How to Turn Down a Job Offer
It is human nature to wonder about how to turn down a job offer. Most people would probably be glad if they were offered the job, and would turn it down politely in order to get the chance to find out how they will be paid. However, in a world of fierce competition, not all opportunities are open to everyone. As such, it is important to consider how to turn down a job offer when it comes. Here are some tips on how to do just that.
Firstly, you should always read the fine print carefully before accepting anything. In particular, be sure that what you are being asked to sign is something you actually agree with, rather than just reading it to have the offer handy in case you might need to refer back to it later. Also, accept the job offer graciously, but be ready to let them know why you are declining. Remember, you might be getting a higher salary, but if you’re declining because of the company’s poor reputation, it is unlikely that you will get much of a raise, and your chances of advancing in the organization are slim to none. Simply because you’ve been made an irresistible offer is no good enough reason to take it on.
When you’re declined, don’t send thank you notes right away. It is in your best interest to wait until the two of you have met and you can explain the circumstances of the decline in person. If you can also arrange to meet with the hiring manager in person, that would be even better. This way, you can tell him or her why you want to decline and explain how you did it.
If you are given another job offer after you have declined the first one, do not immediately jump into another offer. First make sure you understand all the details of the declining offer (who it’s from, when it was offered, etc. ), and then evaluate whether you really want this job or not. Remember, if you can’t think about how to turn down a job offer, how do you expect the hiring manager to?
Some people make the mistake of trying to be funny or corny when they are declined for another position. Don’t make this mistake! You are playing for keeps, and the employer will eventually realize that although you are sincerely interested in working for their company, there are things you need to think about before accepting. In fact, some people get so upset at the fact that they are being declined for another job that they leave the job completely and go back to the agency or company where they received the original rejection.
Another common mistake job hunters make is failing to thank the hiring manager for their time and effort. One example email I recently received included the hiring manager’s name, title, and contact information with a short note regarding my application’s review. In addition, the email included an “apology letter,” which explained in one sentence why I was declined. The hiring manager’s note included several sentences that summarized what was in my application and why I was not the right candidate for the job.
It’s true that many people are not talented at coming up with an “apology letter” or other explanation as to why they were not hired, but it’s not necessary to give the hiring manager your entire application to explain yourself to them. In some cases, you may be able to negotiate with the hiring manager to simply get the job offer declined instead. For example, if you received an email that stated something like “we’ve decided to decline your job offer because… in our opinion,” it may be possible that you have another opportunity on your hands.
If you received an email such as this in your email: We’ve declined your job offer because… in our opinion, this sounds like a catch-22. The first sentence seems like an acceptable answer, but if you read the entire email, it becomes apparent that the hiring manager made up the “catch-22” in order to avoid having to say “your resume is lacking.” It’s possible that the employer was referring to your poor skills set, but the real reason they were declining your job offer was that they felt like you were not going to be productive enough in their organization to move forward. In this case, it would be in your best interest to tell them you were interested in moving on. Most hiring managers will understand that if you have a great set of skills, but you did not provide that same ability when working for them that you wouldn’t be effective there. You can also request that they send you a couple of examples of your abilities so they can see that you are still competitively fit and can add value to the company.