Rejecting a Job: How to Turn Down a Job Offer Gracefully

Getting the Best Out of Your New Job

• What are the future opportunities like? Which of the different places will lead you to your dream job? If you can see a clear ladder through to a manager position and onwards and upwards, that’s something that you need to prioritise.

• Do some research and look for red flags. If you google one company and it has a history of bad deals or business, unethical choices or other problems, maybe you’ll need to make the difficult decision to write a rejection letter or call to avoid future disappointment.

• Consider the corporate culture of each company. You may even be leaving your current position because you’re disappointed in the culture or feel that it’s not an empowering environment. If that’s the case, consider whether a generous offer if worth the struggle of a bad workplace environment.

Reasons for Candidate Declination

declined due to the
salary offered

accepted ‘better’ company
or position

declined due to location
or relocation

accepted a counter-offer at their current company

Getting the Best Out of Your New Job

• Ideally, call your contact person at the company

  Remember they’ve gone to the effort of going through the hiring process and the time interviewing you, so show them that you appreciate that by picking up the phone or, in a worst case scenario, sending them a personal email to tell them that you’re no longer interested.

• Give a brief reason

  You don’t need to go into details, but since you’ve gotten to this point in the hiring process you at least tell them that you don’t see how the job will lead to you achieving your career goals or that you’re having to relocate so can no longer accept the position etc.

• Sign off with 'best wishes'

  This is warmer and friendlier than ‘kindest regards’ and shows that you’re not turning down the job because of any personal feelings.

• Never just leave them hanging

  Job interviews, referee checks and all the phone calls to organise it all is a lot of work, and you need to show the company that you appreciate it. There is never an appropriate time to decide that you just can’t be bothered. If you can’t be bothered to turn them down it was never going to be the right job and you shouldn’t have applied.

• Don’t reject an offer of update social media/LinkedIn until you’ve got a signed contract!

  You’d hate for a job to be offered to someone else because you thought you’d got a job that’s a great fit, but then a deal breaker comes along and you can no longer work with them. Until both parties have signed, you’re not officially employed!