How To Reject A Job Offer Without Closing The Door

So, you have finally gotten that job. Congratulations are in order since it has been a grueling time, from hunting the job to finally acing the interviews and getting that offer. Then suddenly, something changes with the offer, or the role you excepted to be part of is slightly altered.

What do you do then? At times you may consider going forward and taking the job or heading back to the negotiating table. But sometimes, the grievances are so massive you have to turn down the offer.

Now, you may still need that job at some point if other plans don’t go well. So, how do you turn it down without ensuring that all doors are shut behind you? In other words, how do you turn it down in a way that they may still want to hire you in the future?

job offerBe Honest From The Begging

The honest immediately when you know you’re going to reject the job offer. It is quite important to let the prospective employer know you won’t be taking the offer since you don’t want to waste their time.

Imagine if someone strung you along for days or weeks and then gives you an answer when it suited them. How would you feel? That’s how the employer will likely feel about being strung along. They have invested a lot of time and effort into selecting you so they deserve some respect.

Start With “Thank You”

Whether it is an acceptance letter or a rejection notice, always start with thank you. It may It is a courtesy sign that just never gets old. A ‘thank you’ shows appreciation on your part to the effort that has been put in by the employer to recognize your skill.

Thank the hiring manager for the whole process, for reading your application and meeting of their team. It also shows you took the whole process seriously.

Give Detail

You should never be vague about the reasons for rejecting the job offer. Show your prospective employer that you took the process seriously. Also, demonstrate that you took the offer into serious consideration before turning it down. Clearly state the reasons for turning it down after you seriously considered it.

And remember not to be rude in your response or give brutal truths. For example, if you didn’t like the team, cover it up with something like, “it wasn’t the right time or fit for me.” It makes you look more relatable.

Keep In Touch

With the world being so digitalized today, there are many ways for you to keep in touch. Ask the hiring manager if you can keep in touch through LinkedIn and other online forums. You are the one that has to keep the ball rolling by sharing the company’s articles, forwarding recommendations their way, and many other ways of remaining relevant.

If not, you’ll be forgotten together with your CV that was thrown into the trash the moment you turned down the job. 

Conclusion

It is always hard turning down a job offer after you’ve received one, especially since getting to the point of acceptance isn’t a walk in the park. But circumstances do arise, and you may find that you have to at some point. When that happens, you should ensure that you don’t turn it down in a way leaves bad blood between you and your would-be employer.