Rescind or Stay? Offer Decision Helper

First, it estimates the expected benefit of waiting for Offer B: Expected B value = (probability Offer B happens) × (improvement vs. Offer A). If you don’t provide an improvement value, the calculator assumes a neutral placeholder and relies more on your cost/risk inputs. It then estimates the expected cost of rescinding Offer A as: direct penalty + a timing/uncertainty cost based on days remaining + a reputation/relationship cost based on sensitivity (Low/Medium/High). Finally, it compares net switch value (Expected B value − Expected cost) to produce a recommendation.

Even if Offer B is likely, timing can still hurt: longer delays can compress onboarding prep, reduce your leverage for renegotiation, and increase the chance Offer B falls through after you’ve disrupted Offer A. Reputation impact is also nonlinear—if Offer A’s employer is marked “High,” the tool treats rescinding as higher-stakes and prevents “low risk” outputs. The calculator intentionally simplifies contract/legal enforceability, so your actual offer terms may raise (or lower) real-world costs.

If Offer A status is “Signed,” the tool adds an extra caution because rescinding after signing can carry legal and professional consequences depending on local laws and contract terms. Also note that the calculator does not model long-term career effects beyond immediate relationship/timing, and it doesn’t account for emotional stress or ethical considerations beyond a caution flag. Use the result as a planning aid—not a substitute for reading your contract or getting qualified legal advice.

If time until Offer B outcome is 0 days, the timeline cost is minimized and the recommendation will hinge mostly on Offer B likelihood and your stated penalty/reputation risk. If Offer B probability is 0%, the expected benefit becomes zero and the tool will generally steer you toward keeping Offer A (unless penalty and reputation costs are also effectively zero). If Offer B probability is 100% but Offer A is “Signed” and reputation sensitivity is “High,” the calculator may still recommend delay/renegotiate because the relationship risk can outweigh expected upside.