How To Decline A Job Offer Wisely & Respectfully

How to decline a job offer? In this article, we will educate you on how to turn down a job offer but keep the door open, i.e. how to decline a job offer politely. There are various reasons in which you need to reject a job offer, this doesn’t really mean you were disappointed but what if you got a better offer or you do not even need a job anymore?

You might have thought of establishing yourself or a more reasonable offer came in, you need to learn how to respectfully decline the current job you have just been given without leaving a negative impression for the company in question.

Having said this, we are going to see the different reasons that could lead us to make the decision to reject a job.

Good Reasons For Rejecting A Job Offer

Below are the 10 reasons in which you might need to reject a job offer:

1. Economic reason

If the rest of the conditions interest you, you can negotiate it if need be, the values ​​of the company and yours might not be aligned. For example, if you are an environmental activist and the offer is to enter a company that does not respect its environment.

2. Company culture doesn’t suit you

For example, you are a professional who works 100% you need a relaxed and collaborative environment, and aggressive competitiveness is encouraged in the company.

3. Remuneration 

The salary does not improve your current situation, does not meet your expectations, or, simply, you consider an unacceptable salary for the position.

4. Bad company references

It may be that you have been told a bad side of the company which isn’t acceptable by you. Before accepting a job offer go through the internet to gather information about the company, or meet old staffs of the company or people who live close to the company. Do your own inquiries, many times the negative comments come from people who have ended up badly with the company but it does not have to be a bad company.

5. You did not feel comfortable in the interview

It is very important to have a good feeling during the interview: the atmosphere that was breathed, the type of professionals you met, how the interviewer made you feel and the rest of the people with whom you interacted.

6. Temporality – Instability

If you are looking for stability and the company cannot guarantee it, either because it is a newly created company and job security is uncertain.

7. Professional development

The roles and responsibilities may not fit with your development plan or the position may not involve the career progression you seek.

8. Timetables-displacements

It may be that the workplace is far from your residence or that the schedules are incompatible with your family life.

9. Have several offers almost simultaneously

It may be the case of being aware of several offers and one interests you more. You must take precautions if you reject an offer waiting for the resolution of a second process, you may run the risk of running out of both jobs.

10. Counter-offer from your current company

It is a common reason, your company improves your conditions when you notify them of your intentions to cause voluntary leave. In some cases, it is the candidates themselves who seek the counteroffer, they do not really want to leave their companies but try to pressure them with the offer of a second company to improve their conditions. This is a delicate issue that you must manage very well to achieve the goal you want.

How To Decline A Job Offer Due To Salary

If your issue is based on how to decline a low salary offer then the below tips will definitely be of help. The first step is to be 100% sure of your decision to reject the offer before defining another path.

Next, you need to make sure to decline the low salary offer in a professional manner. It is important to maintain a level of professionalism, otherwise you may end up burning bridges. For example, the company may have other, higher-paying jobs for which it may consider you in the future. Therefore, you should make a positive impression on the hiring manager, even if things don’t work out for the position being offered.

If your option is to decline the job offer, these points explain how to decline a low salary offer, the right way. Follow these six tips to get started:

1. Investigate

Is the salary they offer you low compared to the industry average or are your salary expectations too high? To get clear on what a competitive salary for the position would be, do your own research.

2. Inform the employer as soon as possible

It’s important to take enough time to make a decision, but don’t wait too long before responding to the employer.

This can make you appear unprofessional or disinterested in the job. Finally, it can be difficult to say “no”, but the employer will want to know as soon as possible so that they can look for other candidates before they are hired elsewhere.

3. Maintain education and professionalism

Don’t take it personally if they offer you a low salary. There are likely other factors at play, so you should maintain your education and professionalism.

It can be frustrating to turn down a job offer, especially when you like the position and have invested a lot of your time and effort in the job interview. However, don’t let this affect how you communicate with the employer.

4. Email or phone

When it comes to communicating your decision to the hiring manager, choose the method with which you are most comfortable. An email is usually the quick and easy option, but make sure that what you write is clear, concise, and without room for ambiguity.

You may feel that a call is more personal and gives you a better opportunity to explain your decision. If you choose this path, try talking to the hiring manager and then communicate your decision in writing.

5. Plan what you are going to say

Regardless of whether you choose to email or phone the hiring manager, start by thanking them for the opportunity. Say something positive about the company, the recruiting process, or the position to show your enthusiasm for the position. Next, the reason for rejecting the job offer. For example, provide evidence to explain how the industry average is higher, or highlight that you don’t think the salary equals your experience level. They can consider this and even improve the offer.

End on something positive and leave the door open for future opportunities, suggesting that they get in touch if other similar positions arise. You can check “How to decline a job offer by email” or “How to decline a job offer through phone call”.

6. Get ready for an improved offer

If you turn down the job solely because of the low pay, the hiring manager may come up with a higher pay offer to try to keep you interested. If that happens, take a day or two to consider the new proposal. Learn to decline a low salary offer in a professional manner.

Knowing how to reject a low salary offer in the right way is extremely important and can be a difficult situation to deal with.

However, knowing how to do it can make the hiring manager realize what they have lost by not offering you the salary you deserve.

If you receive a low salary offer, remember to consider all aspects before rejecting it. The last thing you want to do is decline the offer and instantly regret it.

How To Decline A Job Offer Politely

To politely reject a job offer there are many things you have to be careful about because of future opportunities from the same company. On how to turn down a job offer but keep the door open making the decision is sometimes difficult, for many it is torture to reject the offer.

Actually, not wanting to accept the conditions that are offered does not mean that one wants to lose future opportunities, you do not want to jeopardize the opportunities the company might present in the future.

Even when you have decided that you would never work for that company, it is good to look good especially if it is from the same sector in which you are looking forward to work or even if you have already gotten a better job in the same sector.

The greatest concern of any candidate who has ever had to reject an offer is none other than the fear of losing opportunities, either in the same company or in a different one. And the reality is that it all depends on how the offer is rejected.

How To Decline A Job Offer By Email

To give a response to your rejection of the job offer, it is wise and advisable to make it known to the company through email, below is a perfect tip on how to decline a job offer by email:

Step 1: Greetings: Firstly, you need to start with an initial greeting: “Good morning Google” is enough.

Step 2: Mail body:

Paragraph 1: I am contacting you regarding the selection process for the position “XXXX” for which I have been selected.

Paragraph 2: I regret to inform you that after analyzing and thinking a lot about the offer, I have to reject it. I so much love the responsibilities of the position but they are very similar to those I currently perform, with the change I seek to assume new responsibilities that allow me to advance towards my professional goal.

Paragraph 3: I thank you for the professional treatment throughout the process, I have felt very comfortable, and I have taken a very good image of the company so I would like you to keep my CV, it would be nice if you could count on me again for future positions that fit my CV and goals.

Farewell: Sorry for the upset that this may cause you and I thank you again for your time and your kindness.

Will keep in touch, kind regards.

Name and surname

How To Decline A Job Offer By Phone Call

For telephone call, you need a similar method just as the job rejection by email, you can follow the same guidelines. Try to be short and direct. It is not convenient to go into too much detail, get to the point.

Prepare a script in writing to avoid giving more information than necessary or leaving something in the pipeline or rather just make use of the points you have highlighted on the email.

Mind you, if you want to decline a job through a telephone call or in person, you risk being asked for details of what job you are looking for and what your goal is, this might be disastrous because you might not have prepared for the question that will be thrown at you.

Have you rejected any job offer? How did you feel? How did you do it? Let us hear about it in the comment section.

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