Declining a job offer is something that should not be taken lightly as there are many causes for it. Maybe the salary being paid here is low, even after bargaining for a better offer or there is no compatibility with the prospective manager. Also, you may feel like there is no corporate culture match or after some days or weeks of working, you may discover that the job description does not tally with what you are required to do on the job.
Many people ask whether it is unprofessional to decline a job offer. Not at all. In the current global employment arena, where highly qualified candidates are likely to be considered for other positions, retention of key employees is appreciated by understanding that they may turn down any given position. Indeed, it is pretty normal to get several job offers, especially in regards to certain industry and sector. Recently, a survey conducted by Gartner highlighted that about 49% of the candidates are open to accepting at least two job offers at once.
Content Outline
How To Turn Down A Job Offer Politely
There is no doubt that rejecting a job offer is never an easy task and is usually associated with such emotions as fear and doubt. This sometimes may cause the feeling like you are betraying yourself or being a quitter who did not follow through the bargain that was made during the application process.
However, it is crucial to note that employers know that there are instances when a candidate might not choose to accept an offer despite going through the interview processes. If you’re still grappling with guilt, consider this: Every time employers reject candidates, candidates also are allowed to reject offers that they would not want to take due to some reasons.
Moreover, one should know that turning down a job offer does not mean losing the connection or a chance to ever work with the company again. You should be polite in your response as this will not only help you in getting a good rapport with the organization for possible future business collaborations. Here are some ideas about how politely reject a job offer.
When Rejecting A Job Offer, Respond Quickly
After you have decided not to take the job, you should be fast and immediately inform the hiring manager or the recruiter.
It might be inconvenient to take some time and to update the employer with the decision. If you decline their offer, the hiring team can have other better-qualified candidates waiting.
Moreover, it will not help you to keep good relations if you do like the company and want to apply to work there in the future.
Should you email or call the hiring manager to decline a job offer?
While it is appropriate to respond to the job offer through an email declining it, it is even better to speak to the hiring company’s representative or the recruiter directly on the phone. It is also more personal than an email or a text message; thus, it is highly likely that they will grant your request.
If this person spent many minutes of their time talking to you during the interview, they would feel rather eager to have you on the staff. If you are concerned that you may get lost once the call has started, it is advisable to make a list of topics or points that you wish to discuss and refer to such a list to keep you focused during the call.
If you are unable to talk to them over the phone, you could email them as soon as possible and convey your message which shall prevent any further hirings. On the same note, you could explain that you tried reaching them for a phone call but didn’t get the chance to speak to them directly, so you emailed them instead.
Explain why you are rejecting a job opportunity
There is no necessity to tell the hiring team or the recruiter about the whole story of why you are refusing to get the job.
You do not have to provide a specific reason and the reason can be unrelated and does not necessarily have to be the truth, for example, you don’t like the hiring manager or you don’t like the company culture.
At the same time, when you have to turn down a job offer graciously, you don’t want to say too little or anything negative as you should seize this occasion to keep the door open for future dealings.
Declining Job Offer Over Phone Call
Begin by expressing your gratitude
While making a call, ensure that you begin with something that could be considered a thank-you note such as:
“I would like to sincerely thank you for giving me a chance to work with [Company] as [Job Title]. “
“I am so grateful for the kind gesture and the opportunity to work at [Company as a [Job Title].
Here are seven example job rejection responses you can use when declining a job offer.
Give a brief explanation of why you must decline a job offer. Here are some sample sentences on how to explain the reason:
- “After careful consideration, I’ve decided that it was most appropriate for me to seek a new job at another company.”
- “Due to some considerations after I reviewed your offers, I have decided to turn down the position I was offered in your company.”
- “Thank you for taking the time to explain to me your expectations in the position. However, I regret we have not met the expected salary for this position/this job and therefore, I decline the offer.”
- “Please be informed that upon reflection, I will not be accepting the given offer since the position does not meet my career progression expectations. ”
- “Ultimately, I have decided to take up a new position that can provide me with better chances for developing my interests in [insert interest] and [insert interest].”
- “Unfortunately, I have had to decline this offer since I do not find it suitable for me at this moment. ”
- “Although I believe this position can offer many benefits, I have decided that it would be unwise for me to start looking for a new job at this point. ”
How to end your call when you decide to reject a job offer
To close a conversation or email many people like to include a thank you note and some appreciative message. You need the hiring manager to understand that you acknowledge his or her time.
At the same time, you do not want to offend people because you may end up working with this person in the future and especially if your industry is small then you never know when you will cross paths with this person again.
Ensure to adapt it and conclude something like this at the end of your call.
“Once again, let me thank you for the opportunity of coming for an interview and I feel honored to have been offered this role. I wish you the best in finding a competent person to fill this post. It has been my privilege to get to know you and I hope to meet you again in the future. ”
Declining Job Offer Through Email
Sample reject job offer email
When you are answering the rejection letter for an offer and formulating your response via email, your response should reflect why you have rejected the offer to join the company. Here are some of the examples that can be useful.
How to decline a job offer where the pay is too low
There is always an abundance of chances to discuss the salary before turning down an offered position. However, if as a candidate, you have worked hard to get a salary that the company cannot offer, then you can consider offering the company an explanation of why you are declining the offer politely.
To the Hiring Manager of [Company Name],
I would like to express my appreciation to you and your organization for offering me an employment opportunity at the [Company] for the [Job Title] position.
Thank you very much for your offer and after careful consideration, unfortunately, I would have to turn down this role/job offer as it is too far from what I would expect in terms of salary to leave my current position.
Once again, I would like to say thank you for interviewing and getting an offer. Thank you for your time, and I hope you and [Company] will find a suitable candidate for this position very soon.
Kind regards,
[Name]
How to decline a job offer when the role or the company is not the right fit for you
Sometimes, during the interviews, a person realizes that the position or the company for which he or she has been interviewing does not align with the person’s career aspirations. If that’s the case, make sure to write your job offer rejection email directly and concisely.
Dear [Name of the Hiring Manager],
I am very grateful for the invitation to work in [Company] as [Job Title]. I would like to say thank you for the opportunity and your consideration to hire me.
However, I have come to a decision that regretfully, I cannot agree to the employment offer as it does not align with what I have set for my future endeavors/aspirations.
Once again, I would like to say thank you for the chance of the interview and the offer. Thank you and I also would like to wish you and [Company] all the best in your search for a suitable candidate for the position.
Kind regards,
[Name]
How to decline a job offer to take up another offer
If you are interviewing with more than one organization and have selected another organization to join, it is your responsibility to inform the hiring manager of your decision. Here are a few email examples.
To the Hiring Manager,
I strongly appreciate the offer to join [Company] as the [Job Title]. I would like to thank you for the opportunity I was given.
That being the case, I would like to inform you that I have recently accepted another position that will enable me to be more proactive in [area] and [area].
Once again, I thank you for the interview and the offer to join the team as a member. I trust that you and [Company] will soon get a suitable candidate for this post.
Kind regards,
[Name]
How to decline a job offer to stay at the current job
If you have decided not to move to the new job and keep staying at the current one, you must inform the hiring manager in an orderly and polite manner. You do not need to discuss the specific details with them but you have to make them understand.
Dear [Name of Hiring Manager],
I appreciate the opportunity to join the [Company] as [Job Title]. I extend my heartfelt thanks to you and other members of the company for showing an interest in hiring me.
Although this seems to be a perfect fit now, I still think that it is not the right time for me to resign from my present position.
Once again, I would like to thank you for granting the interview and the offer. I hope you find the right candidate for this role and I hope the same for you and [Company].
Kind regards,
[Name]
How to turn down a job after having agreed to take it
After you have agreed to join a company willingly but later, find it unsuitable to work with, then you must communicate with the new company by informing them professionally. When rejecting, it should be done politely by explaining the reasons while being thankful for the chance.
Dear [Name of Hiring Manager],
I would like to start by wishing you the very best. It is my honor to accept the offer to work with [Company] as a [Job Title] and for having confidence in me.
After giving it a lot of thought, I would like to decline the job offer that I previously accepted. I have concluded that, as things stand at the moment, the role is not right for me and I feel that I should take a step back in the interest of me and the company.
I hope there will not be much inconvenience caused by this and rest assured that this was not arrived at without much thought. Having been given the chance to interview for the position with [Company] and being offered the job, I couldn’t be more grateful.
It was a pleasure meeting you and I do hope our paths may cross soon; furthermore, all the best to you and [Company] in the search for a suitable candidate for this post.
Kind regards,
[Name]
Choosing Between Multiple Job Offers
Here are a few tips you can use when you have to choose multiple job offers :
- Evaluate company culture: Compare the values and working environment of each of the companies to your personal preferences.
- Assess career growth opportunities: It is essential to take into account each organization for its growth potential in terms of personal and professional development and the ability to acquire new skills.
- Assess work-life balance: Make sure to consider each company’s flexibility, workload, and benefits that match your needs in your personal and professional life.
- Evaluate compensation packages: Salary, bonuses, benefits, and perks must be computed to establish which option is most attractive.
- Leverage your network: To gain more information about each of these companies, you could also talk to former employees or other employees in the same industry. It would be better if you introduce yourself when you contact someone you don’t know. This is because you do not know them or their opinions on their employers, and contacting the wrong person could have a bad effect on you.
How To Be In Good Relations With A Company After Having Turned Down A Job Offer
It is never easy to reject a job offer but there are ways you can do that professionally and politely. Remember that you will never be content with a position that does not suit you and your abilities so, you have to consider for the long term.
If you follow the steps mentioned in this article, you can remain connected to the company even after declining their job offer. You can continue to keep in touch with them if you wish to remain in the company’s future hiring database for job vacancies.
One of them is to connect with the person who interviewed you on LinkedIn. This way, this person will be up to date with your progress and advancements in your career path.
In this way, you would keep yourself in mind of the company to some extent and if an opportunity to work in that company arises, you could come to mind.
How FastLane Group Can Help?
Ready to accelerate your career? Unlock your full potential with FastLane Group! If you’re passionate about making an impact and eager to grow professionally, contact us today and take the first step towards a brighter, more successful future.