How bad is it to accept an offer of employment and later rescind? Forum

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How bad is it to accept an offer of employment and later rescind?

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:37 am

I am currently a 3L at a T20 school and I have my heart set on doing corporate work after graduation. I just finished as a summer associate at a mid-size labor & employment law firm and they made it very clear they are giving me an offer within a few weeks. I'm currently struggling with the risk of being jobless after graduation or accepting the offer and being in a field of law I absolutely truly just hate. I realize there is the option to lateral after a year or two- but a few attorneys have basically told me that if I start and get all my experience in labor & employment, it will be near impossible to move into a corporate/transactional position later.

So I guess my two questions are:

(1) How bad would it be to accept the offer and rescind it if I get an offer from my dream corporate firm later in the year? I wouldn't rescind for any job as I understand it is not looked highly upon, but if it truly were my dream job would it be worth the hit to my reputation?

(2) How true is it that if I take the current offer and stay for a year or two, I will be stuck doing labor & employment for the rest of my life?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

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Re: How bad is it to accept an offer of employment and later rescind?

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:50 am

The consensus seems to be:

1. You will never work at the firm you renege on again.

2. There aren't really any other negatives.

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Good Guy Gaud

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Re: How bad is it to accept an offer of employment and later rescind?

Post by Good Guy Gaud » Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:02 pm

If you get an offer somewhere else where you would rather be, take it.

If you don't, and you get 'stuck' doing L&E for a year or two or so, you won't be pigeon-holed forever.

Anonymous User
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Re: How bad is it to accept an offer of employment and later rescind?

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:40 pm

it's not like the firm spent resources training you for a year. they'll fire you at whim. quit it. no on cares. just be sure to let them know via email though so they can give that spot to some other applicant.

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