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I accepted a conditional offer at a company a couple of weeks ago. We talked on the phone, they offered a number, I said I would accept that, and they sent me an email with a link to a website where I stated that I accepted the job offer. for the past weeks I have been doing traditional checks and formalities to get incorporated. I haven't yet signed the official job offer at their facilities, so it wouldn't be held against me if I negotiate on specific terms of it, but it is my understanding that the salary cannot be renegued as that is what was conditionally accepted.

But I also continued to interview another employer who might give me a better pay and better position, we discussed the position and they would like me to go to a final interview where we will probably detail an offer. I am very interested to go to that interview at the very least to know my market value.

In the event that I am able to negotiate a high enough salary to make it worth it to reject the original offer. Should I back down on my original agreement?

I am aware that the original company would be hurt if I back down, but is it my responsibility just because I accepted a conditional offer? If it is I am prepared to respect my original agreement with the first company. However if it wasn't expected that I take concern of their situation after I declined, then I would be able to reject it.

I am looking to avoid hurting this company if it is my responsibility, and to avoid burning bridges for future opportunities.

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  • "I am looking to avoid hurting this company if it is my responsibility, and to avoid burning bridges for future opportunities." - If you end up going back on your word and turning down the verbal acceptance, that will probably burn a bridge with that employer.
    – Brandin
    Mar 23, 2016 at 9:28
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    what part of the offer was conditional? Did they say pending a background check, pending them winning a contract from company x...?
    – mhoran_psprep
    Mar 23, 2016 at 10:37
  • I've accepted an offer and had the company pull out while I was doing paperwork because their client merged with a different company and no longer wanted to expand their use of the company I signed on with. It cuts both ways.
    – Amy Blankenship
    Mar 23, 2016 at 15:32
  • Do you have a start date?
    – thursdaysgeek
    Mar 23, 2016 at 15:48

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avoid burning bridges for future opportunities.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Nothing is final until it's final, employers understand that as well as anyone else. Professionals don't tend to be petty about things like that. They had their chance, they took too long, they lost an opportunity, it happens.

I wouldn't apply there in a couple of weeks though. But in the long term it should be ok, and there's nothing you could do differently in any case if you were to take the better opportunity.

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  • Well as anybody else. Which is to say they do not understand it well at all?
    – joojaa
    Mar 23, 2016 at 10:18
  • Won't do very well in business if you just believe everyones verbal input as set in stone... not past a small level anyway
    – Kilisi ♦
    Mar 23, 2016 at 12:35
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    Agreed my point is that people are people. Misunderstandings happen even if they realize this they may not have accounted for it. So you might end up buring the bridge anyway. Even a calculated risk hurts.
    – joojaa
    Mar 23, 2016 at 12:48
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In today's world verbal agreement means nothing. Also nothing is to say they keep good records of black list potential interviews who rejected their offer. If they are taking their time to hire you then it means there are doubts or restructuring going on. So it might indicate something is wrong there. Every job I got took less than a couple of weeks to come in and start working. If you haven't gotten a official letter yet that you signed then really it's not worth it after this long in my opinion.

I wouldn't stress burning bridges. Chances are whoever interviewed you will be long gone or long forgotten about you.

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