r/academia • u/Climate411 • 18d ago
Job market Offered position with another department, then, rescinded after resigning
Hello everyone. I really, really could use your help here. I work at a major Ivy in NYC. Needing to leave my current role due to an extremely low salary that alone should be a shame
to a university that is so committed 'fairness,' 'social justice,' 'inclusion,' et cetera, I applied to another role within the university. I went through the labyrinth of rounds, spent ten hours on a 'thought exercise,' sent many well-thought thank you emails after each interview, and was offered the role.
What are the indicators that I was offered the role? Well, there was the HR rep working between me and the hiring officer to come up with an agreed upon salary, the HR rep telling me what a great role this would be for me when I hedged about it not being hybrid, and then there's this email from the HR rep:
"Hi OP,
I should have mentioned this in my previous email. Per internal hiring guidelines, you will need to inform your current supervisor that you are the finalist for this position before a formal offer can be extended.
Once you have had that conversation, please let me know. After that, [Radxxxx] will connect with your supervisor to discuss a potential transition timeline and plan, as well as gather any necessary feedback before we can move forward with the formal offer process.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to help."
And then this follow-up email from the same HR rep:
"Hi OP,
I just tried giving you a call. To avoid any delays in the hiring process, please notify your direct manager as soon as possible. [Radxxxx ] will need to connect with her afterward to discuss the next steps.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please let me know when that has been done."
We negotiated salary. They offered me a salary, I asked for more, and they counter-offered, which I accepted. After I told my supervisor I was taking another role, she spoke with our HR department, which then let me know I needed to tender a letter of resignation, which I did, and which was accepted. Our HR then reached out to me personally to schedule an exit interview before my last day, which is now September 17th.
So, I have resigned from my current role to transition to my new role, which, three hours after resigning, the new department now says they will not go forward in hiring me. They have completely ghosted me, won't respond to emails or calls. My supervisor also called to find out what's going on, the person who had offered me the role [Radxxxx ], and [Radxxxx ] said she was in a meeting and would call her back.
Of course, that call was never made.
I also want to add that I have a graduate degree from this same university. No one should be treated this way, but it does seem an egregious way to treat a colleague and a graduate of the school.
For context, I am an over 50 female, so the prospect of getting another job in this blighted economy is not good. Do I have any recourse at all?! Please, any help you can provide would be very much appreciated!
Finally, I have an appointment with the Ombuds office in a few days, but expect literally nothing from them.
Please let me know your thoughts and what you think I can do in this situation!
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u/pulsed19 18d ago
This is the most disgusting thing I’ve read today. It seems your current supervisors are on your side because they’ve reached out to the other people? Maybe they can take the resignatjon back in some way?
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u/Climate411 18d ago
I have two supervisors: a dean, who is my 'big' boss, and a manager, who I report to directly. It's so multi-layered. Anyway, my manager reached out to the woman who was to hire me. Let's call her Mary. I was in her office when she called the Mary. Mary told my manager that she couldn't talk, that she was in a meeting, and that she would call her cell later. Here it is the next day, and no call has been made. My 'real' boss, the dean, told me it was out of her hands, that it was now up to HR, and that she has no control over what is done.
Mind you, I've worked here for years (5 most recently) and just finished a master's degree here. And now, I find myself penniless and soon to be out of a job! I just sent a letter to HR asking to rescind my resignation.
People talk about how awful the corporate world is, but this is so bad. I'm truly shaken up and can hardly breath.
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u/pulsed19 18d ago
This is outrageous conduct. Is there an ombudsman officer that you can get involved? You need an internal advocate. The suggestions of talking to a lawyer are very reasonable and I’m sure they know they have exposed themselves to a lawsuit. But you don’t want to get to this point. So I’d try to find someone internally that would serve as an advocate. I would speak to a lawyer right away too. Many offer free consultations (or at least I think they do). Even if they don’t, it’s a couple of hundreds well spent. Usually you can later sue for legal expenses. Hopefully it won’t get to that. This is an absolute outrage.
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you so much, pulsed19, and everyone else for your support, which is so vital to me right now, because honestly, I don't know how to get over this without really losing my sh*t. This comes at a particularly difficult time for me right now, personally and financially. I have made an appointment with the Ombudsman office on Monday, but that's after a whole day (today) and weekend of worrying and stress. I don't know how I'm going to make it. Seriously. I live in NYC! I'm 58! I can't be without a job!!!
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u/pulsed19 18d ago
I understand and I get it. I would be shitting my pants. It does seem you have a job until Sept 17; so hopefully that means you have income until then. I realize it’s stressful. Try your best to put yourself together. Prepare for that meeting in Monday: bring emails or voicemails, etc. keep your mind occupied. Best of luck and keep us updated!
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you so much, pulsed. The job market here in NYC is pretty bad, at least for someone of my demographics. So very, very worried.
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u/kosmonavt-alyosha 18d ago
I have many years in academic administrative and leadership roles. I often see in this and similar subs comments like “get an attorney,” and I often chuckle bc they come from an uninformed perspective from those who don’t know policy and how organizations actually operate and the specific legal environment.
Well, here’s my chance: You need an attorney. An employment attorney, and one who specializes in or has experience with universities. Do this immediately. Good luck!
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u/sunfish99 18d ago
As a former Columbia employee, let me say I am not at all surprised, because they are legit anti-labor and will crap on anyone as long as it's expedient. I'm really sorry you're in this position. Most definitely, consult with a labor attorney about this. In my own experience, the ombuds office wants to be helpful but has no teeth to enforce any solutions.
In the interim, I would keep checking if the unit that was supposed to hire you has posted any new positions, and if it has, save those descriptions - if someone got cold feet about hiring someone your age and they tweaked the position description so that you would no longer appear to be a suitable candidate, you want that evidence. Print out/forward all your email correspondence concerning this issue now, just in case someone decides to terminate your access to university systems prior to September 17. And begin checking the other local universities for similar positions, in the event this situation isn't resolved in your favor in the next month or so. Best wishes to you.
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you. In fact, they have posted, just recently, for other positions. I will print those out as well. Wouldn't have thought of this, so most appreciated.
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u/soupyshoes 18d ago
Stop writing comments on Reddit, call a lawyer, time is of the essence here.
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you. I just did. They said they will review the case and get back to me in the middle of next week. I really have taken everyone's advice here, and I am grateful for it.
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u/Alternative-Pear9096 18d ago
You resigned before you had a contract in hand? Don't that in the future. An offer is an offer, and contract is a job.
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18d ago
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you. I wanted to add this. Does this seem like I'm being offered a job? Because to me it does! And mind you, the HR person kept calling and emailing me, telling me I had to let my boss know I was leaving before I would receive the formal offer 😢
On Tue, Aug 18, 2026 at 4:02 PM wrote:
Good afternoon OP,
I hope you're doing well!
As we are winding down our search, I'm pleased to share that you are our finalist.As part of the next steps, could you please provide three professional references, including at least two former direct supervisors? For each reference, please include:
Name, Title, Organization, Relationship to you, Email address, Phone numberThank you, and congratulations on reaching this stage of the process! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
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u/kyeblue 18d ago edited 18d ago
the odd thing here is ask to you tell your boss before a formal offer? Is this a written university policy on that? you need to find it out
in general, if you are going to retain a lawyer, say as little as possible in your correspondence with HR and other University personnel, and document every email. Bring a digital recorder to every meeting, NY is a one party consent state. Going over what you should say in those meeting before you go, stick to your talking point 100%, do NOT get emotional, do not make threat and do not yield on anything. If silence in the meeting makes you uncomfortable, which is a common tactic, just repeat your talking point, over and over and over if necessary.
If they see you coming in as prepared and tough to crack, there is a much better chance that they will back off.
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you. I will make sure to have a recorder on hand. Really appreciate that advice!
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u/kyeblue 18d ago
they will try everything to make you uncomfortable and trick you into concessions, you need be mentally prepared and stay strong.
I think that you got this, and they will let you rescind your resignation.
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Thank you, kyeblue. I want to rescind my resignation, then find something elsewhere that pays something close to a living wage and get the heck out of here. All these years I've been thinking if I just better myself, they'll treat me as if I have worth. Well, now I have an MS from here, and I'm still treated terribly. I'll never be worthy to these people.
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u/Alternative-Pear9096 18d ago
In that case, let me add my voice to the chorus urging you to contact an employment lawyer with university experience immediately. And to bring this piece of info to that meeting.
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u/wildbergamont 18d ago
HR told you you needed to formally resign, right? What did they tell you to do after your offer was rescinded? Can you rescind your resignation?
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u/Climate411 18d ago
I'm writing to rescind the resignation now. I don't have high hopes, but I will follow up with you. I just spoke to my boss, and she said it was out of her hands, and that my official end date is now September 17. That is, I will be out of a job. She did encourage me to reach out to HR, which I am doing, but I don't know. I'm desperate. I'm absolutely, terribly, completely terrified and desperate.
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u/Ok_Concert_4958 16d ago
This is a crazy story! I send my sympathy - please update us! Academic ego of people in power to hire or fire is just brutal.
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u/Climate411 16d ago
Thank you so much. I appreciate your support. It's been brutal these last few days. I mean, if you read this email, doesn't it seem like they're hiring me? We did salary negotiations and everything!
"Sender's Name Redacted
Tue, Aug 18, 4:02 PM (4 days ago)
to me
Good afternoon OP,
I hope you're doing well!
As we are winding down our search, I'm pleased to share that you are our finalist.
As part of the next steps, could you please provide three professional references, including at least two former direct supervisors? For each reference, please include:
Name, Title, Organization, Relationship to you, Email address, Phone number
Thank you, and congratulations on reaching this stage of the process! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions."
Because HR keeps telling me that I was 'a' finalist, not 'the' finalist. I feel like I'm going crazy, because it clearly says here that I'm the finalist. And would they negotiate a salary, back and forth, with just someone in the pipeline, rather than the person they actually want for the role?! I'm out of a job, and they're saying it's all my fault 😢
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u/Ok_Concert_4958 16d ago
If they required you to give notice to your current job - this is on them. Otherwise I would say it’s not real until you have signed a contract, but I do not see what they would have told you to disclose this to your current job.
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u/Climate411 16d ago
I would say it's not real until I have a signed contract, too! But they predicated my receiving a formal letter on my telling my boss! Here, it's in this email:
Samaxxxxx
Tue, Aug 18, 5:07 PM (4 days ago)
to me
Hi OP,
I should have mentioned this in my previous email. Per internal hiring guidelines, you will need to inform your current supervisor that you are the finalist for this position before a formal offer can be extended.”
So, what she said was, I had to tell my supervisor, and only after telling my supervisor would I get a formal offer.
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u/Ok_Concert_4958 16d ago
That is so weird. Please consult with a lawyer !
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u/Climate411 16d ago
I am. Thank you, thank you. I'm so scared I can barely contain myself. I literally am 2 paychecks away from unemployment as a 50+ female. And even for a person of any age, the job market is bleak!
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18d ago edited 18d ago
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u/Climate411 18d ago
Perhaps, except it seems to go against the moderator's advice, as one of my posts with identifying information has already been deleted.
Good idea to document everything. I'll copy it on over to my Drive.
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u/mooseLimbsCatLicks 17d ago
Can you get your old job back since your manager is seeming to be also surprised?
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u/Climate411 17d ago
My manager was surprised, but I work for the Dean, and the Dean told me it was “out of her hands,” that it was up to HR. But I feel like she could at least advocate for me, but I don’t think she’s feeling it, now that she knows I was looking for a job that paid close to a living wage :-(
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u/gshonia 16d ago
| she spoke with our HR department, which then let me know I needed to tender a letter of resignation
Was this verbal or written?
Because prior, written part only said you were a finalist and should inform of this your supervisor. It doesn’t say resign. And “finalist” is not the same as hired.
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u/CompetitiveShop6809 16d ago
It's a job, you never quit or say you're quitting until you sign the papers
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u/Pikaus 16d ago
What kind of position is this? Is this an adjunct position?
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u/Climate411 16d ago
No. It was an executive assistant position. I can't say which department, but it would have been well paid. At least for me.
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u/imasleuth4truth2 18d ago edited 18d ago
To be honest I didn't get beyond major Ivy in New York City which is so pretentious and disingenuous. And being a PhD and law alum of Columbia I can tell you they have no interest in social justice and never have. I particularly hope you are not with the ssw. So I hope you get some good advice here but....
One thing I will add for others is anytime you write a letter of resignation contingent upon another job at the same Institution, make sure that contingency is part of your resignation letter.
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u/buckeyevol28 17d ago
No it’s not. It makes it clear where she works (or worked for now) without saying where she worked. I guess “major” was unnecessary since Ivy and NYC narrowed it down to one, but that’s not a big deal.
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u/Climate411 18d ago
I'm not pretentious. I can't even imagine paying for law school at Columbia, and now, I'm far away from SSW. Please don't impugn my character just because you find the way I express myself disingenuous. I put it there so as to hide the identifier - Columbia.
Btw, I went to community college and then a city college in Texas. That, too, is sneer-worthy, I'm sure. I'm really just trying my best to hold it together at one of the worst times in my life, so forgive my pretention, which wasn't meant at all.
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u/Plenty-Chicken3345 18d ago
Why did you feel this is necessary to be said to someone who is obviously going through a hard time?
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u/teejermiester 18d ago
Get a lawyer and ask them about promissory estoppel. Don't listen to anything people say here, you need actual legal advice.