Question about summer intern stuff

[Juked07]

I accepted an offer to return to the company I worked at last summer (including signing forms). How bad is it to tell them I do not want to return, then accept a different offer in an unrelated industry? The return offer is engineering related; the new offer would be a sales/trading technology position.

I would certainly expect that would burn the bridge with the first company, but I don't see myself ever working there again. Would this affect me in other ways?

Let me know if you need more information to provide an opinion. Thanks in advance.

 

[Gibson486]

I have said it once and will say it again. Being an intern is the one time you can leave a job w/o killing your career. That is the great thing about being an intern. You can jump from industry to industry and not get hurt. That said, you made a commitment, and it shows the type of person you are by walking away from it. Will your burn brdges? It depends how the group is. In most cases, 10 years down the road, no one at that firm will remember you. After all, you are just an intern.

 

[JJ2016]

You could see if it would be possible to split summers (half with your new organization, etc.). The only issue with not returning after signing the papers is references you might need in the future. You could always just write them a very detailed letter explaining your situation, etc.

 

[JJChicken]

Originally posted by: Juked07
I accepted an offer to return to the company I worked at last summer (including signing forms). How bad is it to tell them I do not want to return, then accept a different offer in an unrelated industry? The return offer is engineering related; the new offer would be a sales/trading technology position.

I would certainly expect that would burn the bridge with the first company, but I don't see myself ever working there again. Would this affect me in other ways?

Let me know if you need more information to provide an opinion. Thanks in advance.

I say if you want the new position then go for it. It won't burn bridges - the old company most likely won't be bothered to screw you over, although thats a remote possibility. The worst thing is you keeping the job where you did your internship and keep thinking to yourself "what if...".

Go for it!

As Gibson said, there's not much risk. Just make sure you sign the contract with the new company lol.