Reneging Internship

[Anonymous]

DD is an incoming senior. She accepted an internship offer at a small company in a field she is not very interested in a couple of weeks ago out of fear of not having anything else. As pure feast or famine fashion has it, she has received three internship offers since then after months of silence and ghosting. She is pretty confident she will get the internship she had an interview for last Thursday. It is for a bigger company and seems more flexible with hours. Most importantly, felt her conversation with the hiring manager was like a mother daughter or friend talk, not a nervous, boss kind of interview that she has experienced with many other hiring managers over the past few months. She is expecting to hear back early this week about the decision for her first choice. If she gets this opportunity, will it look bad to renege on the offer she already accepted. She already has her background check cleared for the company and is just waiting to start the onboarding process this week with HR. Is this foolish and will the company be very mad?

[Anonymous]

She will have permanently burned a bridge with that company and will have to be careful about whether that company has relationships with other people in the industry.

Now that doesn't 100% mean it's the wrong choice to do it, if another internship is better for her long term. But there will be unavoidable consequences of backing out.

[Anonymous]

So she accepted something out of fear and then is going to leave that company, that is giving her a chance already, in the lurch.

Nice.

(not nice)

[Anonymous]

Yes, the company will be mad, and she potentially took the opportunity away from another candidate, since there is likely not enough time for a background check of a replacement candidate before the summer starts.

That being said, if she really feels this other job is right for her, she has to do what she has to do.

[Anonymous]

I'll offer a different perspective. You are the only person looking out for you. The company is not. Everyone is entitled to (and should) make the right career decisions that benefit them.

If this were a job offer (not an internship), she would take the job that is the best fit, even if she accepted another offer first. Internships should not be any different.

I say this as the CEO of a relatively small company that has lost interns and employees in similar circumstances. I also mentor young professionals, mostly women, and encourage them to advocate for themselves.

This is an important life/career lesson. She should not feel bad.

[Anonymous]

Yeah that’s just stupid if she does it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll offer a different perspective. You are the only person looking out for you. The company is not. Everyone is entitled to (and should) make the right career decisions that benefit them.

If this were a job offer (not an internship), she would take the job that is the best fit, even if she accepted another offer first. Internships should not be any different.

I say this as the CEO of a relatively small company that has lost interns and employees in similar circumstances. I also mentor young professionals, mostly women, and encourage them to advocate for themselves.

This is an important life/career lesson. She should not feel bad.

I agree, but word does get around, especially if her field is small.

I worked at companies where people accepted the offer, and the day they were supposed to show up, they didn't turn up. Not even a phone call. Definitely don't do that. At least call and let them know that you got a better offer in a field that is more aligned to your interests. No one can fault you for that.

[Anonymous]

She’s a college senior?

[Anonymous]

It’s a high cost move to bail on the first company. She just has to analyze the options and decide if it’s worth it.

[Anonymous]

I have gotten jobs and then later backed out because I got an offer more aligned with my interests. Nobody has ever been rude to me about it as long as I notify them as soon as possible. I say she should definitely go with the internship that suits her best and look out for herself while still trying to be polite. Don’t extend kindness to companies that they wouldn’t return to you

[Anonymous]

Yes the company will be mad, but she needs to do what’s best for her.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s unprofessional to back out of an internship just a few days before it starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s unprofessional to back out of an internship just a few days before it starts.[/quot
OP here. The role starts on June 10

[Anonymous]

I’m sure this happens all the time. Look out for yourself is the only way to go right now.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I appreciate the responses so far. Since she signed the offer on ADP, could there be any legal consequences or would it should up in a future background check that she backed out of an offer?