Advice-Turned down a job and now trying to get the job back

[JAD78]

Hello-

I am in need of some advice and opinions. I recently turned down a position with a large Japanese company that would have had me moving from the US to work for the organization in Europe. All of the managing directors are Japanese even though the position is in Europe. To make a long story short, I turned the job offer down and when I did, I provided a long explanation basically with the underlying meaning that I needed more money. This is after the company failed to negotiate on any of my counteroffer. I was advised to provide this explanation by my recruiter and the explanation although formal, did not hold anything back either.

Fast forward a week later and I decided that the compensation would work and I would actually like to accept the offer. I have since spoken with the European hiring manager who is NOT Japanese. She informed me management would like to now interview other candidates before they even think to extend me their offer.

My question at this point is, do you guys believe I even have a chance or did I burn this bridge? I know the Japanese will often put a large amount of emphasis on saving face for themselves as well as their business acquaintances. I realize that I made a very big mistake in not accepting the offer and probably an even bigger mistake in providing a long explanation for my rejection. I do not have very much experience with the culture but I am curious if I even have a chance or if this deal is pretty much done and the Japanese are just using the "other candidates" excuse to lessen the blow of rejecting me. Also, should I try and contact the managing directors or stick to working with European HR?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[YokohamaTommy]

About 10 years ago I was in a similar situation, only the J-company was based in the U.S., and completely Japanese operated, management style and staff-wise.
I essentially took the same route as you, and I received the impression that this large (you would know it) company was extremely cheap as when it came to my position (In this case I.T.) Laughably cheap.

We went back and forth with an American manager who was mediating between myself and the home office in Japan, and the end result was that they would not budge. Too bad too, as I had wanted the challenge.
My sense was that while the American manager understood quite well the value of proper I.T. infrastructure, the home office did not.

I think you probably made the right choice, as later you may have been treated poorly and had little bargaining strength.

[BackDoor_Man]

You turned them down, that job is gone, now forget it and look somewhere else.

[Glenski]

I was advised to provide this explanation by my recruiter and the explanation although formal, did not hold anything back either.

How can we take this statement? You held nothing back could mean you really ripped into the offer and essentially told off the company, leaving a very bad taste in their mouths.

Or does it mean something else?

[ttokyo]

To make a long story short, I turned the job offer down ... Fast forward a week later and I decided that the compensation would work and I would actually like to accept the offer. I have since spoken with the European hiring manager who is NOT Japanese. She informed me management would like to now interview other candidates before they even think to extend me their offer.

My question at this point is, do you guys believe I even have a chance or did I burn this bridge? Also, should I try and contact the managing directors or stick to working with European HR?

Short Answer : It's unclear

Long Answer :
When we are hiring, we usually have a shortlist of candidates. If the first one does not accept the offer, we make a job offer to the second one, etc. The fact that you already once turned the offer down and now changed your mind is obviously reflecting badly on your motives commitment and character.
Question 1 is if they are talking to other candidates who they also find 'acceptable' who will take the offer. This is the same what the head hunter told you. Maybe they even made an offer to somebody else in that week.
Question 2 is whether your skills would offset your 'shortcomings' and the possibly hurt ego of some people. We also once interviewed an IT guy who was arrogant and unsociable. But as he was extremely good, and we made him an offer. (He did not take it but negotiated his salary up at his employer at the time.)
Don't contact the MDs directly.

[JAD78]

Thank you very much for the replies.

I do not think that the company made any other offers as this has been a position they have been trying to fill for quite some time and now they have additional interviews scheduled this week. With that being said, I basically gave a valid explanation for each point of my counteroffer in my rejection letter. I do see and I am a bit worried that I probably came off as arrogant but it was quite a shock to receive the first offer and have no negotiation. The interview process itself included multiple presentations that were extremely time consuming so I assumed they would be willing to put a bit extra work into their offer-given the fact I would have had to relocate across the pond.

As YokohamaTommy said, I was very nervous about the way I would be treated with such a low offer given the intesity and requirements of the position. The last thing I wanted was to cart myself and my wife across the world only to be treated horribly. However, after much discussion after I rejected the offer, I just feel that if I can give it my all for 1-2 years, it would greatly benefit my career in the longrun. After reading your replies and my gut feelings, I am thinking I have probably spoiled my chance at a second look and will not be getting the offer again.

I will continue to try and work through the European HR manager but I am worried that the managing directors are not going to get a clear explanation as to the reasons why I initially rejected the offer. That is my only fear.

Again, any additional advice or thoughts would be appreciated. This has been a 3 month process full of stress and the offer just came at a time when I was up to my ears in unrelated events and having to reply to other offers so I was not seeing the entire picture. Now I am just hoping I can manage to just receive the intial offer again.

[Effected After]

I think you burned your bridge. If I were the hiring director, I would be thinking two things:

1) This guy is indecisive. (bad trait)
2) This guy didn't think it was enough money, but is now willing to take it. This means he is likely to jump ship for anything worth more money, because in his own head, it's not enough.
3) This guy initially refused our offer. We don't want people who are settling for us, we want someone who wants to work for us.

Of course, I'm not the hiring director, so my own opinions are irrelevant, as the only one that really matters is the one who makes the decision. But I'd be surprised if you aren't fighting a losing battle here.

[trip_hop]

...I would be thinking three things:

1) This guy is indecisive. (bad trait)
2) This guy didn't think it was enough money, but is now willing to take it. This means he is likely to jump ship for anything worth more money, because in his own head, it's not enough.
3) This guy initially refused our offer. We don't want people who are settling for us, we want someone who wants to work for us.

Of course, I'm not the hiring director, so my own opinions are irrelevant, as the only one that really matters is the one who makes the decision. But I'd be surprised if you aren't fighting a losing battle here.

Makes total sense...especially 3).

[JAD78]

I think you burned your bridge. If I were the hiring director, I would be thinking two things:

1) This guy is indecisive. (bad trait)
2) This guy didn't think it was enough money, but is now willing to take it. This means he is likely to jump ship for anything worth more money, because in his own head, it's not enough.
3) This guy initially refused our offer. We don't want people who are settling for us, we want someone who wants to work for us.

Of course, I'm not the hiring director, so my own opinions are irrelevant, as the only one that really matters is the one who makes the decision. But I'd be surprised if you aren't fighting a losing battle here.

Everything you have said makes sense. Unfortunately I truly do want to work for this company. They just made the decision very difficult with their offer. They know I have turned down others for them but I agree that it's all about perception and right now, I don't look too good. I just wish I could somehow communicate exactly why I have decided to try and take the position. It is just difficult trying to act proper and not desperate after all the intense communication leading to my rejection. I just wish I knew if I should sit and wait or try and make additional efforts

[Effected After]

Everything you have said makes sense. Unfortunately I truly do want to work for this company. They just made the decision very difficult with their offer. They know I have turned down others for them but I agree that it's all about perception and right now, I don't look too good. I just wish I could somehow communicate exactly why I have decided to try and take the position. It is just difficult trying to act proper and not desperate after all the intense communication leading to my rejection. I just wish I knew if I should sit and wait or try and make additional efforts

You are best off focusing your efforts on finding a different job. It sounds like you are dealing with a big company here. If it were a small company, you may find someone who is a little more flexible and willing to listen to the human side of it, but bigger companies have rules and processes, that are much more inflexible.

You can still put some effort into trying to get the job offer again, but don't focus an inordinate amount of time on it, rather focus your energies on finding something you don't have to turn down the first time around.

[YokohamaTommy]

I think you burned your bridge. If I were the hiring director, I would be thinking two things:

1) This guy is indecisive. (bad trait)
2) This guy didn't think it was enough money, but is now willing to take it. This means he is likely to jump ship for anything worth more money, because in his own head, it's not enough.
3) This guy initially refused our offer. We don't want people who are settling for us, we want someone who wants to work for us.

Of course, I'm not the hiring director, so my own opinions are irrelevant, as the only one that really matters is the one who makes the decision. But I'd be surprised if you aren't fighting a losing battle here.

Indeed, I think you're straight on the money.
I just went through 30 interviewees for my position and these were pretty much my key points.

DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK/BE HERE?
ARE YOU EXCITED AND FIRED UP FOR THIS JOB?

I place those in caps to express my frustration because about 95% of them COMPLETELY failed to show this and ultimately talked themselves out of a job because they made it all about salary negotiation in the first interview. (Your #2.)
I eventually boiled it down to three candidates, and the one I selected did not have the best technical skills,, but he WANTED the job
more than anyone else I had interviewed. Not so much desperation, but an earnest "I really want to be/work here" vibe.

Technical skills I can teach. What I cannot teach is being positive and being the sort of person who loves what they do.

[Effected After]

Yeah, when I've done interviews in the past, I've cut people who got to money right off the bat, because I could see that was their primary motivation. I've also hired people who really, really showed that they want to be there. Two of those people however turned out to be batsh!t crazy!

[ttokyo]

2) This guy didn't think it was enough money, but is now willing to take it. This means he is likely to jump ship for anything worth more money, because in his own head, it's not enough.

Completely agree. That might have killed it. You don't want to hire somebody who feels uncomfortable with pay or other conditions.

DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK/BE HERE?
ARE YOU EXCITED AND FIRED UP FOR THIS JOB?
I place those in caps to express my frustration because about 95% of them COMPLETELY failed to show this and ultimately talked themselves out of a job because they made it all about salary negotiation in the first interview.

Partly agree. In a technical position, "agreeing with the company philosophy's" is much less important than for a sales or HR job. In IT it's more about skills. But you're right about the positive attitude and willingness to learn new things. But this was the OP's motiviation to consider the job in the first place. His argument was only 'if I move the family/household over to Japan, that should be compensated appropriately'. So it might boil down to the general question 'do we pay a high enough premium for foreign talent' and this is obviously a problem of the company.

[Agitator]

Hello-

I am in need of some advice and opinions.

...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

To be blunt, you're hosed. It's over. You would have hated working for them, anyway. Move on.

[hml]

They offered me the job. Sorry mate!

[JAD78]

Again, thanks for the replies. I'm sure it's over at this point and yes, I'm sure it would have been hell compared to other offers I received. But, it was an opportunity to build up my resume pretty quick...anyways, I'll let you all know if by chance they call.

[Guru]

It all boils down to a hiring manager when it comes to making a decision if he / she is going to hire you. It is a natural human emotional reaction not to take in a person who rejected the offer in the first place. Especially, if you are dealing with a native J-hiring manager, you won't go anywhere. Behind the pretense of the typical Japanese social politeness, there are only raw human emotions boiling over the pot.

[xHime]

I'm not Japanese but if I were in a hiring position I wouldn't re-consider someone who had JUST turned down an offer a week prior, especially not over money, as that means they're not really passionate about the company and even if given a second chance would probably be seeking raises ASAP and overall be a pain to deal with. If someone turned down a job offer I would just go on to the next candidate, not like there is a shortage in most fields. That's common sense.

[JAD78]

Well, to my dismay the company came back and accepted. So, they must think pretty highly of me or everyone else just is horrible. Thought I'd update you...

[ttokyo]

Well, to my dismay the company came back and accepted. So, they must think pretty highly of me or everyone else just is horrible. Thought I'd update you...

Wow. Thanks. We look forward to hear more from you in the forums then...

[Jreperio]

You believed in good faith that the offer did not provide satsifactory remuneration. Fine. The Japanese are notorious for paying people under International market value. It is in their nature to teeter towards the stingy side of things. As long as you had realistic expectaions, there is nothing wrong with walking away from the offer as it was unsatisfactory. But expecting the Japanese to have 'another look at the offer' requires them to admit that they are wrong - even if only to the slightest degree. Best of luck with that.