5 ms·

I would probably reply with a verbal commitment just to see the offer, get their hopes up (employers are excited to finally land a new hire!), then reject once

I would probably reply with a verbal commitment just to see the offer, get their hopes up (employers are excited to finally land a new hire!), then reject once I had the offer (unless it was a godfather offer). Congrats to you for taking the high ground!

texasbigdata 4y ago
In all fairness sometimes it’s a huge pain in the ass depending on how HR set up the req 2 offer process (even worse if a ERP is involved), and having some vague notion on if you’d accept would help. Plus as a hiring manager, and this is minor, I’d feel kinda embarrassed if out of sheer statistical luck multiple candidates turned down written offers, which would indicate maybe something is wrong with us as a hiring entity. Not sure there’s a playbook here. Another commenter suggested being untruthful and pulling the offer out of them. Given how many times companies screw over employees that might be the game theory rational thing to do here even though it’s not great ethically. Just my 2 cents.
- lostdog 4y ago
  > In all fairness... Isn't this your fault (your company's fault) for creating such a silly process? It's not the candidate's fault that writing an offer is difficult. Still not the candidate's fault that you've got some poorly thought out metrics that make you withhold a written offer.
  - texasbigdata 4y ago
    Fair, fair, and fair. :)
sys_64738 4y ago
Or don't reject it but merely ghost them. Or tell them you'll start on a date and don't bother showing up.
- metadat 4y ago
  No need to sink to their level. At the same time, I get it; sweet justice.
ledauphin 4y ago
It would certainly have been easy to do. In a weird way, it felt almost like a transparent test of my willingness to lie - or at least, to not keep my word. Like everyone else, I change my mind about things frequently, and have to back away from things I've said. But it feels very different when you know up front that there's a good chance you won't do what you've just said you'll do. I really dislike that feeling.

texasbigdata 4y ago

In all fairness sometimes it’s a huge pain in the ass depending on how HR set up the req 2 offer process (even worse if a ERP is involved), and having some vague notion on if you’d accept would help. Plus as a hiring manager, and this is minor, I’d feel kinda embarrassed if out of sheer statistical luck multiple candidates turned down written offers, which would indicate maybe something is wrong with us as a hiring entity. Not sure there’s a playbook here. Another commenter suggested being untruthful and pulling the offer out of them. Given how many times companies screw over employees that might be the game theory rational thing to do here even though it’s not great ethically. Just my 2 cents.

lostdog 4y ago
> In all fairness... Isn't this your fault (your company's fault) for creating such a silly process? It's not the candidate's fault that writing an offer is difficult. Still not the candidate's fault that you've got some poorly thought out metrics that make you withhold a written offer.
- texasbigdata 4y ago
  Fair, fair, and fair. :)

sys_64738 4y ago

Or don't reject it but merely ghost them. Or tell them you'll start on a date and don't bother showing up.

metadat 4y ago
No need to sink to their level. At the same time, I get it; sweet justice.

ledauphin 4y ago

It would certainly have been easy to do. In a weird way, it felt almost like a transparent test of my willingness to lie - or at least, to not keep my word. Like everyone else, I change my mind about things frequently, and have to back away from things I've said. But it feels very different when you know up front that there's a good chance you won't do what you've just said you'll do. I really dislike that feeling.