Felix wonders why anyone would turn the offer of $80,000 to delay starting work at a law firm for one year. My guess is they don’t want to send a negative signal to their employers. Declining the offer signals a passion for the work, that they are eager to get started, etc. Accepting the offer signals that the person would rather be on vacation.
For future promotions, and the chance at making partner in the future, this signal probably matters. It’s sort of a really really expensive version of your boss asking “want to take lunch early today?” and you saying “you know, I’m really into what I’m doing right now, I think I’m going to work through lunch today”.
Even still, it takes a crazy person to turn that offer down.
1 comment
Comments feed for this article
Wednesday ~ December 16th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
thoughtbasket
When I read the original Elizabeth Wurtzel piece I thought the exact same thing as you: nobody wants to tell their future employer that they aren’t eager to get started. And there is a game theory component: nobody wants to be the ONLY associate to take the 80k. As long as all of them do it, it’s fine, but nobody can take the risk that others will do it.