This blog is primarily about job search and to a lesser extent enriching careers, but today I’m going to address something a little different. It is a true story like all the stories here, but it differs in that I offer no cautionary advice. What happened to the jobseeker here is something she could have never have planned for, but the ramifications of her international job search was long lasting, and emotionally, as well was financially, crippling. Read Jenny’s story and see what you think.

International job offers sound exotic and exciting.

They’re also flattering. Someone with authority and influence is praising you publicly by saying, “There is no-one else in our country that has your skills or experience and we want you to work for us”.

It’s a pretty great thought isn’t it?

Once the excitement ebbs a little, you realise the enormity of the situation. You’re actually moving, not just down the road or the next suburb; you’re leaving the country and saying goodbye to family, friends, and everything familiar to you. You don’t just have to learn a new job, you have to do it while finding a new apartment, buying a car, and grasping a new culture. For most people, the ‘to-do’ list is overwhelming; there’s the rent to be paid and notice to be given, selling the car, packing and purging treasures and memories, and arranging storage or transportation for what’s left. As soon as one item is checked two more replace it.

That’s what it was like for “Jenny” when she snared the dream job; the offer of a lifetime from a multinational company based in Australia. This was Jenny’s big career break and she was ready for it! A flurry of emotions followed the contract signing and job offer. She was really doing this!

Six weeks passed and Jenny was ready. Farewell dinners, celebrations, laughter and tears had been shared. And now it was time to go. Jenny had her airline tickets and suitcases packed. In a few days she would be in Australia and starting a whole new life.

And then, the letter arrived.

The company, she learned, had opted to withdraw their job offer following a decision to restructure. Naturally, they apologised for “any inconvenience” and as recompense, the company allowed her to keep the non-refundable tickets to Australia.

Jenny’s world turned upside down at that moment as she looked around at her soon-to-be vacated apartment with boxes packed waiting for the removalists. She read the letter over and over again, hoping that she had made a mistake, that they didn’t just say there was no longer a job for her. But that’s exactly what they were saying.

Calls to decision makers were futile; managers were coolly unmoved, professionally empathetic, yet firm. “These things happen”, she recalls one saying, “But take the airline tickets and make a holiday out of it; you can even take a friend!”

Jenny was in despair.

No job. No apartment. No car. Utilities, phones all terminated, banks all notified.

Despair made way to anger over the sheer unfairness of it all. This was no way to treat someone! Jenny had experienced genuine losses on the signing of this job offer. She took a loss on her car sale and now had to scrape up funds to pay advance rent and find a new car and job. How could they get away with doing that?

Good question, and I guess that Jenny wasn’t the only one that day to receive the same letter, and she probably won’t be the last to have a job offer unfairly revoked. However it was the arrogance; the lack of empathy, the cool dismissive shrug meeting her concerns that led to Jenny seeking out an employment lawyer and negotiating a more equitable solution than free airline tickets. If only the company had understood that this was no way to treat anyone, things could have been different. By seeking compensation, Jenny has no doubt cost herself a future with this company forever (assuming she’d ever want to work there!). In fact, this decision to seek legal assistance could follow her for years and brand her as a person willing to take legal action against an employer… a sure fire reputation killer if future employers find out.

But what else could she have done?

Have you had a similar experience? What would you do?