By Randy Wooden
You’ve accepted a new job. You’re in the idle time before your first day on the job or possibly in your first few weeks of new employment. Then it happens. Another company calls you to set up an interview. What do you do?
Each of us has our own moral compass. So do organizations. Some companies rescind accepted offers or decide they really didn’t need the position after all – even after the new hire showed up.
While you must make the decision you feel is right, I would discourage you from going on the interview for several reasons.
Reasons for turning down the interview:
#1. You gave your word that you’d accept the job at a mutually-agreed upon rate of pay. No one forced you to say yes.
#2. You would permanently burn bridges, and word gets around. To protect your reputation, think long and hard about seeing whether you can earn a few extra dollars elsewhere.
#3. Give the new job some time, especially if this new interview would be held during that idle time before you actually show up for work. The grass may not end up being greener with that new interview, so you’ll have not only jumped from the frying pan into the fire, but you’ll have burned bridges. (See #2)
#4. If you did go on the interview, how would you respond when asked about where you last worked? To be transparent, you have to mention the new job you’d just accepted.
#5. If word about your interview gets back to your new employer, how do you think it would make the hiring official feel about your conducting interviews? Not the best way to start a new job.
In rare occasions, one might accept another interview.
#1. The job you took was a temporary assignment with no guarantee of it being a permanent hire. That’s a big downside, particularly if the temporary job isn’t a full-time role with benefits.
#2. If you started the job and were misled about job duties or if the work culture is highly toxic, you might want to consider another interview.
While accepting an interview doesn’t equate to accepting a new job, your decision has potential downside. Think it through carefully. Good luck.