Budgets change all the time. Departments go through reorgs. Projects get cancelled. "Hey but we have an open job offer" is never going to be a concern for management when making these decisions, nor should it for you.
Here's how companies that aren't run by jackasses handle it.
My first job after college was at Hughes Aircraft, Ground Systems Group. They had some sort of upcoming project for the government that would involve several VAX 11/780s running Unix (and maybe some Unix workstations) that they were going to buy, and I was hired to be a Unix admin and system programmer.
Between the time I accepted and my scheduled start date the project was cancelled as was the purchase of the Unix machines. Since they had no other Unix machines, they had no need for a Unix admin and system programmer.
Not being jackasses, they found something else for me to do on an existing project. It wasn't really a good fit for my skills, and I left after a month. They were fine with that, but would have been fine with it if I'd chosen to stay and try to develop my skills in that project's subject.
Maybe for a small company rescinding an offer due to a reorg or budget change is a necessary evil. Maybe even for a big company that is circling the drain. Otherwise, find something else for them to do.
I ended up working for them later anyway. No point holding a grudge.
Sending a signal, even a weak one, that certain behavior is not acceptable is a perfectly valid reason.
I see your point, but then again maybe it does, if anyone reads about this episode and decides not to risk joining Tesla as a result. Especially if they do this too much and get a reputation for it.
If there is a level of uncertainty, then I would argue that it should be stated clearly to be fair to the prospective employee so that the concerned person can make an informed choice.
If Tesla, or other companies misuse their leverage and information asymmetry for their advantage, I would further argue in favour of laws that make these practices more difficult and more transparent so that everyone can learn from the process and know what risks they are taking
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Instead, employees will accept their new job offer and then simply quit their old job on the same day they start their new job.
Company A makes an offer for a job on June 1 with a start date of June 15 and a salary of 100.
Company B makes an offer for a job on June 5 with a start date of June 20 and salary of 130.
Should you say, I'm sorry company B., your offer is much better, but I already took the lesser offer?
Yes, I'm sure _some_ people would turn down a 30% diff., but most people will not and I would not hold that against them. If anything, it's good for you because be assured this person will not stay long at your co knowing they can potentially earn more, all things being equivalent.
For the record I don’t think it’s wrong for a candidate to pull out if they found something better. It’s all just a part of the game. All I intended to do was bring to light that everyone is guilty for playing and optimizing for their own self interest, and not just the corporations.
It does.
The opinion on an organization is the aggregate of the experiences of the people that works for it, that's why crayon is featured prominently in marine jokes.
It just takes a lot longer and a lot of experiences such as these for the opinion to shift, but once they do, the effect is the same.
Tesla and SpaceX have very poor reputation in terms of working for them, and that reputation have an impact on its ability to find people.
Granted, some people are not motivated by money or better treatment, and simply wanted to build something that goes to Mars, hats off to them. That doesn't mean Tesla lost nothing over poor (potential) work reputation.
> Granted, some people are not motivated by money or better treatment, and simply wanted to build something that goes to Mars, hats off to them. That doesn't mean Tesla lost nothing over poor (potential) work reputation.
Unfortunately, looking at the overall picture, I think they've been able to use the passion aspects of their jobs to balance out or even outweigh their other negative employment practices, so those negatives don't really harm them.