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Well, in the end, my current employer who had me laid off called me back to work on September 19. They had me start again a few days later. So I've been back to work already.
Anyway, I am calling the new employer today to officially turn them down and say, "Hey it's just been too long."
How would you guys go about it? I've honestly never dealt with being hired and then having to turn an employer down because they aren't on the ball. Seriously.... they initially contacted me late August. I did my phone interview on August 31. It was still summer. I could've still gone to the beach.
Here's a rundown of the entire thing:
Aug. 31: Phone interview
Sep. 4: In-person interview. Drove 50 miles. (It's out-of-town, and I would have been working from home.)
Sep. 6: Called to tell me they were interested and they'd be sending the electronic paperwork over.
Sep. 7: Paperwork. It was an odyssey getting it and completing it. It took a few tries for them to send it, I had some technical difficulties, and the paperwork was very long. I was completely stressed out by the end. I was glad to have been able to get it finished the same day.
Sep. 10: I gave them my IDs. Again, drove the 50 miles. I foolishly assumed this was also when I'd receive a schedule, be drug-tested, etc. You know.... the time when I would get things squared away and relax until training day, which I was already made aware would be Sep. 24. NOPE. I drove 50 miles, they took my IDs for 3 minutes and said thank you, someone will be calling you "by the weekend" about a schedule. (GRR. I was upset by then. That's so vague too.)
Sep. 14: That's Friday. No call. Weekend comes and goes. Nothing.
Sep. 18: Tuesday. Plenty of time without seeming pushy, I felt. I called and asked what was up. That's when I learned training had been delayed until October 1 and that again, I would be called before that date with a schedule. (BIG QUESTION: SO WHEN WERE THEY PLANNING TO TELL ME? Probably never. Only when I called THEM did I find out.)
Sep. 19: Boss at old job calls us back. Of course, I go.
Sep. 25: New flaky job finally calls, 7:30 at night, with a schedule (I also notice it's a different person who calls me every time.) They said there was little chance I'd be on a 2nd shift training schedule, since I won't be working 2nd shift. Well... that's exactly what they gave me. It's like 4 p.m. to midnight or something. LOL I almost get the feeling like I was lost in the shuffle, but they don't want to let me know that. I feel like I was probably supposed to be with the 1st shift training class, but... they forgot.
So how would you guys go about letting them down?
What exactly would you say on the phone?
A.) Should I tell them my previous employer called me back? I almost feel like that's too much info. I already feel like I'm just one of their sheep, they don't care about my personal situation of being laid off.
B.) Just say "It's been too long and I'm now employed elsewhere" and leave it at that?
C.) Something else?
Should I go into a lengthy explanation of why I am turning them down or is it just none of their business? I've never had to do this before. Thanks.
Well, in the end, my current employer who had me laid off called me back to work on September 19. They had me start again a few days later. So I've been back to work already.
Anyway, I am calling the new employer today to officially turn them down and say, "Hey it's just been too long."
How would you guys go about it? I've honestly never dealt with being hired and then having to turn an employer down because they aren't on the ball. Seriously.... they initially contacted me late August. I did my phone interview on August 31. It was still summer. I could've still gone to the beach.
Here's a rundown of the entire thing:
Aug. 31: Phone interview
Sep. 4: In-person interview. Drove 50 miles. (It's out-of-town, and I would have been working from home.)
Sep. 6: Called to tell me they were interested and they'd be sending the electronic paperwork over.
Sep. 7: Paperwork. It was an odyssey getting it and completing it. It took a few tries for them to send it, I had some technical difficulties, and the paperwork was very long. I was completely stressed out by the end. I was glad to have been able to get it finished the same day.
Sep. 10: I gave them my IDs. Again, drove the 50 miles. I foolishly assumed this was also when I'd receive a schedule, be drug-tested, etc. You know.... the time when I would get things squared away and relax until training day, which I was already made aware would be Sep. 24. NOPE. I drove 50 miles, they took my IDs for 3 minutes and said thank you, someone will be calling you "by the weekend" about a schedule. (GRR. I was upset by then. That's so vague too.)
Sep. 14: That's Friday. No call. Weekend comes and goes. Nothing.
Sep. 18: Tuesday. Plenty of time without seeming pushy, I felt. I called and asked what was up. That's when I learned training had been delayed until October 1 and that again, I would be called before that date with a schedule. (BIG QUESTION: SO WHEN WERE THEY PLANNING TO TELL ME? Probably never. Only when I called THEM did I find out.)
Sep. 25: They finally call, at 7:30 at night, with a schedule (I also notice it's a different person who calls me every time.) They said there was little chance I'd be on a 2nd shift training schedule, since I won't be working 2nd shift. Well... that's exactly what they gave me. It's like 4 p.m. to midnight or something. LOL I almost get the feeling like I was lost in the shuffle, but they don't want to let me know that. I feel like I was probably supposed to be with the 1st shift training class, but... they forgot.
So how would you guys go about letting them down?
What exactly would you say on the phone?
A.) Should I tell them my previous employer called me back? I almost feel like that's too much info. I already feel like I'm just one of their sheep, they don't care about my personal situation of being laid off.
B.) Just say "It's been too long and I'm now employed elsewhere" and leave it at that?
C.) Something else?
Should I go into a lengthy explanation of why I am turning them down or is it just none of their business? I've never had to do this before. Thanks.
I remember your post.
Go with B, it is none of their business that you went back to your old employer.
Be polite but let them know they took too long and you found another job.
Maybe it will wake them up or help others, it is ridiculous to drag people along like that.
Well that's over with. lol They should be able to tie-up/eliminate my paperwork on their end, but if they have any probs they'll call. (So maybe I'll get a call mid-July sometime.)
She sort of acted at first like I was flaking out or bailing on THEM. She said, "Well you were confirmed for training Sep. 18...."
And I'm like "No no..."
And I briefly outlined the little timeline of when I did what. Was polite, direct, but got a bit firmer in tone as I told her what I've been through. That's when she apologized on behalf of her whole flaky company and thanked me for taking the time to apply and go through the process.
Well that's over with. lol They should be able to tie-up/eliminate my paperwork on their end, but if they have any probs they'll call. (So maybe I'll get a call mid-July sometime.)
She sort of acted at first like I was flaking out or bailing on THEM. She said, "Well you were confirmed for training Sep. 18...."
And I'm like "No no..."
And I briefly outlined the little timeline of when I did what. Was polite, direct, but got a bit firmer in tone as I told her what I've been through. That's when she apologized on behalf of her whole flaky company and thanked me for taking the time to apply and go through the process.
FIN.
Good for you!
Maybe she will discuss this conversation with the powers that be, if you jerk people around too long they look elsewhere.
Well you sure don't want to burn your bridges. Who knows how long you'll last at the other company. Hopefully she won't note you negatively.
I agree it's balance. Standing up for yourself in an appropriate manner, which I think he did, without burning bridges.
This thread I just a microcosom of a much larger problem. People at all levels, save the C level, are over worked, stretched too thin, and being asked to do the job of 2-4 people for the price of 3/4 person in today's economy so a lot of mistake happen now, that did't occur as frequently before the economic crash.
Hopefully, the company objectively realized how their rushed/unorganizd process cost them a good employeee and waster a lot of their own $$$.
I resent the idea of having to kiss butt for all-time.
Why should we have to bow down to such people? They didn't treat me right, so I politely and firmly walked. If they consider that a "bridge burned," so be it.
It feels good to have them out of the picture. It's like a weight off.
I plan to move out of this area entirely in five months (the job I was trying for was a temp job and I was going to leave after that), so basically I am just resuming those plans. And the negative work environment issues at my current job are resolving themselves due to a shift in supervisors. I think that's divine intervention if I've ever seen it.
Well you sure don't want to burn your bridges. Who knows how long you'll last at the other company. Hopefully she won't note you negatively.
It is not burning bridges, the OP was polite and just stated the facts.
Nothing wrong with that, he gave the rep from the company something to think about. This job was delayed and delayed(including training that was delayed and the OP only found out by calling).
It is like the poster who showed up for a job interview for a retail job and the manager was out sick and didn't notify her. She wasted her time and gas(at over $4 a gallon).
So she told the person she spoke to at the store "I would have appreciated a phone call", nothing wrong with stating the facts as long as you don't get emotional and do it in a polite manner.
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