As others have said, if you don't have a contract, you can legally walk away.
Legally.
But there might be another question. To what degree do you consider that you gave your word? And how much is your word worth to you? If you're a "my word is good" kind of person, then "legally" isn't the only consideration. You might see if you can get the company (or your friend) to release you from your acceptance, to whatever degree you feel is needed.
It’s business. Someone’s word is a signature on a contract and the contract contains what a person has given their word to do. There can be outside personal relationships in business that bring other ethical considerations into play but the question does not implicate their existence. To put it another way this is at arm’s length and bounded in the formal relationship of job interviewing. There might be long term repercussions and regrets but there is no basis the candidate ought to feel guilt or moral obligation.
Depends on your personal code of ethics. Some people care about keeping their word, to the point that it becomes part of their identity. For you to say that they "ought" not to care about that seems a bit presumptuous. You don't, fine. But you have as much grounds to tell others that they shouldn't care about such things as they have to tell you that you should.
Ethical obligations are between people. Companies are not people. While people in companies may have ethics, the company itself does not. Companies are not ethical agents. They can’t give their word. They can’t hold a person to their word because a person cannot give their word to a company.
I’m not the person questioning the OP’s ethical integrity. And now mine.
Comments
As others have said, if you don't have a contract, you can legally walk away.
Legally.
But there might be another question. To what degree do you consider that you gave your word? And how much is your word worth to you? If you're a "my word is good" kind of person, then "legally" isn't the only consideration. You might see if you can get the company (or your friend) to release you from your acceptance, to whatever degree you feel is needed.
It’s business. Someone’s word is a signature on a contract and the contract contains what a person has given their word to do. There can be outside personal relationships in business that bring other ethical considerations into play but the question does not implicate their existence. To put it another way this is at arm’s length and bounded in the formal relationship of job interviewing. There might be long term repercussions and regrets but there is no basis the candidate ought to feel guilt or moral obligation.
Depends on your personal code of ethics. Some people care about keeping their word, to the point that it becomes part of their identity. For you to say that they "ought" not to care about that seems a bit presumptuous. You don't, fine. But you have as much grounds to tell others that they shouldn't care about such things as they have to tell you that you should.
Ethical obligations are between people. Companies are not people. While people in companies may have ethics, the company itself does not. Companies are not ethical agents. They can’t give their word. They can’t hold a person to their word because a person cannot give their word to a company.
I’m not the person questioning the OP’s ethical integrity. And now mine.
In this environment there have been lots of reports of companies that have rescinded offers.