Is Reneging Actually That Bad?
I know there hundreds of threads on here with the ethics of reneging - but thought I'd bring the conversation back into play given the light of recent events by some firms. Also I want to preface by saying I'm against burning bridges with close contacts through reneging, but that is sometimes inevitable. With that being said, recent events have shed light on how little firms actually care about their inters/employees as they're so quick to throw you to the curb when the ship gets rocky. The way firms have pulled internships, cut pay, shafted return offers, etc etc. At the end of the day, they're really only looking out for themselves so why blame them? But why is it such a big deal when someone decides to renege an offer for the same reason? To look out for their best interests. Am I missing something or is reneging treated like a criminal offense on here for no great reason? Like I said, I'm not a fan of burning bridges with contacts at firms who have helped you to get the offer but it's the name of the game IMHO. Curious to hear others thoughts
I feel this. I have no hesitation reneging if that's what I'm faced with at some point in my career. It's just business. My firm gave me a return expiring in 2 weeks, but gave other interns with stronger career centers all the way until October to make a decision. Their only goal with this is to take advantage of me and others who are not protected by their school. I don't blame them, but I also don't get how they could blame me.
wait is this really a thing? which firm did this? I just got a return offer with an expiration within 2 weeks, but is it possible others have until October?
It totally depends on your school and who recruits there. My school mandated that all employers who do OCR must give until at least 10/15. BAML for example does a lot of OCR here so they abide by that. Moelis on the other hand does 0 so they can give whatever deadline they want.
Firms are often required to follow a school’s career center requirements. Employers can be required to give until x date to decide. Therefore, firms know the rules of the target schools. Your offer expires because... you’re not from a target school. You should let them know your schools requirements. My offer letter gave me about a month, and it explicitly said if your school requires more time, we will abide by it. However it still said the bonus would cut to half after 2 weeks and zero after four, incentivizing you to sign early.
You basically said the exact same thing as the post you're responding to.
The above is specific to on campus recruiting, where schools will not allow the firms to give exploding offers and set a date. It’s not that they are trying to take advantage of some candidates vs others (even if that’s how it ends up coming across).
As far as reneging, as a general rule it shouldn’t be done, but I think this site and many people overstate the repercussions. Yes, you will burn your bridges with that firm, but very unlikely they are going to set out to screw you across the street. Ultimately you need to do what’s in your best interest. There is a point where reneging an offer screws the firm (ie waiting until the last minute) but a bank having to hire an additional FT analyst in 6 months time isn’t the end of the world and is very little incremental work for them
Agreed. Don't think it's something that should warrant contacts calling others at other firms to axe a kid for signing. Obviously a lot of factors, but most times the kid is simply just looking out for their best move
Just ask Anthony Davis
story?
Lol I'm guessing u don't follow NBA
Anthony Davis didn't renege; he just asked to be traded. Plenty of other players do that, like me, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Shaq, CP3, Scottie Pippen, Dwight Howard, etc. The only instances of players reneging that come to mind are Marcus Morris and DeAndre Jordan.
MY BB give me 1 week last year to accept offer or be drop. For the record, I came from extreme non-target. I try recruiting for another team but, was almost an auto ding by HR because I have accepted an offer or if I don't bring up accepting the offer, they think I didn't get a return offer.
Let me guess, you’re Indian too?
what does that have to do with anything
tf does that even mean?
My career center clearly says that exploding offers, especially returns, are not allowed and at least 1 month has to be given. (Got offer through OCR). The firm is only giving me 1-2 weeks to decide. What would you all do in this situation?
Tell your schools career center. They will advocate on your behalf.
None of the BB/EBs pulled internships, return offers or cut pay.
If anything, they proved they would stand by their commitment this past cycle, even when it wasn’t convenient for them.
lol good one
Lol? Which banks pulled offers?
Everyone had remote internships...
Reneging isn't as bad as it is made to seem.
And most of the time, they don't even care. They might be annoyed by it but nobody will go out of their way to try and screw a 20 year old for going with another company.
Hey, I know this is an old thread, but I'm currently considering reneging on an exploding offer I received 2.5 weeks ago for a top tier BB. Any chance you could DM to talk through reneging consequences in S&T?
Personally seen an offer get pulled for an intern at my BB that reneged on an MM - no idea how HR found out.
which BB?
Just another manifestation of the over-sensitive, pretentious nature of investment banking. The industry is infamous for being full of prideful, picky people who have overly high expectations. Same attitude applies to the recruiting process: you forget to send your resume in your introductory email? Lack of awareness. You forget the formula for levered free cash flow? Lack of preparation/ intellectual aptitude. You renege on their ever-so-gracious offer to work for them? Ungrateful, impolite and unacceptable.
At the end of the day, you have to do what's right for you just like they have to do what's right for them. Key is to do it in a respectful way that won't do too much damage to the reputation of you or your school.
At the end of the day, you gotta look out for #1. That sometimes means pissing people off. Who cares?
muh ethics
dude there are no 'ethics' in reneging, it's literally just about money. If firm B pays more than firm A then what's the big deal? Imagine a bank telling you it's unethical to renege on another offer for their firm when there are banks that have literally bought hunger bonds in third world countries and have faked clientele accounts and outright robbed them. I do NOT understand what would stop someone from reneging apart from the fact that some firms might blackball you; but if your concern is it 'being looked down upon' then who cares? Excuse my naivety, but if there's something else to consider please inform me.
It's power dynamics. They have the ability to harm you while for most (special sons and daughters excluded), you have no ability to do anything to that firm early on in your career. I'm not saying it's right, just explaining the why. I would just encourage you to maintain that clarity of thought as you progress in your career. The power dynamics eventually change as your career progresses and you become more influential. If I'm not clear enough, you are right. They do not give one rats ass about you and you should act accordingly.
Renege for Lazard. I dare you
Then, what’s the point of employment at will??? So it is not a true at will offer
What happens if u get ur signing bonus and then renege?
They will ask for it back. Most BBs have a 1 year clawback in the contract on signing bonus
Why are there so many threads on this? No one cares if you reneg or quit a few weeks into your job for something better, except maybe the 1 or 2 guys on your team who pushed for you. They will care, but no one else will. Man the egos on this board are crazy.
What about reneging for Summer Analyst programs? Is it risky considering I'm an international student too?
You'll get sent back to where you belong
BO for FO or LMM for BB are completely fine. In fact, if you didn’t renege people would find it odd. Every LMM MD will understand why you would renege for a BB, and BO for FO is a no brainer. I reneged on a BO for an IB role and the recruiter completely understood. Even asked me to consider applying in the future.
If you renege from BB for BB because of “better culture” or “because one is more prestigious, higher in the league table” or whatever the 17 year olds say on WSO, that’s bad. Don’t do that.
Unpopular opinion: reneging is unethical because it involves you the individual lying. Firms don’t really lie and as an individual, you are held to a different standard than a firm because you have a personal reputation to hold the rest of your life. Also, on an individual basis, more is in your control. Generally, reneging implies you signed an offer, said you would accept, and despite that promise, you continued interviewing and accepted another offer because you liked it better (or it paid more). What’s generally not considered reneging is taking a different job due to a serious personal issue or an unusual circumstance that changes the circumstances you originally accepted the job in.
Firms fire people suddenly, they play games with candidates, and can be ruthless, but they don’t really outright lie. I understand some of you believe you are justified in reneging because firms don’t have ethics, you are entitled to your opinion and I don’t disagree. However, as an individual you are given a choice to hold yourself to a higher standard and the act of reneging signifies to everyone else you are someone who will betray ethics for a quick buck. Older people and people who pride themselves more on being ethical, will view reneging as an indication that you are a scumbag and they will avoid people who exhibit this behavior as you get older. Can you renege and get away with it? 100% Is it a career decision that often is indicative of the way a person will behave throughout the rest of their career? Also 100%. Do most people behave unethically in finance? 110%, but the good ones don’t do shit like this.
Snakes will always be snakes and ethical people will always be ethical. Overtime the groups separate and behaving like a snake will get you excluded from opportunities with people who pride themselves on ethics which might be fine for you as an individual, but it’s something I would recommend avoiding. The snakes aren’t even aware that they are excluded, but trust me, they are. I have watched deals not get done because my team has called for references, realized we are potentially getting in bed with a snake, and we collectively decided it isn’t worth it.
Also, since I know I will get flak: not an A1 made this account several years ago. I would avoid reneging unless you find yourself in an office that is absolutely despicable and even then, just reject the offer and interview other places. No one is forced to renege, you put yourself in that situation to give yourself an advantage by neglecting what you know to be viewed as a generally unethically practice by many.
“Firms don’t lie” yeah right
Reneged BB for buyside FT and know a lot of people who have reneged, my $0.02:
If you tell the firm you’re recruiting at, won’t they pull the offer/not be interested?
Depends on how much they like you. If they really like you sometimes they’d imply that you should renege and they don’t care
If you’re a borderline candidate for them then maybe they’ll pass you up
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