What would you do?

[usedtofly]

I have recently accepted a job with a company 'X' and am due to start soon, however company 'Y' have just offered me a job which on paper is better all round.

If I accept this other position I will letting the first company down. The second job offer is very attractive with possibly a better future.

So then, do I put myself first? or would staying with the first company be the 'decent thing'?

What would you do? Sorry to be a bit 'cagey' about this but I hope you will understand why I can not go into detail right now.

Many thanks

UTF

[MIKECR]

Look after number 1!

[EGCC4284]

I was in the same boat as you last month. On December 22nd, I was offered a job on an Embraer 145 due to start January 23rd. Then on January 11th I was offered a job on a 737 due to start in April. Look after number 1 is what I have always been told.

I phoned the first company up the week before I was due to start and told them "thanks but no thanks". As you can imagine they were not very happy, but a contract is a 2 way thing.

Trust me, they would drop you like a brick if the was another September 11th and they did not need you.

I was advised to try and fly the heaviest aircraft as soon as you can in your career and earn as much as you can. This is as long as your happy flying for whoever you fly for.

Make sure you have a signed contrat back with the 2nd company before calling the first. This is what I did.

PM me if you wish.

[buggingout]

I'm like you, always worrying about letting others down. I've forced to change myself recently and it fairness, you have to. Especially in aviation!

Don't burn bridges and don't deliberately be an ar5e and you won't go far wrong!

Good luck

[Hansard]

Look after No. 1.

[Baboon Boy]

this guy must be straight off the banana boat.

[geraldn]

Unless you signed a contract you are free to do what suits no 1 best.

[usedtofly]

Thanks for the replies guys. As it happens I did sign an 'acceptance of offer of employment' but start date next month and no money or work/training has changed hands yet. Does signing the acceptance count as signing a contract?

Oh....and Fyffes were great, cheaper than flying!

Many thanks

UTF

[Meeb]

Usedtofly, I know what you are feeling as I find myself in the same position. I have a start date with airline 'x' and now airline 'y' who I have been trying to get an interview/assessment with for even longer than 'x' have now asked me to come for an interview and possibly an assessment. Time is running out though... :ugh:

Although I do agree you have to look after Number 1, you cannot afford to piss off too many airlines as the pool of 'suitable' airlines to work for is not that large, if you get my drift.... ;)

As for the letter you have signed, that is standard practice and it is a contract. However no company would waste time persuing you for breaking that, but again, tread carefully, and let us all now how it goes... :ok:

[geraldn]

Unless it is stipulated that you will inccur any penalties if you will not honour the contract you shouldnt find any problems ,however having an honest word with the company explaining your position would be good ethics.

[EGCC4284]

A friend of mine last year signed and sent back a contract for a Turboprop out fit in Coventry. A week later got offered a 757 job. He just phoned the Chief Pilot up for the turboprop outfit and explained. They understood and simply ignored his signed contract. I think a company would rather have you working for them knowing that you have made the right choice.

I was like you until I got the reaction on the phone last month and now I think differently and will always look after number one.

[On speed on profile]

Make sure you have a contract with the one you want before you fob off the one you dont.

Dont do what one guy did when going for an interview at my company. He told the boss that he had been offered a place subject to sim ride with another company and that he would accept that in preference to the job he was being interviewed for. He lasted about 5 minutes before the interview was terminated and he didnt even have a firm offer with the first. Incidently, he probably would have got the job if he had kept quiet.

Just because you have two job offers doesnt mean you have a job. You still have to get through your training and probation period without any snags. The "big" job might look good on paper but if it goes wrong, you may find yourself wishing you had taken the other one.

Walk before you can run unless you know you arent going to fall over!! Look after number one but remember....Aviation is a very small world!!!

[EGCC4284]

Meeb

I know what you are going through. I had a stage one assessment in July 2006 with airline 'Y' and then recruitment was put on hold until further notice. I then had an interview with airline 'x' in November and a sim assessment with 'x' in December. I passed that and was offered a start date in January 2007. I e-mailed airline 'Y' on Boxing day to tell them my predicament and explained how much I really wanted to work for them instead of airline 'x'. I got a phone call January 4th for an interview and sim assessment from airline 'Y' for January the 9th and even during the interview for airline 'Y', I explained that I was currently working my notice as I was due to start a Embraer course two weeks later. Two days later, I got a call from airline 'Y' and was offered a job with them. Be honest but don't shoot yourself in the foot.

Also like On speed on profile says, don't tell airline 'x' until airline 'y' has received your signed contract, unless you are really running out of time and are willing to take the risk.

And most important of all,

Don't turn a job down on the idea that you think you will get offered a better one soon. Even being put into a hold pool of a better job is no guarantee that you are going to get offered a start date with them. If you get a contract with a start date with the better airline, then go for it.

Get flying as soon as possible is what I have always been told

[smith]

The only thing if you sign a contract or letter of acceptance is the notice period required if you resign. Upon signing the contract or letter of acceptance the company could still hold you to that notice period although hardly likely as there would be no point in them training you for say 4 weeks knowing that you are going to leave.

[usedtofly]

Just to close up on this one. I decided to go with the first job offer. Many thanks to everyone who replied, it was a great help.

UTF