I’m in a bit of a tough spot and could really use some outside perspective.
I accepted a job offer at a large nonprofit and was planning to move forward with it. During the process, I asked if they could push back my start date by 2 weeks, and they agreed - but made it clear they were only doing it because everyone I interviewed with really liked me.
Now, after a lot more thought (mostly because some unexpected things happening at my current job that are making it harder to leave), I’ve realized I cannot move forward with the new role anymore.
I feel really guilty backing out, especially since they accommodated me and went out of their way to be flexible. I don’t want to burn bridges or come across as unprofessional, but I also don’t want to commit to something I’m no longer sure about.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? How bad is it to back out at this stage, and is there a “right” way to handle it?
I'm going to write a nice gracious email to them, but is it safe to say I'll never be considered for a job with them in the future over this?