What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CT
I was offered a job about 18 months ago by a company in NY. I accepted not knowing that my husband would be transferred out-of-state to a new job in NC. Prior to my start date at the NY company, I contacted H.R. to let them know that I could not start because we were moving to N.C. It all happened very fast, but I'm glad I was able to let them know before I had actually started working. I genuinely felt bad about having to make the call, but my husband was given an incredible opportunity and I decided to follow him rather than deal with a long-distance marriage. The hiring manager of this company did email me stating that if I'm back in CT to let her know since we had a very good rapport.
Just recently, the same job that had been offered to me 18 months ago was posted on-line again. I applied for the job and was granted an interview with the hiring manager along with another gentleman I had met previously and the CFO, whom I had not met before. I was very excited and when I arrived, I was told by the H.R. rep that I may have to fill out another application just so they have a current copy and that I'd be meeting with the CFO first and the hiring manager last. Great! Very excited!
As it turns out the ONLY person I met with was the CFO. He did not have my resume in front of him nor did he ask me for a copy of it. The entire interview consisted of nothing more than the CFO badgering me with the same questions over and over again all related to 'why would you accept a job and then turn around and call to say you're not starting it?' I explained to him the circumstance several times. I didn't know what exactly he was looking for from me other than to make me very uncomfortable. At one point, I started off saying, "To be honest," and he immediately cut me off replying, "Why are you saying you're being honest - are you lying to me?" I repeated, "To be honest, I don't appreciate the way you're talking to me." I also asked him why I was brought back for an interview when he was clearly upset over the fact that I didn't start the job over a year ago to which he didn't have an answer. He told me, several times, how they had wasted so much time interviewing me before and, again, I told him that I just didn't understand why I was even brought back. I knew that there might be some trepidation over hiring me again because of what happened, but I never expected to be harassed about it because they could have very easily rejected my resume when they saw it come through. We never discussed my background or skills or the job itself. He was disrespectful and just downright rude. Finally, he said again, that he just could not understand why I did what I did (as if I'm on trial for something horrendous) and not knowing what else to say, I told him that sometimes life happens and I felt bad about not starting and that it was a very difficult decision, but I decided to move to NC with my husband for his job and with that, he said, "We're done here -someone will walk you out." I was in shock. Absolute shock.
I was so humiliated and I just walked myself to the elevator nearby and actually heard him talking to the other gentleman I was supposed to meet about the "tactic" he used "to see how I would respond." Again, total shock over the fact that this is a CFO of a company acting not only rude, but immature describing his tactics as if this was some kind of game. I knew right then and there he had no intentions of offering the job to me again. I don't know what he told the hiring manager or H.R., but that was the end of it.
My question is, why bring back a candidate to whom you extended an offer once before if you're so angry that she didn't start the job - just to chastise and berate her? I would think a CFO would have more important things to do. I suspect that there's nothing legally I can do and that, in the end, the guy was just a jerk getting his jollies on humiliating someone.
I was offered a job about 18 months ago by a company in NY. I accepted not knowing that my husband would be transferred out-of-state to a new job in NC. Prior to my start date at the NY company, I contacted H.R. to let them know that I could not start because we were moving to N.C. It all happened very fast, but I'm glad I was able to let them know before I had actually started working. I genuinely felt bad about having to make the call, but my husband was given an incredible opportunity and I decided to follow him rather than deal with a long-distance marriage. The hiring manager of this company did email me stating that if I'm back in CT to let her know since we had a very good rapport.
Just recently, the same job that had been offered to me 18 months ago was posted on-line again. I applied for the job and was granted an interview with the hiring manager along with another gentleman I had met previously and the CFO, whom I had not met before. I was very excited and when I arrived, I was told by the H.R. rep that I may have to fill out another application just so they have a current copy and that I'd be meeting with the CFO first and the hiring manager last. Great! Very excited!
As it turns out the ONLY person I met with was the CFO. He did not have my resume in front of him nor did he ask me for a copy of it. The entire interview consisted of nothing more than the CFO badgering me with the same questions over and over again all related to 'why would you accept a job and then turn around and call to say you're not starting it?' I explained to him the circumstance several times. I didn't know what exactly he was looking for from me other than to make me very uncomfortable. At one point, I started off saying, "To be honest," and he immediately cut me off replying, "Why are you saying you're being honest - are you lying to me?" I repeated, "To be honest, I don't appreciate the way you're talking to me." I also asked him why I was brought back for an interview when he was clearly upset over the fact that I didn't start the job over a year ago to which he didn't have an answer. He told me, several times, how they had wasted so much time interviewing me before and, again, I told him that I just didn't understand why I was even brought back. I knew that there might be some trepidation over hiring me again because of what happened, but I never expected to be harassed about it because they could have very easily rejected my resume when they saw it come through. We never discussed my background or skills or the job itself. He was disrespectful and just downright rude. Finally, he said again, that he just could not understand why I did what I did (as if I'm on trial for something horrendous) and not knowing what else to say, I told him that sometimes life happens and I felt bad about not starting and that it was a very difficult decision, but I decided to move to NC with my husband for his job and with that, he said, "We're done here -someone will walk you out." I was in shock. Absolute shock.
I was so humiliated and I just walked myself to the elevator nearby and actually heard him talking to the other gentleman I was supposed to meet about the "tactic" he used "to see how I would respond." Again, total shock over the fact that this is a CFO of a company acting not only rude, but immature describing his tactics as if this was some kind of game. I knew right then and there he had no intentions of offering the job to me again. I don't know what he told the hiring manager or H.R., but that was the end of it.
My question is, why bring back a candidate to whom you extended an offer once before if you're so angry that she didn't start the job - just to chastise and berate her? I would think a CFO would have more important things to do. I suspect that there's nothing legally I can do and that, in the end, the guy was just a jerk getting his jollies on humiliating someone.