The entire process of job search can be tedious for those looking for a good opportunity in the business world. Further, finding the perfect job that suits your requirement is not easy.
You go through several levels in the interview process, do well at the interview, negotiate the offer with the company, and then something changes. And then you don’t want the job anymore.
With the kind of competition in the market, being able to turn down that offer is a huge problem. And yet, many times, job seekers are forced into declining a job offer that does not suit them due to certain restrictions.
However, it is always possible to find a way to have the option to go back to that opportunity afterward.
Here, we will discuss how to turn down a job while also giving it the possibility of a future and how you can do it keeping in mind your current career goals.
Why It’s Important to Know How to Turn Down, a Job Offer But Keep the Door Open
If you wish to keep the window to a job offer open for the future, you must know how to turn down the job in the first place. Good job opportunities must be preserved, even if it is something you cannot accept right now. You must have the right attitude and skill to turn down the offer but keep the door open for the near future.
How to Decline a Job Offer But Keep the Door Open
Below are some efficient ways to turn down a job offer while keeping the prospect available with the company. It would guarantee a possible future where you could get the job offer.
1- Be Prompt
It is an excellent gesture to inform the hiring manager that you will not accept the offer in time. And this should be the only way to share this information. It shows that you are responsible and care about others’ time.
Moreover, you would not want to damage the rapport you have created with the interviewers by letting them hang out till the last minute.
It could be that you have accepted an offer from another company or not moving out of your current profile. Either way, letting the potential company know helps them keep you on their list of prospects.
2- Provide a Reason
Informing the hiring managers that you are declining the offer with an appropriate clarification is also effective if you wish to make a good impression. If you have found a better opportunity, tell them what made you decline this offer.
Similarly, if the offer is good but has constraints that will be problematic for you in the future, let the same be known to the hiring manager. It could be a location issue or a job role that doesn’t seem to do justice to your skillset.
Even if you decide to stay back with your current company, keeping the recruiter informed will only be considered a plus. Moreover, if the restriction on the offer changes in the future, ask the hiring manager to let you know at the time.
3- Politeness Is Always In Vogue
Being polite and humble about an offer you don’t find to be a good fit is a way of showing gratitude to the recruiter for their consideration. Also, they offered you the job first, so you must stay polite throughout the conversation. It would also prove helpful in making them consider you for future opportunities.
4- Always Leave The Door Open
Even though you reject a job offer, you must let them know the reasons and how you would love to see any new opportunities that would suit your situation. It could be a relocation issue, salary expectations, or a new job role that does not meet your expectation.
It is not expected that the candidate will agree to all jobs offered. However, what is expected is the courtesy to inform in time, with clarifications on why you cannot accept the offer.
Moreover, since you wanted the job except for that little constraint, you should let the hiring manager know that you would be interested in future jobs. It would allow you to decline the offer but open the opportunity door.
5- Proofread, Edit, And Test Your Message Before Sending
Always check the email content before sending it through whether you accept an offer or not. You do not want to look unprofessional significantly when declining an offer.
It is considered professional to send a response that reflects how grateful you were for the opportunity given to you and how apologetic you are about having taken the hiring manager’s time.
It would be best to look for grammatical or spelling errors, as these mistakes show that you were not careful when sending the message. You do not want to leave a wrong last impression for them to consider when another job title is available in the future.
Example of How to Decline a Job Offer Because You Accepted Another Job
Here’s a sample of how you can decline a job offer because you said yes to another one:
Dear Mr. John,
Thank you for sending in the offer for the Assistant Manager position for ABC company. I had a delightful time during the interview and our little walkaround in the facility, getting to know the basics of your workplace.
While the job offer is very tempting, I have decided to go with another better offer from a facility management company. Even though I am saddened to decline this offer, I just wanted to let you know that the other offer aligns more with my professional aspirations.
Apologies for taking your time, and I sincerely hope that if there’s any position vacant in the future, I will be able to apply for it.
Thanks again,
Jane Doe
How to Decline a Job Offer Due to Salary with Email Example
Remuneration is a crucial part of any job offer. Hence, it is crucial to put your point across when it comes to monetary discussions. Make sure you are clear about the financial requirement. If the package is lower than what you expect, try to negotiate and come to a common understanding.
However, if that does not work, here’s a sample of how you can decline a job offer politely:
Dear Mr. Doe,
Thank you for your time last week. I enjoyed meeting you in person and am grateful that I had the chance to discuss the possibilities for the job role of Editor in chief for <company name> .
However, I will be unable to accept the offer due to the salary package being lower than what I am getting currently. And as a result, I have decided to continue my current job until a better opportunity arises.
If there are any changes in the remuneration package, I’d be honest in making the effort again. Please do share if any such changes happen shortly.
Best wishes, thank you.
John
How to Decline a Low Job Offer While Asking for More Money with Email Example
If the salary package offered by the recruiter is less than what you expect, you must remember to share the reason for declining the offer. You could also negotiate on the same message, asking the recruiter to up the package offered.
Here’s a sample of how you can politely ask for more money:
Dear Ms. Jane,
It was great meeting you for the interview for your company’s Accounts Executive position. It was a pleasure talking to you and your team.
While I am excited to hear back from you on the offer, I also noticed the salary package offered is lower than my expectations. Hence, I request you to review the numbers and see if a 20 % raise is possible here.
I’d be more than happy to discuss this over a call or in person. However, if there are no possibilities, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline this offer as it currently pays me less than what I receive.
I am waiting to hear a positive response.
Thanks again.
John Doe
How to Turn Down a Job Offer If It’s Not Right for You with Email Example
Here’s a sample email of how you can nicely decline an offer at a company that is a not a good fit for you:
Dear Mr. John,
It is regarding my interview with you for the position of Senior Advisor for your ABC Financial Services company. I am glad and grateful to have received your job offer.
However, I would be unable to say yes to this offer for the said position as it does not align with my career path, and I would not want to start somewhere I don’t see myself in the next two years. I hope you will understand my concern.
Hope to see you at the seminar next week.
Thank you.
Jane Doe
How to Rescind a Job Offer After Accepting It with Email Example
Sometimes we agree to offers for jobs but realize a flaw or clash with our career path or personal plans. In such cases, it is difficult to say no after accepting an offer; however, the same must be corrected appropriately.
Here’s a sample of how you should politely decline an offer after having accepted it initially:
Dear Mr. John,
This email is regarding the job offer I accepted for the Helpdesk Executive at your company. I am glad that you chose me and utterly grateful for the offer.
However, I did not realize there was a clash between my office location and residential address. I was under the impression that I would be working out of your Seattle brand, which was closer to my home. Just today, I realized that the offer was for a position in your Ohio office.
Unfortunately, moving away from my family is not possible currently, so I would be unable to move forward with this job offer.
Apologies for this misunderstanding on my end. And thank you again for the opportunity.
Jane Doe
Reasons to Turn Down a Job Offer
There can be several reasons to turn down a job offer. But make sure you have thought this through before turning down a job. It would be best if you were not too fast in deciding. Here are some common reasons to turn down a job offer:
- Less salary or non-negotiable package
- Relocation requirement
- Personal reasons
- No allowances for long-distance travelers
- Unavailability of on-job training or courses
- Not aligning with career goals
Tips For Declining a Job Offer
You can follow the below tips to a politely decline job offers that you are not interested in, without offending the recruiter:
- Be careful of the email you are sending to decline the offer. Take time to draft a friendly response that is professional and genuine.
- Don’t be too quick in responding to a job offer. You may end up declining an excellent job opportunity.
- Spell checks and grammatical proficiency are critical in such emails. You must be careful about the tone of the content too.
Also, for any difficult decision, refer to one of the sample emails to respond quickly to the employer.
Final Thoughts
Good job opportunities that align with your future goals are hard to find. So, when you get offered a job that works well for you, make careful consideration of the other aspects of the profile. However, that does not mean you should not decline a job that is not a workable option. Be clear, take your time before making a decision, and respectfully decline the job offer.