You might be wondering how to decline a job offer properly and professionally. First and foremost, you must inform the hiring manager or recruiter as soon as you decide. When it comes to keeping a positive relationship with them, dragging out the procedure or telling them of your decision at the last minute will not help you.
The second important thing to remember is always to be polite and thank the hiring manager for the opportunity, regardless of why youre declining it.
Make sure youre sure you dont want the job before submitting a decline of the offer letter. If there is a scenario in which you might take the job (for example, a wage raise or other adjustments in the benefits package), consider negotiating a counter offer first. Theres a slim possibility youll be given the position again after sending a refusal letter.
Related: Negotiating a Job Offer [2021]
If youve carefully examined the offer and have decided not to accept it, sending a polite, thankful, and timely job rejection letter is a great way to keep your potential employer happy.
Protip: You never know when, if, or how your paths will cross again, so expressing gratitude and timeliness is always a nice show of professionalism.
Steps in declining a job offer
1. Avoid Procrastinating
It takes time to weigh your options and decide whether to accept or reject an offer. Thats very understandable. However, you should inform the company as soon as you decide. Dont wait to write to the employer once youve decided to decline the offer. Notifying the company promptly will allow them to move forward with their procedure more rapidly. The longer you wait to deliver your response, the longer their hiring process will take. And we all know that time is money.
2. Keep things simple and straightforward
Begin by conveying your message directly and honestly. Its a rejection letter, after all, so dont go overboard with comments about the company or the people youve met. Avoid being overly emotional and say what needs to be conveyed as respectfully as possible.
3. Show gratitude
A \"Thank you\" is appropriate after declining a job offer.
Begin by expressing your gratitude for the offer and appreciation for the recruiting managers time and thoughtfulness before breaking the news.
Thank the recruiting manager for their time and consideration. Above all, compose the letter in a grateful tone, expressing your gratitude for the recruiters and hiring managers time and work.
The right way to decline
Greetings, Mr. Chimbetu
Thank you so much for informing me of the excellent news! I am very grateful for your offer.
However, I will have to decline the post due to recent developments in my personal life.
I appreciate your time and consideration once more, and I am confident that you will soon discover the ideal candidate for the role.
Sincerely,
James Chimombe
4. Give an explanation, but dont go into detail
Its possible that you didnt accept the offer because the company didnt offer you the pay you wanted. Maybe you werent sure whether youd get along with the hiring manager, or you werent enthusiastic about the company. While these are valid reasons to refuse a job offer, they should not be included in your refusal letter. Simply stating that youve accepted a job offer elsewhere or that this employment offer isnt a good fit is adequate. Its only fair to explain why you turned down the employment offer, but keep it succinct and to the point.
Related: Employment offer and 23 ways to evaluate it
Pro-tip: If your reasons for declining are something you dont want your employer to know, you can say, \"The position doesnt quite fit my professional aspirations.\"
The right way to decline
Greetings, Mr. Chimbetu
Id want to express my gratitude for your job offer. It is really appreciated.
I regret to inform you, however, that I am unable to accept it. My current career objectives are incompatible with this role.
I wish you the best of luck and hope to see you again.
Sincerely,
James Chimombe
Please do not do this
Greetings, Mr. Chimbetu
Thank you for your offer of employment. Regrettably, Ill have to decline.
I spoke with one of your staff and was not impressed with what I was told about the branch manager. I am not a fan of command and control management.
I wish you luck in your search for the ideal employee.
Sincerely,
James Chimombe
5. Offer to keep in touch with them
If you dont accept a position, that doesnt mean you have to break all relations with the recruiter.
Who knows, maybe your paths may cross again somewhere else, or maybe youll apply for another job with the same firm.
In any event, its a good idea to close the conversation on a positive note and leave room for future communication.
Examples of job offer decline letters
1. Having accepted another offer
Mr./Ms. [insert recruiting managers last name],
Thank you for considering me for [insert job title] with [insert firm name]. I accepted a position with another company, despite it being a difficult decision.
I thoroughly liked our discussions and am grateful for you taking the time to interview me over the past two weeks.
Thank you once again for your time and consideration; best wishes for ongoing success, and I hope we can cross paths again in the future.
Sincerely,
2. A job is not the right fit for you
Mr./Ms. [insert recruiting managers last name],
Thank you so much for considering me for the post of [insert job title]. However, I have realized that this position is not a good fit for my current career ambitions.
I thoroughly liked our conversation as well as our discussions with your staff, and I appreciate you taking the time to share information about [insert company name position ]s and mission.
Thank you again for your thoughts and time; best wishes for continuing success.
Sincerely,
Conclusion
The email or letter rejecting the employment offer should be brief and to the point. Dont say anything negative about the job or the company. You are not required to give a specific reason for declining the offer.
It is unnecessary to explain who made the offer and why you accepted it if you have accepted another job offer. Thank the employer for the job offer, thank them for their time and effort, and formally decline the position.
This article was written by Nicholas Mushayi a consultant at the Industrial Psychology Consultants. He can be contacted at nicholas@ipcconsultants.com