoid situations like this to the best of your ability.

So why do companies pull back their job offer?

Here are the top 5 legal reasons why companies would pull back a job offer:

1. You didn’t pass the background check or the drug test.

   1. It’s better to be upfront if you know you won’t pass the background check.

2. You didn’t respond by the deadline.

   1. Yes, job offers have a deadline.

3. Something you did, didn’t sit well with someone within the company.

   1. Maybe you posted something on social media or said something to someone.

   2. Tip: Always be nice to everyone in the interview process including assistants or people who may not be part of the hiring committee.

4. Company setback (financial reasons, lost a big client, policy change, acquisition, etc.).

   1. Not everyone is made aware if a company is being acquired or is acquiring a company for legal reasons. Once it becomes public, they may instill a hiring freeze until they have sorted out roles and responsibilities for ALL employees at both companies.

5. Disagreement among decision makers.

   1. They may not come to an agreement on when they should have their employee start for other reasons outside your control.

I know being in this situation is uncomfortable, frustrating and painful. If you’ve been a victim of getting your offer rescinded or you want to learn what you can do if this ever happens to you, pay close attention to the following:

Here are 4 things you can do if you ever get your job offer rescinded:

1. Email your primary contact and ask for a 15-min call to learn more. Find the reason Why.

2. Look for other opportunities within the organization and ask if you can be put in contact with the recruiter and/or hiring manager for current open roles. You can also ask if they know of any other department and organizations you should be speaking with that may be hiring for a similar role.

3. Don’t take it personal (as long it wasn’t your fault like not disclosing information like your background check.). Things happen and that’s why we want to diversify our opportunities. I’ll dive into how you can do that.

4. If you’re on good terms, offer your old company to extend your notice period.

So now that you know what to do after you get the job offer rescinded, here’s what you can do to protect yourself and avoid the situation to the best of your ability:

1. Review company activity and financials.

   1. Does this company tend to have annual layoffs and restructures?

   2. Have they lost a big deal, client or are they getting acquired?

   3. What’s happening in the industry? Are there any policies or changes that can negatively impact the company?

   4. Start putting Google alerts for the companies you’ve applied for or planning to apply for and the industry itself. Things change really quickly and you want to stay updated.

2. Network with internal and ex-employees at your new company where you received the new job offer from. Ask them how Covid has impacted the company, why did they leave the company? What’s it like working at the company?

   1. Get insider information to get a pulse of the company.

3. Continue interviewing even after you’ve accepted the job. You never know what can happen and you want to keep your options open. You can always rescind your candidacy and offer. Remember, it goes both ways.

I hope none of you ever have to deal with this situation but I want to prepare you in case it happens. Here are just some examples on how I help my clients stay proactive in their job search and give them back control of their careers. My clients know what to look for in order to avoid unstable companies and industries.

I hope the strategies I shared with you helps you in your job search and has sparked some ideas on how you can protect yourself and mitigate risk. There are other strategies you can learn in my career coaching program 90-Day Job Offer that helps you stay in the driver seat and help you land a fulfilling job while getting paid more.

If you’re interested in applying or see if it’s a good fit for you, I’ve included the application link here.

So, what strategy did you find most useful?