Does every job offer a good opportunity to grow? If you think ‘yes’ – it’s time to contemplate and analyze things. The job on offer could be a life-changing opportunity, but what if it’s just an offer that won’t help you grow professionally or provide good monetary stability?
Of course, if you are searching for a job, an offer letter could be an exciting (piece of) news. But what if your values do not align with the company?
What if the role you landed does not meet your career goals? In another case, your work style preferences may be different. If you get a job offer and wish to decline it – you must do it respectfully.
To maintain a respectful stance for refusal – the way you reject a job is significant.
The bottom line is to maintain politeness and, of course, a professional stance.
The good news is you can decline a job offer professionally without leaving a negative impact on hiring managers.
If you leave a positive impression – naturally, you will remain in the good books of the company. So, let’s delve into the topic and see how to decline a job offer.
Respond Quickly
No response is often a negative response. Didn’t get the deal? Once you decide that you don’t want to work with the company for the reason known to you, it’s time to inform the company.
The sooner, the better, as it keeps you on the front foot. If a company does not hear from the employee after the offer letter, they will assume a yes.
After you tell them you are declining the job offer, it will create a negative impact. You don’t want that to happen, right? Keep it simple and respond ASAP because this will help the hiring team move forward with other potential candidates.
Appreciate The Job Offer
When you respond, start by appreciating the job offer. Of course, you have your reasons for declining the job. Regardless of your reason, appreciate that the company offered you the job over other potential candidates.
By doing so, you can show your professionalism, which creates goodwill. You can craft your response to the company by showing gratitude – for taking the time to select you over other candidates.
You can write to them that you are grateful for the opportunity provided for the role selection. Moreover, you can say something positive about them before you write about the decline.
Give A Good Explanation
Once you have made up your mind, it is time to move on to the next step, which is explaining the decline. You can’t simply tell them – you are not interested in the job role after going through rounds of interviews.
Having a good reason will act as a foundation for declining the offer. Whatever your reason for the decline is, you must explain it to the company (politely).
When your explanation is relevant and concise, it becomes easier for the hiring managers to move on to other candidates. Here are some common reasons for the decline:
Overqualified Or Underqualified
Qualification is indeed a vital factor in the job role. Based on qualifications, a company hires you for the role. For example, if you are from a software background, the company will hire you based on your software development skills.
So, this reason is primary for the job role. If you feel you are underqualified, you can simply mention it in your decline letter. Likewise, if you feel – you are overqualified for the position (mention the reason).
Naturally, being overqualified will not be challenging enough for you to take up the role. You can politely state that you are overqualified or underqualified for the job.
Salary and Environment
Receiving an offer letter is good news, but not before you visit the office and see their work culture. You heard that right. At times, the (work culture) of the office might not align with your working comfort.
If you find the environment is non-conducive, you can politely tell them no to the job role. You might have salary expectations regarding the job role. After hearing more about the job role – the salary you expected may not be on par with the role.
Of course, there are times when the job responsibilities are more than the package. If you have a similar feeling, simply decline the offer gracefully.
Other Offer
Do you know honesty is still the best policy for declining a job offer? How honest can you be while declining the offer? Well, you can decline an offer based on the reason of other feasible offers. You can tell them you applied for several roles and were fortunate to get a better offer.
Being upfront about your offer won’t create a negative impact. In fact, it will create a positive image. And the plus side is – you can get a counteroffer by being upfront about the other offer. If the company is impressed with your skills, they will offer you a better package or perks.
Give Them A Polite Reason
Politeness and professionalism are synonymous. You can be straightforward with your reasons for declining the job. But, you must state the reason politely. When your tone is polite, it makes a difference in how you respond.
It’s essential to be courteous when – you explain the reason for not moving forward with them. For example, if your reason is that you don’t feel aligned with their work culture, you can say that politely.
Ideally, you can state that you love the company, but the role won’t suit your job goals. Having a polite tone can make a significant difference in declining a job offer. The best part is that you will always remain in their good books. With a polite tone – you create the best impression on people.
Be Respectful In Your Tone
A respectful tone is essential when declining a job offer. Of course, you can keep it brief and to the point. But if your tone is respectful, the company (understands your point) as well. State your reasons clearly and give them a background of why you can’t accept the offer.
With this, it is vital to wish them well. For example, you can state your reason for declining but also – wish them that they have great success in the future with their product or service.
This way, you are being kind and respectful in your tone. Also, if you are unhappy with something, it is best to state it in your letter (but respectfully).
Companies consider the point and give you feedback on (the same). If you are lucky, you will get feedback or clarity, which can brighten your chances further.
Keep It Professional
To keep it simple, you can keep it professional. You can decline the job offer by starting with a simple reason. If you don’t want to go into the details, you can state the exact reason and wish them the best for the future.
However, if you want to be specific, you can mention how you want career growth, and the opportunity won’t resonate with your goals. It’s essential to avoid any kind of negative feedback, as that can affect your image.
Simply put, you can state that you are looking for better opportunities near your place or the role won’t provide you with the benefits you are looking for in career growth.
With a respectful and professional tone, you don’t have to mention details. You can simply tell them the reason that suits you best. When the tone is professional, they will register you in the good books. Staying professional is the best in this case.
Offer To Stay Connected
You never know what will happen in the future. It’s always a good idea to stay connected to the company. How? By declining the offer, you can tell them you will stay connected for future possibilities. Something like: I am declining the job offer, but I hope there will be a possibility of working together in the future.
You can offer to stay connected with the company via email or a social media page. It’s best to follow the company on social media or LinkedIn pages.
The idea is to make them realize that you are open to potential collaborations in the future. If a job role suits you in the future, you will willingly take that up.
As it is, you never know what the future might hold, so it’s good to keep everyone in contact. In this case, the company you are declining a job offer.
When you tell them – you are declining the job offer, also mention that you are open to future collaboration. It’s a good way to stay connected and maintain networking and contacts.
Create A Good Impression
A good impression will always help you in (networking) and maintaining contacts with companies. When you politely decline a job offer, you must avoid burning bridges.
Meaning, that you can be straightforward and to the point without being overly diplomatic. A lasting impression can also increase your chances of getting a better package.
It’s vital to avoid using negative language, as that can create a negative image. The professional world is interconnected through social media today – you never know when you cross paths with someone from the company.
Plus, when you create a good impression, you always secure a chance of landing a job (in the future). A company always remembers people who are polite and professional.
Consider The Right Medium
Considering the medium you choose for declining a job offer is essential. Though most people choose to email the company, speaking to the HR or hiring person is better.
After all, the person has invested so much time in the interview and selection process, so you should be more considerate while declining the job.
If you wish to decline the job offer through email, then the wording is important. You have to be professional and polite, as discussed above. In your email, you can start by being thankful for the job opportunity and then politely move to the reason for turning it down.
It’s vital to express your gratitude for the opportunity provided by the company before you state your reason. After you state your reason and decline the offer, you can mention that they may find a suitable person for the position.
End your mail with wishes for them and the best for their future endeavors. Also, keep the structure and tone of your email concise. Don’t mention irrelevant things.
It’s good to keep the mail to the point and precise. You can also mention that you would love to work with the company (in the future) if the role fits you well.
Phone
Declining a job offer on the phone is better than declining via email. When you call the hiring manager to tell (him or her) about the job offer, you are connected directly.
Always start the call by thanking them for the wonderful opportunity and appreciating (the time) the company invested in you. After which, you can state your reason.
The most common reason is securing a job in another company. You can be honest and tell them about your reason. Finish your call with kind and positive words. Something like: you would love to connect with the company in the future. All this while, maintaining a polite tone to create a positive image.
Wrapping up
Most potential candidates believe that declining a job offer will be an uncomfortable experience, which is untrue. If the job offer does not resonate with your career goals, you can politely decline the offer.
However, (the way) you handle this can leave a lasting impression on the company. If you are professional and polite, the company might consider you for future opportunities (as well).
Lastly, declining a job offer can be tricky but certainly not uncomfortable. If your terms and goals are clear, you have nothing to lose. Declining a job offer is simple – with the above-mentioned tricks. All the best for your refusal.