Job offer was withdrawn after I messed up. Should I try applying again?
Three years ago following a change in management and a restructuring, the post I had been in for five years was made redundant. While I was negotiating my redundancy terms another job came up at a similar organisation, which I applied for and was offered.
Unfortunately, I mishandled the situation with the new employers. On discovering that I was reluctant for them to approach my old employer for a reference because I was involved with redundancy negotiations, they withdrew the offer and stated I had not been entirely honest and open with them.
Now post is being advertised again and I am considering applying. The people who interviewed me, and with whom I started negotiations, have moved on.
However, the chief executive, whom I never met but spoke to on the phone and who ultimately pulled the plug, is still in place. It is a small organisation and though he may not be directly involved in the recruitment process he will inevitably be aware of my application were it to proceed.
What do I do? Do I mention these past events in my application? Should I apply and separately write to the chief exec to explain and hope he will give me another shot? Am I wasting my time applying?
Jeremy says
I think you need to start by accepting two likely consequences of your previous encounter with this organisation.
First, since they found you less than open and honest, you should assume that there will be a record of this on file. There might well not be, but to gamble on it having been forgotten would be reckless; and were it to emerge, without your having mentioned it, it would certainly (and quite properly) scupper your chances for all time. You would be seen to have been, once again, devious and deceptive.
Second, you should assume that, however open and honest you are in your full disclosure of past events, they may still count against you. This wouldn’t mean that the organisation was being vindictive or even unreasonable. It’s simply the case that when there are multiple applicants for the same role, all equally well-qualified, even the slightest question mark can be enough to condemn a particular candidate’s application to the discard pile.
So with those rather pessimistic, but realistic, caveats in mind, I still think it’s worth your while applying. They must have thought highly enough of you three years ago to have offered you the job – and presumably you’re no less qualified now. But this time, be absolutely open in your application – and not just in a separate letter to the chief executive. He would be bound to show it to whoever is in charge of recruitment and that could only confirm your reputation for being less than straightforward.
Explain as briefly as possible the circumstances of your last application. Show total understanding of their decision to withdraw their initial offer, and express your deep regret that, through your own error of judgment, you missed out on a job you’ve been wishing you’d been offered ever since.
It might just be enough to get you an interview.
Readers say
• This should be ringing alarm bells. The circumstances of your redundancy had nothing to do with your suitability for the post you were applying for. Your reasons for not wanting to jeopardise redundancy negotiations by seeking a reference were understandable and legitimate. So what was there for you to be honest with your prospective employer about? You say it is a small organisation and the chief exec pulled the plug. It looks as if s/he is a meddler with a poor understanding of reasonable practice in recruitment and selection. YorkshireCat
• Is this your dream job? Would it represent a significant advance? If yes, then definitely reapply, because the potential benefit outweighs the risk – and the risk is, really, only hurt pride and disappointment that you will get over very quickly. WinstonThatcher
• See it from the company’s side. They interview someone, are interested, but she is not honest (for some bizarre reason about being made redundant). All they know is she does not want them to look for a reference – alarm bells would ring and they were right to not take it any further. jacob123
I’m in a dilemma over whether to tell my boss a colleague is stealing
A colleague has used £50-worth of services, paid for by our employer, for their own personal use. I believe (but am not entirely sure) that my boss is unaware. Do I tell my boss? I have an excellent relationship with him, but a strained relationship with the employee, and I worry this might be making me biased about whether or not to drop them in it.
Our organisation is not-for-profit and the money was spent benefiting the business of the employee’s spouse. The loss will probably be swallowed up in general overheads; however, if our boss becomes aware, which is a possibility if he queries the invoice, he may ask me about it.
I think staff at our organisation are treated fairly. The employee, however, feels unsupported and sidelined, and has justified their actions by saying they have done unpaid overtime – but it was unpaid only because they did not submit a timesheet.
Jeremy says
There can be no justification for stealing £50-worth of services. Even if your colleague was owed for unpaid overtime, it’s still a crime. He’s simply trying to square his own conscience – and probably hoping to make it more difficult for you to do anything about it. And it’s difficult enough already.
I don’t think there’s a perfect solution, but this is what I think you should do. Tell your colleague that you don’t intend to reveal his behaviour to your boss but only because you don’t want to feel responsible for the likely consequence – in all probability, immediate dismissal. Go on to say that it’s entirely possible that if your boss queries the phoney invoice, he may well question you about it and, if he does, you’ll have no choice but to tell him what you know, otherwise you would be seriously implicated yourself.
However, if this colleague can show you that he has somehow reimbursed the company £50, or made an equivalent contribution in some other way, you’ll be prepared to call the matter closed – but only on the strict condition that he does nothing along the same lines again.
Readers say
• Do you not have internal control staff? Perhaps you can alert them? If you are a small organisation, perhaps suggest to your boss he put some controls on expenses. If this goes unnoticed, something bigger can go unnoticed too. beldaran
• Your colleague is not just stealing from the organisation, but from those it helps. The fact you can’t give a reason why you shouldn’t tell should be all you need to know. AgentC
• Ask your boss privately, “does this person have permission to use these services like this?”, and that might prompt your boss to look into it. RedStarTrout
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.
