Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offers and your decision for LEK!

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, I would advise you to give the recruiters a full week to reply. If you still haven't received any reply by then, I would highly advise you to reach out to current employees at PwC/S& in your personal network to get in contact with the recruiter this way.
• Moreover, I would not worry too much about withdrawing an offer. Given that (strategy consulting) companies have decided to shorten the offer period more and more over time to increase pressure on candidates, it is clear that not all initially accepted offers will be realized. However, I would advise you to be as polite and charming as possible with such requests to make sure that you do not burn any bridges.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hello A,

Congratulations on receiving job offers from both LEK and S&! It makes that you've decided to go with LEK's offer, given the level of the position, better pay, and alignment with your experience.

As for withdrawing your accepted offer from S&, it's best to be transparent and professional in your communication. You've already emailed three recruiters at S&, and it's reasonable to give them some time to respond, as they may be busy with other matters. If you haven't heard back in a week, you can send a follow-up email to kindly ask for an update on the status of your withdrawal.

Regarding your concern about being blacklisted by S&, it's difficult to say for certain. However, if you handle the situation professionally and communicate your decision respectfully and promptly, it's unlikely that you'll be permanently blacklisted forever, but I would guess that for some time, it won't be easy to reapply. Why would you though?

Best of luck!

Hi there,

It has only been 2 days!

Please be patient as they have other things they have to do and they probably need to work through their response.

I would not email another recruiter (3 is already far too much). Wait another week or two.

Congrats on the LEK offer! Focus on LEK and making the most of it, because yes, it is unlikely Strategy& will consider your candidacy in the future.

Hi there,

it certainly does not leave a positive impression if you sign with a company and then recant before starting there. So I would imagine that in their minds “customer service” to you is not a very high priority at this point. 

You might also want to follow up via traditional mail if your emails remain unanswered - I'm assuming that you also mailed in your signed contract.

As for a permanent blacklist, I would think your chances will likely be slim there for the next few years as they might view you as unreliable. However, HR departments also have staff fluctuations and your history will likely become less relevant over time.

Good luck

Hello,

Give it some time and they should get back to you. And yes, it is unlikely that they will consider you for opporunities in the near future. 

Best,

Rushabh

Hi,

I would give them ~1 week to respond (they may be very busy) before following up. 

The other thing you could do is, if you know anyone in S&, to get them to help follow up with HR as well. 

Lastly, on the blacklist - best to find a ‘subtle’ way to check with S& recruiters i.e. through your network :). In my experience it may not leave a good impression, but past a couple of years, if you meet the standards that might not matter. 

All the best!