How to decline a job offer

Congratulations – you’ve done all the hard work building a winning CV and acing an interview, and now you’ve got a job offer in front of you! But before you accept it, you have to make sure that the position is right for you. If after reviewing everything and thinking about it, it turns out that this new role isn’t quite the right fit, then you’ll have to decline a job offer.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not always the recruiter who declined thecandidate’s application, as sometimes jobseekers get a better offer from elsewhere or simply change their mind about joining the company -for a variety of reasons. What many jobseekers don’t know is how to reject a job offer in the proper way.

While the idea of rejecting a job offer may sound scary and overwhelming, it’s actually quite simple. As long as you’re polite and professional throughout the process, there should be no hard feelings on either side!

Even so, turning down a job offer can be a daunting challenge, especially if you don’t want to burn any bridges for a potential role with the same company in the future. That’s why our team at OnlineCV have compiled a complete guide to job offer rejection letters and notifications to make the process as painless as possible!

How to reject a job offer politely in three simple steps

If you are still deciding whether to accept a new position that’s been offered to you, read more about the decision making and how to decide on a job offer. However, if you’re definitely sure you want to reject the offer, you can follow these three simple steps to decline a job offer professionally.

1. Be thankful

It would be rude to simply decline a job offer without thanking the hiring manager for offering it to you in the first place. Not only should you thank your not-so-prospective employer for offering you the job, but you should also thank them for their time.

If you have been considered by a company, narrowed down from lots of candidates, interviewed (maybe more than once) and are finally chosen for the job, the chances are that a recruiter will have spent a fair amount of their time on you.

2. Specify a reason

When a company chooses that a certain job profile isn’t the one they are looking for, they will send the job applicant a rejection letter or call to let the applicant know that they have been unsuccessful.

While not all specify why, most companies or recruiters will indicate a reason and give the job applicant feedback. Hence, it is a good idea and constructive to do the same when you reject a job offer.

This is a respectful approach on how to decline a job offer politely, especially if you have been to multiple interviews. There are many reasons to decline a job offer. However, remember that you don’t need to justify the job post rejection in depth.

Instead, simply explain your reasoning in a conclusive manner without going into detail about a better job you found or why you think you wouldn’t get on with management or a supervisor.

3. Leave the door open for future contact

It might feel as though you will never bump into your interviewer again, but it has been said that we live in a small world and therefore, we recommend that you always maintain and leave professional relations on a good note.

Tips for turning down a job offer

If you’re still unsure how to undertake the refusal of a job offer, simply follow these tips from beginning to end:

• Start by thanking the hiring manager for their time and consideration in making you an offer
• Politely inform them that you’re unable to accept their offer at this time.
• Explain why you’re declining the position (i.e., “While I’m honored by your offer, I’ve decided that working remotely from home is not the best fit for me”).
• Don’t get overly personal or go on at length about why you’re declining the position
• If there were aspects of their company or employment package which were especially appealing, be sure to express gratitude for their consideration of your application and make sure they know how much those things matter

Finally, ask if there is anything else they’d like from you before ending your correspondence. You might also like to directly state your hope that you could work together in the future.

Decline Offer Examples

There are some simple how to reject a job offer sample phrases you can use to cover all of the key points we covered above.

Here are some ways you can express your gratitude when declining a job offer:

• Thank you very much for the job offer for the position as BI Specialist. I appreciate the time taken to consider my application and meet me for my interview last week. However…
• Thank you again for the interview on Monday. It was lovely to meet you and talk about renewable energy in the fishing industry. I appreciate the job offer, but…

Next, provide your reason for rejecting the job offer. For example:

• After careful consideration, I have chosen to accept another job offer.
• While I think I would have loved to join your company, I have decided to take my career in another direction.
• After much thought, I have decided to stay on at my current job.
• After much deliberation, I feel that this is not the right post for me.

Finally, here are some ways you can maintain good relations when you decline a job offer:

• Thank you again for your time and I wish you all the best.
• I really appreciate the time taken to consider my application. If I can be of any help regarding the marketing strategy we discussed for your project, please don’t hesitate to send me an email.

Now that you have a template, let’s take a look at the best way to decline a job offer, whether by email, phone, or by writing a job offer rejection letter.

1. Email

Most professionals are in agreement that the best way to decline a job offer is by email. This way, there are no misunderstandings about what your answer is and how you feel about the job or employer.

The company will appreciate a quick and clear response when they ask for your decision on the refusal of a job offer. They also have it in writing so it’s easier to convey your decision to others in the company.

2. Call

If you prefer speaking directly with someone over email, try calling them instead of sending an email! It can be helpful if they’re able to hear your voice when you decline their offer because it allows them to understand how much this opportunity meant to you and your remorse for having to turn it down.

If the company makes the offer directly over the phone, they’ll likely expect a response right then and there.

If the call comes at a bad time for you, or you’re still undecided, don’t fret—you can always say “I’ll let you know tomorrow” or something similar. The recruiter often won’t mind if he/she doesn’t get an immediate response.

3. By letter

Writing a letter to decline a job offer is a bit old-fashioned nowadays, but in certain professions (such as in the legal system) it can help to bolster your professionalism and leave the door open for future opportunities.

You can find plenty of declining job offer templates online. However, you may also want to consider sending an email instead of mailing a letter—it’s less formal and easier than writing out everything by hand!

Can I decline a job offer after accepting it?

A large number of job seekers are often unsure if they can decline a job offer after accepting it, and so just go through with the hiring process anyway. They do this even if they have doubts about their new employer or have a better offer on the table.

But the simple answer is yes, you can mostly definitely reject a job offer after accepting it. You are well within your rights, although there are some things to keep in mind before doing so.

It’s important to give notice as soon as possible when resigning from an offer that you0’ve accepted. Many companies require employees who are leaving their jobs on good terms to provide two weeks’ written notice prior to their last day on the job, and this may still be the case even if you’ve just accepted it.

By giving adequate warning that you will be leaving, employers have time to find replacements and other employees don’t feel like they are left having to pick up the slack without notice.

Also don’t feel bad if you reject a job offer you’ve already accepted – it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to the hiring manager, especially considering how often people change jobs these days anyway!

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