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EY Throws a Fit When Your Job Circumstances Change

I got an offer in a corporate role and turned in my two week notice at EY. Everything was fine: HR treated me well and wished me luck in the next chapter of my career.

However, on my LAST DAY at EY, the new company rescinded their offer for reasons that I won’t get into here but were ridiculous (even the third-party recruiter agreed it was ridiculous). So not knowing if I was going to find something else sooner or later, I called HR at EY and told them what had happened and expressed interest in coming back.

As there were no guarantees, I continued to interview for other roles. Within a couple business days, EY called and said there was interest in having me return, and at that point I already had a couple of interviews. Lo and behold, one of those interviews resulted in an offer within a week’s time!

After accepting the new offer, I informed EY that I would, in fact, not be returning (again, this is one week after my last day). This time HR was not so receptive and hit me with a “we’ve been working so hard to have you back. Why would you accept another offer? Why would you be looking?” The questions were asked as if EY was somehow entitled to have my labor. I informed her that it was a good offer with a good company and that’s the direction I wanted to head. She kept pressing and I had enough. I replied, “I’m sending my stuff back today. Goodbye,” and hung up.

Remember everyone … you’re a free agent and nobody owns you or is entitled to your labor. Act like it.

Anonymous former EY employee

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25 thoughts on “EY Throws a Fit When Your Job Circumstances Change

  1. True, no company is entitled to one’s labor but if EY had not been gracious enough to accept his return after departure then this would’ve been an article bashing EY from that perspective. It’s like a girlfriend leaving you for someone else, it doesn’t work out, she comes back and then is ready to leave on the first thing smoking..lol, EY should’ve denied his return the first time and made him live with his decision.

  2. Ey had to go through a lot of effort to rehire you, including approvals, etc. and put forth a reasonable explanation for a re-hire. Good riddence – hopefully will never take you back.

  3. Have some ethics. You don’t behave like an owner. You behave like a commodity. Accounting is a people business and yes free agent status exists but so should loyalty. Loyalty is not a bad word. They were loyal, you were not.

  4. I think you could have handled this a bit differently Granted, your circumstances changed, but you’re looking at this rather selfishly. I used to work for EY and have since left and would have never done what you did. The reality is you’re playing the field. You have every right to do what you did. If you tell EY you’re going back, but have no intention in doing so, then don’t. Keep looking, and move on. If you think they’re a safety net to a failed decision, that’s not right. There could be other candidates who are vying for roles that you may have taken away or were being considered for. Especially in a hot market like this one. Your attitude is selfish and inconsiderate.

  5. In 2009/2010, I had multiple interviews and was given the “There could be other candidates who are vying for roles that you may have taken away or were being considered for.” I received no offers and suffered to get my career in the door for years. Do what is best for you. Do not listen to EY because they could not give a rats ass about you. When you’re working to the point you burn out or throw up from anxiety, EY will not be there in the hospital by your bedside.

  6. Hey free agent, I think you missing the point here. EY having agreed to take you back that shows loyalty from employer to employee and their willingness to take you back at time you yourself admitted as not knowing where to turn and how long woukd be before you have another job, many companies have policies on that and they don’t accept returning staff before 2 years have passed from resignation
    If I were you I would have accepted EY over the other company knowing that you going back to an employer who cares about you and have done you a favour in your times of need.
    No wonder HR were not pleased, you messed them around and played them again against other employers, it is not EY throwing a fit it you being a prima dona!

  7. To be fair, you left for another company, got your offer rescinded and asked to come back, to which EY agreed to do (which can be a huge pain to make happen; they were already making arrangements for your replacement which requires a lot of resources) and then only a week later after they agreed to take you back and you quit again after they went through all of the effort to take you back… And you’re confused as to why they’re upset with you? Then on top of that you post this article whining about it when you were infact in the wrong in this situation. I hope future employers taking this article into consideration when hiring/not hiring you.

  8. Did you tell EY that you were continuing to interview? I have worked at various organizations and when it comes to hiring a specific person it takes effort and approvals. The HR would have needed to get approvals to get you back. They tried be grateful.

    They were disappointed and perhaps expressed it in poor words, be grateful

  9. Honestly, if you can’t understand why EY is frustrated, it’s probably better that they let you move on.

    Turn the situation around. EY interview you and express interest in having you. Someone better comes along so they tell you that they rather going with that option. That candidate drops them so they come back to you. You express interest again but a new candidate shows up who is better than you. EY again drop you in favour of the new candidate. Rinse and repeat.

    With you having worked at EY in the past, I’m assuming you a professional? Act like it and treat your company how you would expect to be treated.

  10. You left. And then got rejected. You offered to go back to EY and they graciously accepted. Be thankful that they were willing to reconsider your request. You were ungrateful by interviewing with other despite being accepted by EY. Why did you desperately wanting to go back to EY and then back stab them at the last minute? If I were your new employer, you feel entitled and would not fit in any organisation.

  11. This person should have been upfront with HR and told them he/she would be leaving (again) upon receiving another offer. They were not…. and should have expected the type of response they received from HR. Professional conduct is a two way street.

  12. You are still not a a whore. If you were, you would have negotiated a better rate with EY. Wondering why you didnt do that?

  13. This is sooo unprofessional. If you dont want to go back then dont. EY is used to people leaving or changing teams all the time and people coming back. i have been with them in 3 different offices and 3 different teams and service lines so i’d know. But you have to respect this and respect you collegues, not treat them as a safety net until something “better” comes along

    1. Totally agree, if still looking for something else go back as a contractor/ freelance but not give the people hiring you the hassle

  14. You should be telling your selfish self this…

    Remember everyone … you’re a free agent and nobody owns you or is entitled to your labor. Act like it.

  15. Honestly, you should be telling the yourself this for being so ungrateful ….

    Remember everyone … you’re a free agent and nobody owns you or is entitled to your labor. Act like it.

  16. I am not sure if this is real or fake. But if you are really complaining about what happened to you, I guess EY is lucky not to have you as its employee. HR at EY had to work a lot on the background to be able to hire you back after you submitted your 2 week notice. Of course they would be upset to hear you changed your mind once again after you got the new offer. You should have mentioned to them that you are still interviewing with other places to keep them in the loop, or if the EY job was not for you, you should have just quit and look for other opportunities.

  17. You’re not a person a company should hire as you’ve no integrity. Because of the likes of you, honest employees were viewed in a similar way. You’re like a monkey destroying a home

  18. Smart posting anonymously. You sound insufferable and completely tone-deaf on the labor and understanding required to try to re-situate you. What an entitled pompous post.

  19. Wow…surprising amount of boot lickers in the comments. Yeah it’s great that EY took this guy or gal back but do you people really think that was “loyalty” or is EY filling a seat they can bill hours from? I say good for this guy/gal for looking out for themselves and getting away from these cheaters.

    1. You’ve no integrity and the likes of you were destroying the company culture, relationship and the core meaning of humanity. So selfish that you’ll sell your daughter for money

      1. Get a grip. It’s a job at a shitty company that would lay you off at the drop of a dime.

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