To Turn Down A Job Offer – And Still Make A Good Impression
Have you ever had to turn down a job offer? In this article, you will learn some tips on how to maintain good relationships with the company and avoid missing out on future employment opportunities.
You have applied for a job and been called for an interview. Or maybe a recruiter saw your profile online and contacted you. That’s good news!
Regardless of the circumstances, you may at some point end up in a situation where you have to turn down a job offer. But how can you do this without your relationship with the company failing?
You may feel the need to turn down a job offer for several reasons. It is a bittersweet situation, especially if you have applied with great enthusiasm and the company is keen to hire you.
But many things can happen during the interview. You may realize that the salary is not what you expected, that there are no promotion opportunities or that the working hours do not suit you (either because you have children or other obligations).
The same thing can happen if you get a job offer from a company that is interested in your professional profile. In these cases, if the conditions do not suit you, however, it may be easier for you to say no to the job.
However, how should one react in this type of situation? Is it possible to turn down a job offer without losing a future opportunity?
How to turn down a job offer
Take your time before answering
In most cases, you should take the time to think things through before deciding to decline a job offer. Other times, you may not doubt at all.
For example, if you think working hours are impossible, financial conditions do not meet your expectations, or the type of job you are offered is not as secure as you thought it would be, then you may not even need to think about it.
Whatever the case, you should avoid responding immediately. This way you will be sure of what is preventing you from saying yes and you will be able to say no to the job without looking bad. You never know, the interviewer may be willing to negotiate if the company is very interested in your profile.
Do not wait too long to say no to a job offer
Taking the time to turn down a job offer does not mean that you should take days to do so. This shows that you are afraid to be open. Therefore, you should give them an answer either the same day or the day after the interview or that you received the offer.
In this way, you will not only look better in their eyes, but the company will also be able to continue its selection process with other candidates.
Remember that not all candidates will want to decline the offer. They may need a job as soon as possible. Therefore, you should not delay with your answer for too long.
Honestly state the reasons behind your no
One of the last pieces of advice when it comes to refusing a job offer is to be honest. Tell the company about the real reasons why the position does not suit you. If it does not meet your expectations, communicate this clearly. Should the salary be the problem, you should not be ashamed to admit that this is the reason why you say no to the job.
If you find it difficult to decline a job offer over the phone, send an email instead. Give your reasons honestly and do not forget to thank the company for showing interest.
By doing this, the company will know what your terms are and perhaps a future position that meets your needs will be opened. If you say no to the job properly, it is more likely that they will call you for a future position, should anyone show up.
You should not think that you have to accept a job offer because they are a positive thing to do, or for fear that you will not find anything better. If you are not completely satisfied with the working conditions, make a firm decision in your favor.
