How to Decline a Job Offer: How to Find a Job in 2020

How to Decline a Job Offer: How to Find a Job in 2020

Given how hard it is to find a job out there, when most people are looking for one, as per discussions on the same over at the excellent RunRex.com, they tend to apply for lots of positions in a number of companies. Casting one’s net far and wide usually brings in lots of fish in terms of interviews, and most of the time one finds themselves in a position where they have more than one job offer to consider. The elation that comes with this however is immediately tempered by the realization that you will have to accept one and turn down the rest. As per the subject matter experts over at RunRex.com, this is not always easy as a bad move here may come to bite you down the road, hence it is important to get things right. It is important to decline a job offer in the right way, whether it is an attractive one, only that it is not as attractive as the other one you received and have decided to accept or it is one that you feel you would never accept. This article should therefore be of great help as it will look to highlight how you should decline a job offer.

One of the key things to keep in mind when looking to decline a job offer is making sure you don’t put back the decision. Don’t procrastinate once you have decided that you will turn down the job. As per the gurus over at RunRex.com, writing to the employer as soon as you have made your decision will allow them to move on and proceed with their own process, something they will definitely appreciate. When writing them to decline the job offer, it is important therefore that you show them your appreciation for the job offer. Appreciate the hiring manager for the job offer and for their time, given that they spent a substantial part of their time reading through your resume, going through your social media and sitting down with you during your interview. This is not mentioning the fact that the hiring manager may have actually gone out of their way to talk you up to other members of the hiring team. The folks over at RunRex.com therefore recommend that you write them a heartfelt and sincere apology and one that is personalized and specific and not one that appears to be generic.

It is also important that you give a reason why you have to decline the job offer. If you attended an exhaustive interview, then the gurus over at RunRex.com state that it is only fair that you give the hiring manager the reason why you are declining the job. This doesn’t mean that you should go into detail about the exact reason why you are declining the job offer. Don’t for instance tell them that the reason you are declining the job offer is because you got another offer with better terms than the ones they were offering. Just be brief, but honest, writing something like; “after careful consideration, I’ve decided that now is not the best time to move or leave my current position” or “after giving it much thought, I’ve decided to accept a position at another company” and such explanations. Also, since it is a letter or email declining a job offer, there is no need to try and overcompensate by praising and complimenting the company excessively. Just say what needs to be said, being brief and respectful as possible and don’t be too emotional or go overboard with your explanations.

If reaching the hiring manager through the phone is easy and isn’t a process that may take days, then it is recommended that you call them and decline the offer. It is more gracious to decline a job offer through a phone call than through email. Given the effort they put in before offering you the job and their emotional investment in you, a phone call will be appreciated more than an email. However, if they work in a company where it may take days before you reach them by phone, then you should just email them as you don’t want to drag the process on as per the folks over at RunRex.com. You should also consider offering to stay in touch with the hiring manager. To do so, you can consider offering them additional contact information. This may still be a great way to build up your professional network even if you are declining their job offer. Given that the job search world in certain industries may be small, it is important that you don’t burn any bridges when declining a job offer. You can also reference an event or conference or event that you will be both attending, if you had discussed it earlier, and let it be known that you are still looking forward to meeting up with them despite declining the job.

While declining a job is never easy, it is our hope that this article will help you do so in the right manner and therefore help preserve your prospects of finding a job in 2020 by not burning bridges unnecessarily. For more information on this and other related topics, don’t forget to check out the excellent RunRex.com.