Gave him an offer, then took it away. Thanks PayPal.

Shocking to hear as I am Used to have binding consequences for such action in my country - feel u !

never ever assume you got the offer until both parties have signed a contract

That's why we need a democratic economy. Distribute the power over the means of production.

That's the whole point of having a contract. You don't quit your old job until you have a signed new contract for the new one. I understand that many Americans don't believe in this basic concept, but it's common in many countries around the world.
- Even a contract includes probation period where they can let you go without reason and short notice. Even in a quite worker-friendly country like Germany it is usually 6 month period with 2 weeks notice (both sides).
- Unfortunately many employment agreements in the US are "at will" meaning either party can terminate it immediately at will. In states where this is legal (almost all of them), you'd be hard-pressed to find any company willing to do it any other way.
  
  That must be the Land of the free. :D
  
  Right? What is this "Employment Contract" you speak of? I just got told "You start this day, good luck fucker."
  
  And the fun thing of 'fired at will' is that it is enshrined in so-called 'Right to Work' laws. The evil would be hilarious is it wasn't so horrible.
- Is that different from signing the offer?
  
  They usually don't even give you anything to sign

applies to join an evil company
is surprised when gets evil done on them

I hope this guy spends some of his now ample free time relentlessly reposting this all over the place.

Why do
LinkedIn users write their essays
In this format? Many other platforms
Have the same limitations for character count
Or even lack of rich text formatting
Yet people don't write like this.
Where did this
Culture come from?
- Most business people are too stupid to handle paragraphs with more than 2-3 sentences. I'm not joking; I literally have to write emails like this if I want them read.
  
  Side rant here. I'm working on a project for a new application, after a couple months work I finalised the 150ish requirements, however before approval could be given to approach businesses I had to do some internal box ticking.
  I organised this technical meeting with the IT guys to run through all the requirements, tick and flick that everything was fine. It was a 3 hour meeting that I had booked 7 weeks in advance to ensure everyone could attend.
  3 weeks before the scheduled date a general manager insists on attending and self-invites. The moment the meeting starts the GM immediately says "they don't want to read all these requirements" and "don't you have a presentation?" Followed by "where are the pictures?".
  The entire meeting basically derailed there and we only made it through maybe 50% of what we needed to with zero ticking or flicking. That was 3 weeks ago, the project has almost stalled now and I'm still trying to recover the time/progress/momentum I had.
  Fucking managers and their demands to be included and flat out refusal to read.
- I'm pretty sure...
  You're not gonna believe this but...
  I think it all came from web marketing guru funnel-builder-ebook-masterclass-mentor-course types.
  And it circlejerked with business types to capitalize on shorter and shorter attention spans.
  I was like you. I was a normal guy. And one day I decided to take a guess at where this irritating "writing style" came from...and why it was EVERYWHERE...
  ...and you won't believe what I came up with (Or maybe you will, because you're ultra smart , I can tell just by the way you're reading this, you're not like everyone else, you're special, click the button at the end of this really long pointless babbling)...I think it's because...
  People scroll, and short little paragraphs keep you reading.
  In bite-sized little chunks. So you keep scrolling and scrolling waiting for it to get to the point....
  ...so what are you waiting for? Lame call to action by clicking the button below to get added to my email spam list and an empty ghost town "Master Life Changer" Discord / web forum! Filled to the gills with...
  ...obvious filler nonsense...for 900 days absolutely risk free...
  ...I wouldn't bet my couch and my sister's angry little chihuahua, Señor Gordito Cabrón if I wasn't 100% serious about the value in these stupid paragraphs...
  If you don't get any value from this offer, I'll personally ship that little jerk to Cesar Milan. Just so he learns some respect after stealing my tacos
  You can even keep the couch and any change you find in its depths as mygift to you.
  ~~I'll even finally get the sister to therapy, as an Internet marketing family we've neglected all the signs and cries for help for far too long.~~
  Absolutely free. All you gotta do is keep scrolling until the wheel on your mouse pops out...
  ...and one day you too can have a Lambo. You deserve it.
  Normally, my grift is valued by myself (and nobody else) at an obnoxiously high number that ends in a 7 for some reason...but today is special.
  Still here? I knew you were The Chosen One Destined for Greatness .
  Time is running out, even though this special offer has been sitting on this static page for months. It's only like ~~$1234.57~~ $667.97 now. Just for you. (I'm practically giving it away because you're so cool. I have to sell one of my boats now just to make ends meet. My wife is so upset she's taking the kids to her mom's for a few days, but I believe in you THAT MUCH.)
  Still not convinced?? That's understandable. This can continue saying the same gibberish 18 different ways...
  ...until you've read so far clicking the button is basically sunk cost fallacy at this point...
  ...Ugh that made me physically sick writing like that even as a joke LOL.
  EDIT: And in some sick way I'm so proud of it I keep editing it when I think of a way to make it even stupider lol. I'm gonna touch grass soon I swear...
  EDIT EDIT: Oh no, it has formatting now. And got increasingly unhinged. What have I done?!
  
  I guess it works too, I just read that.
- Not too lazy to make it readable
- Assholes thinking their garbage thoughts are poetry

The company doesn't care about you. The company doesn't care about you. The company doesn't care about you.

This is why you don't plan your life around a job. Plan your job around your life.
- That sounds like a very privileged mindset to me. Most of us don't have the resources to have that luxury.
  
  Never had privilege; I've just been fortunate enough to have an emergency fund. Took me over a decade to save enough, but I have enough now that I could go 3 months without a job.
  
  Care to explain why you would think only the privileged are the ones who tend not to put the cart before the horse?
  Edit: apologies, I skimmed read and was half asleep when I read the post. I did not realise that the person already signed the contract but was suddenly thrown under the bus.
- I finally made it to a place in life where I'd rather be where I am and homeless than leave for some job

I don't want to kick the original author while they're down, but PayPal is a known shit company, and has been almost from the start. It's closely related to the leopards-ate-my-face phenomenon — if you're willing to work for a shit company, expect shit.
- Not everybody has all the information to know whether a company is known for this kind of shit. I've heard a lot of stories about PayPal screwing over sellers in particular by freezing their funds for no justified reason, but I can see people falling for the "they must have been doing something bad they aren't admitting" you always see in response to anyone complaining about some authority imposing arbitrary punishments on them.
  My personal gripe with PayPal is, I was once relying on income from sales through them, and had withdrawn money to my bank that I needed to pay my rent. A customer filed a spurious dispute (later resolved in my favor) on a sale that was only a tiny portion of that, and their response was to immediately reverse the whole completed bank transfer. So I almost missed paying rent and had to scramble to figure it out at the last minute.
  Anyway, fuck PayPal, sympathy to all their victims.
  
  Anyone applying to PayPal can google it before they accept an offer.
- This is a shit response that's devoid of empathy and common decency. You're literally blaming the victim.
  You're shit.
  
  Yo. That's pretty extreme!
  That's another human being just like yourself, posting their likely well-intentioned observations on a situation to a public discussion forum. They're not being actively hostile to anybody. Please try to have a little grace.
  If the idea presented is wrong, attack the idea, not the individual.
  The internet is savage enough as it is and we can make it better.
  I sincerely hope you have a good day. <3
  
  "I'm only working for Baby Bunny Blenders because they have a great reputation in the bunny blending space and they have a strong tech stack, not because I believe in blending baby animals. They are only testing the technology on baby koalas and pandas so far there's no real world application."
  
  I ain't arguing.
  
  If you stick your hand in a bear trap...
  
  Oh dude, have you heard of this guy, Donald Trump? He's a master of this move you've just pulled: literally doing the thing you're accusing others of. The irony is delicious.

This is the shit I'm worried about when family members tell me I should expand and keep my mind open to moving somewhere to chase a job. I don't have the resiliency to survive a failure like this.

From my layman's perspective it sounds like this should net him some compensation under promissory estoppel
- I got unemployment in California in a very similar scenario, pretty sure they explicitly state something like this is a valid reason somewhere on that hellhole of a website
  Idk about other places in this dumpster fire of a nation, but silicone valley is here, so maybe?
- That was the very first thing I thought of. For the unaware, promissory estoppel is when party A is damaged by party B promising something, then later rescinding it. It is something you can file a lawsuit over.
  For instance, maybe someone says “I’ll buy you a brand new Maserati if you drive your current car off a bridge.” You know they can afford the car, and a reasonable person would believe this promise. So you shake on it, and proceed to dump your car over the side of the bridge. Then that person laughs and goes “yeah, I changed my mind. I’m not buying you a Maserati.” Now you have been damaged because of an action you took due to their promise. You can sue them, to force them to fulfill their side of the promise, or at least to make you whole again.
  In the screenshot’s case, it sounds like he made some major financial investments in this job. He moved to a new location, turned down other job offers, etc… He could sue PayPal to force them to repay the costs that he incurred as a result of their rescinded job offer.
  The only reason employers still do shit like this is because individuals either don’t realize that they can sue for it, or don’t realize that lawyers will take their case.
  
  The only reason employers still do shit like this is because individuals either don’t realize that they can sue for it, or don’t realize that lawyers will take their case.
  Is this one of those instances where the corporation can/will do stuff like deploy their lawyer army to tie up the victim and wait them out with expensive and time-wasting legal process...before offering them a $50 gift card to shut up and hold the company eternally blameless forevermore?
- Not a lawyer, but the usual explanation is that these contracts are “at will” and the contract includes language indicating it can be terminated by either party for any reason at any time.
  Again, not a lawyer and I agree this is terrible behavior. However, this is why some people say you should never give notice until you’ve literally started your new job.

People have been falling for the lies of big tech companies for too long. We desperately need unions, and those unions need to push back on these kinds of ineffectual, time-wasting hiring processes.
Look at this asshole though. The image cuts off right when he's starting into the mealy-mouthed hustle culture part of the linkedin post. Gotta show that you, special magical you, are the one developer who doesn't mind the exploitation. You stay positive and give 110% to everything, even when they're fucking you over.
There's always a stupid as shit hustle bro willing to scab and do the work, they can vibe code through it I guess. If this god forsaken industry had any solidarity at all, then no tech company you've ever heard of would be able to hire a single person any more.
- Ill join a union if everyone else does.
  
  That's the point.

the last paragraph took this post from "that sucks" to solidly "yea this didn't happen" territory It's just more pro corporate slop meant to keep people on the platform instead of going out and looking for local jobs or going to actual websites to find open positions

That post turned into garbage in the last visible paragraph. In such a case he should sue the recruiting company, not post about "have i given it my best". LinkedIn trash
- He's being held hostage by unemployment in 2025. Even though it seems like he's caving it's not a bad move. He exposed the situation and at the same time kept an optimistic stance for future opportunities.
- Bro's been brainwashed by hustle & grind culture. He's not ready to accept he's a victim.
  
  Trying to convince the working class they’re victims is worthless because they all believe they will win a lottery ticket to make it all feel better.
- In such a case he should sue the recruiting company
  IANAL, but it certainly seems like he may have a case for promissory estoppel.
  
  I also ANAL, but I did take a contract law class in college and this is a textbook case. If it actually happened. And depending on how the “offer” was worded.
  
  Estoppel is a fantastic word.
- Reads more like LinkedinLunatics
- Maybe but are you really going to hire a lawyer to sue when you don’t have a job to pay the rent?
  I know someone who went through a similar situation. The company said they were “just getting the paperwork ready” for like 4 weeks, meanwhile my friend turned down another job offer. Then suddenly the company that had been stringing them along said “sorry”.
  
  If you’ve signed on an offer here, and it got rescinded, you’d have the easiest win in an employment lawsuit ever, maybe that doesn’t apply everywhere, but still seems worth a shot…
  
  My solution to this is that I accept the other job offer, and I don't quit until the night before I start my first day in the new one. As a result I've never spent a single day unemployed. If something I'm counting on doesn't come through I'm already at my backup plan.
  If companies won't be loyal to us in this way, why do we owe any loyalty to them in return?

I'm sorry, but if a prospective employer is asking me to do seven rounds of interviews, I'm going to take that as a giant red flag that they a.) don't respect me or my time and b.) are woefully incompetent at every other aspect of their business.
- The giant red flag is the name "PayPal".
- This was actually pretty normal for the last couple of tech jobs. Screening call with recruiter, phone screen with hiring manager, then a full-day on-site or zoom with 3-6 rounds. Sometimes, they would ask for a presentation about past work before the on-site. The number of rounds isn't indicative of anything in big tech. Smaller companies do fewer and can't afford to be as picky.
  The problem is that after you've signed the offer and given your notice, you're going on faith that the new company offer isn't going to fall off. I've heard it happen a few times, usually when new company puts on a full hiring freeze.
  It sucks, and the only way to mitigate it is to be talking to multiple companies when you decide to make a move.
- I did three interviews once with a company. Even shadowed someone. Never doing that again. It's a complete waste of time.
  
  It needs to be illegal for employers to waste too much of our time.
  This goes for interviews, commutes, and other situations where an employee is expected to give up their free time for free.
  Thie idea that we owe parts of our lives and self that were never agreed upon when signing the contract needs to go away. The puritan work ethic needs to go away.
  And we will need unions to accomplish this.
  
  Best job I had so far gave me an offer after a single interview, worst one (current) took three, I recently quit after getting another single interview offer, I'm optimistic.
- I jumped through hoops like that once. Six or seven interviews with everyone from HR to one of the company founders, had to submit a freaking essay, only to be low-balled by the salary at the end; I ended up declining the offer. Biggest waste of time.
- Yeah. I have been in a poition doing the hiring for over 10 years now and so far never ever needed more than three contacts with a possible employee. (Beide administrative things, like finding a dafe for an interview,etc.)
  First contact Is via phone(or mail or a combination of both)if I find anything in the application that leaves questions open or is inconsistent.
  Second contact is the actual interview. Nowadays m company is so small that we can do them "with the team", back in an earlier job that was not possible - so part three was either an long interview with the team or (preferably but not always possible) a day working with the team. (Whicu is of course payed at the same rate everyone gets)
  But in my country we have to reimburse peoples travel costs and "trial tasks" during interviews would need to be payed as well.

General advice before was to wait until you’ve signed the contract and have a start date before quitting your current job. Now you have to wait until you actually start the new job before you quit the old one?
- I mean, we live in a hellscape. Even if they had given him a start date, they can still fire him at any point for no reason. Labor has almost no protections (in the US, at least). It would be only slightly less bad to accept the new job, take it, quit the old job, and then get fired.
  I'd rather we have like basic income, free health care, and public housing, so people don't need to worry about dying because some capitalist is willing to hire them.
- And even if you do start the new job, most jobs have a probationary period around ninety days where they can just let you go for no reason at all.
- Honestly I've lined most of my jobs up where theres slight over lap and all of I've been able to get out of my last few days early and atleast be covered for 2-4 weeks because ill still be get my paycheck from my previous job as im starting the new one.
  Ive been doing this for 9 years and been at 4 different companies.
  Seems wild to me to just quit a few weeks about and leave the gap but im also a financially the traumatized millennial.
- Seems an argument for "over employment", or at least taking a leave from current job to work second.

Peter Thiel is evil. Don't work for him. Don't use his products.
- As evidenced by his preposterously plagiarized company naming schemes that obnoxiously demonstrate to the world how profoundly he missed the point of Lord of the Rings, by going team Mordor and thinking he's the hero. . .
  When above all else, he desires power.
- Theil holds Vance's leash, tightly. If Vance becomes president, Theil becomes president.
- You're more likely to have his products used against you, by your government and the corporations that rule you.

Now that's capitalism... Seems like the tech bros got the homefield Advantage, since you know, they own the means of computing..

Surely there are protections from this. If you have a signed employment contract and have given notice to your existing employer.
Oh, no wait. Working at Capitol One and an offer from PayPal so I guess they are in the US.
- Lol here in the US there are no such protections. You have to fend for yourself.
  
  Anything else would be communism since it would infringe on the company's freedom to do with its human resources whatever the hell it pleases. Therefore, death cultists across the United States will adamantly oppose worker's rights until their final breath.
  
  Here in Italy I'm used to signing a letter of intent describing the future contract conditions BEFORE resigning from the current job
  
  I don't think there are explicit employer/employee federal regulations for that. There could be at the state level. However there are absolutely damages that occurred and a remedy can be pursued. It's called promissory estoppel. A signed offer letter is a legally binding document. They don't just get to wiggle out of that legally.
- Can’t say for certain because I’ve never used it, but I’ve heard of a concept called promissory estoppel that might apply in situations like this.
  
  That’s exactly what promissory estoppel is for. It’s a civil tort however, not criminal, so the vibes are very different.
- What employment contract? Those are rare in the US.
  
  Not sure if there's specific nuance between an employment contract and an offer letter, but an offer letter is legally binding.

Reminds me of McRaven's commencement address... Sometimes, no matter how much you try, you still end up a sugar cookie.

That is partially on you
Don't trust companies, especially big companies.
You want me to move to a different city? Pay me.
You want me to quit my current job? I will right after I have signed an actual contract that guarantees I'll have a job with you.
I will NOT risk my life for some billionaire CEO
- No, this is on you guys for not having laws or unions. If a company pulls this shit off here they get to pay multiple months of paychecks in damages because they had signed the contract. And even still they cant just lay somebody off like that.
  Welcome to modern society :')
  
  Oh for sure, that is how it SHOULD be, but it's not. That is what I was trying to say, we live in a shitty world, don't trust companies

I feel for this guy.
But I’ve also learned a valuable lesson in my travels: never, ever quit an existing job until after you’ve started your new job.
Not just accepted the offer, but attended your orientation day and got your new badge in hand. Then give your resignation.
Yes, I’d love to give my coworkers more of my time for offboarding and project hand-off, but in this world you have to look after yourself first. It sucks, but it’s how it is.
Never give a two-week notice. When you do that, your current employer may give you a new offer, but if you accept it, your tenure will not be the same, since you’re now seen as a flight risk, and they’ll look for a way to dispense with you and replace you within a year, or two, max.
- If you're in Germany, don't do this.
  (Because legally binding contracts are legally binding, you would violate both and probably get fucked over income taxes, dunno. On the other hand, companies are bound to contracts as well and you're protected from bullshit like that)
  
  Yeah this wouldn't work in other European countries either.
  
  Please never explain.
- Yup.
  I had to get it out of my last role but I liked a lot of the people I worked with. So I gave a 60-day resignation. Which would give them time to bring in a new person to fill the role. And give me time to hand over different platforms and processes. And teach him how to do the job.
  24 hours later I was laid off on the spot and my accounts all shut down.
  Now a month later they have hired a new guy and he's messaging me on LinkedIn begging for help.
  I feel sorry for him. But fuck that...
  
  Offer to help for an extremely petty consulting fee

Use a drone to drop shit on the office roof 24x7
Stop taking punches and give them instead

"I quitted.." Maybe it was something elseM
- Shenanigans.
  Bilingual idiosyncrasies are not a factor in developer performance.
- At least we know it was a real post and not AI

never work for paypal. scumbags. he got what he deserved for flirting with satan. fuck paypal.

My last position I got called in and the sentence I was given was almost the same. We are letting you go and want you to know this is not due to any performance reason its just a business decision.