I recently accepted a job offer with a new employer, set to start on October 26. I had planned everything out, thinking the background verification would be completed quickly, allowing me to resign from my current job and finish my notice period before starting the new role. However, the background check took longer than anticipated. On October 14, I submitted my resignation after receiving a verbal go-ahead from the recruiter regarding the background check. Unfortunately, I didn't clarify that I would be resigning right after our conversation. Now, my current employer has confirmed that my last working day will be October 30, which conflicts with my new employer's expectation for me to start on October 26, four days before I finish at my current job. I’m considering asking my new employer to postpone my start date to November 2, but I’m worried about how this might be perceived. I’ve already accepted the offer and started the onboarding process, but I haven’t yet discussed the potential delay with the recruiter. I’m committed to joining and not reconsidering the offer, but I realize I should have confirmed the timing before resigning. I’m reaching out to HR professionals and hiring managers for advice on how to approach this situation. Specifically, I’d like to know how they would handle a request to postpone a start date by a week, if this could raise concerns about my reliability or commitment, and if it’s realistic to worry about the offer being withdrawn over this adjustment. Additionally, should I explain the background check delay or simply state that my last day at my current job is October 30?