Before I talk about what it means to accept on offer of employment from an organization, I want to identify what accepting an offer is NOT.
When you accept an offer, you are NOT saying the following:
“Yes, I accept your offer of employment, unless my current employer or some other company I’m interviewing with offers me something better, in which case I will take their offer instead.”
That is NOT what it means to accept an offer. Unfortunately, some job seekers and candidates think this way when dealing with organizations.
So, what DOES it mean to accept an offer of employment?
When you accept an offer, realize that you are giving your word that you’re actually accepting it and not just doing so to “keep your options open.” In other words, it means that you are making a commitment to the company that extended the offer and then keeping that commitment.
If you aren’t 100% sure that you can keep the commitment, then do NOT make the commitment.
After all, how would you feel if the company president said they wanted to hire you, but later changed their mind after they found someone who had more to offer? You would be angry and upset, and you would feel rejected and quite possibly betrayed.
If that behavior is unacceptable on the employer’s side, then it’s certainly unacceptable on the job seeker’s side, as well.