Rejecting a job offer wasn?t probably the thing you were preparing for while looking for a job, but it could happen, and you should do it the right way. There could be hundreds of reasons for turning down a job offer after sending a formal acceptance letter. According to the MRINetwork survey, accepting another job offer and low salary proposal are the two main reasons why offers are rejected. Whatever your reason is, you should let the recruiter know as soon as possible. Here are some situations that you can face while rejecting a job offer. Check them out to cope with such an unpleasant task without conflict and stress.
How to Respectfully Decline a Job Offer
It could be hard to politely decline a job offer and stay on friendly terms but try your best. Show that you?re not letting them down easily, don?t wait for a hearback after interview, express your care about the company and apologize for the circumstances. This is the industry you want to keep working, so your aim is to create a good image for yourself and keep in touch with the company as you might need a job again. Here?s a set of tips that will help you reject an offer:
Find the right time to decline a job offer
Be clear with your reasons not to accept it
Tell about the pros and cons
Be honest
Keep your tone friendly
Offer other contacts/friends
Job Offer Rejection Letter
The most common way to say goodbye to the company is simply writing an email. ?Simply? doesn?t mean the level of complexity, it?s the first thing that comes to your mind if you don?t like calling someone (we?ll settle this further down). So, if you?ve decided to inform the recruiter about your decision by writing a good, professional and tactful email is a good choice. Make it nice and formal without forgetting the points above. Include your appreciation for their efforts, be concise while highlighting the reasons why, and value their time ? don?t make it too long or pointless.
Here?s an example of a good one.
Dear [recruiter?s name],
I?m writing to say thank you for job offer, and it was a great pleasure for me to join [company name] in the [job title] role. I was excited to get the opportunity to work in a team here.
Unfortunately, during the hiring process, I?ve got a job offer from another company. After a long weighing of all the advantages and disadvantages, I?ve decided to decline job offer you made.
I believe that the other position is a better fit for my skills, values and career opportunities. I am sorry for any inconvenience my decision may cause. I continue to be impressed with [company name?s] approach and all the people I?ve got a chance to meet.
I wish you all the best and everlasting growth. I hope to keep in touch and will recommend [company name] to all my skilled friends.
Sincerely, [Your name]
How to Decline a Job Offer over the Phone
Rejecting a job offer over the phone has its pros and cons. On the one side, it?s a more personal, informal way to fully explain the situation and tell that you reject a job offer. On the flip side, you can never predict their reaction, so you need to be prepared quite well. The best way not to fail the phone conversation is to write down a script where you highlight how you should start the conversation, all the reasons you can?t miss, prepare answers to all the possible tricky questions that the recruiter might ask. To help, we?ve done the job for you. It may not be a perfect match, but you can use it as a template for sure.
John: Hello, [recruiter?s name]. I want to say thank you for offering me to join the [company name] team. The interview we had was among the best ones I?ve had, and I appreciate you as a professional and as a person. The reason I call is that I have to decline the job offer you proposed.
Recruiter: Thank you, John. I?m also thankful for devoting that much time to interviewing. I thought you?d made your decision to accept the offer as you mentioned in the job acceptance letter. What happened?
John: Yes, I did, and I understand your reaction. But I had a call from another company I applied to earlier, and they sent me a job offer email and proposed a position that I think is a better fit for my skill set, life values, and future career opportunities. So, I decided to accept it, and it was a very difficult decision. I still want to keep in touch with [company name], because in such a short period of time I spent with you, I liked you very much and definitely will recommend [company name] to my best friends. Hope we cross paths again, best of luck.
And we hope it was useful for you, and now you know for sure how to decline a job offer after accepting it, and you won?t feel too uncomfortable if such a situation happens. One more thing you should know is that before rejecting a job offer, sleep on it, write down all the pros and cons, all the things you gain and lose. Looking for a job is not just about your time and resources; it?s also about the company?s resources. Human Capital Benchmarking Report studied that it takes a company 42 days and $4,129 to fill an open position. So, think wisely and choose the best.
