How can I break a verbal commitment without burning bridges with my current employer?

Question

I have verbally agreed to a 6-month project through an outsourcing agency because I could not find any other work. Now that I have agreed, I suddenly have numerous opportunities from outside the agency.

My last project with the agency was a debacle, and I was given a poor appraisal rating and released from the project. As per the organization policies, if I reject any opportunity from within the organization, I have to pay some penalties. As I have a poor appraisal rating, if I reject the project opportunity I will probably be fired.

I would like to take one of these offers, however I also do not want to burn bridges with my current employer, and I am not sure how to break the verbal commitment without burning any bridges.

I don't want to burn the bridges with my current employer and at the same time I don't want to miss the good opportunity. But I don't know how to convince my current employer to relieve me before the committed time period. How can I break a verbal commitment without burning bridges with my current employer?

Edit based on responses: The manager who manages the project from offshore is also agency employee not Client employee. The agency took the project and implements from offshore and deliver it to the client and bills the client for the hours that resouces worked. They employee few resources at onsite for communication related activities. Onsite employees will pass technical requirements to Offshore and Offshore will develop and deliver the project. Then Testing and build and deploy activities will done by onsite. Offshore Manager and other management are not client employees they are agency employees. We as offshore resources for the project, we work for the client and get billed. But appraisals, promotions and other people management can done by offshore agency management.

Usually, if you are getting outside offers now, you'll get outside offers later. So that part won't disappear. More opportunities will appear down the road.

Here case is a bit different. I have Valid H1B Visa which expires after 6 months. THe current opportunity providing longterm promising onsite opportunity. I will not get this onsite opportunity after 6 months once visa get expires.

Answer 1

Have you talked to the agency with whom you made the commitment? Be honest and open about what you want to do and why.

Then, live with the consequences.

If they say "No. You must fulfill your commitment or be fired.", then you have a decision to make. You can get yourself fired, and risk your reputation. Or you can turn down the outside offers, fulfill your commitment, and think harder about your next commitment.

Usually, if you are getting outside offers now, you'll get outside offers later. So that part won't disappear. More opportunities will appear down the road.

If you let your reputation disappear, that may be harder to regain down the road.

Tough choices - but yours alone to make.