Though every job search is unique, all of them include resumes, applications, interviews and (eventually) a job offer. Regardless of the circumstance, receiving a job offer is always exciting. It’s really rewarding when a company chooses you at the end of their interviewing process.
So, if you have a job offer lingering, congratulations — you worked really hard to get here.
In the end, however, no matter how you felt at the beginning of your journey with them, you might have to decline a company’s offer. This could be for any number of reasons — a change of circumstances at home, another offer you were considering and decided to accept, a counteroffer from your current employer, etc.
When this happens (and trust us, it probably will at some point), there’s definitely a right and wrong way to refuse a job offer. Since there’s no telling what the future might hold for your career, you’ll want to get this right.
At Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), our hiring teams extend hundreds of job offers every year (this number increases as we continue to grow). Sometimes candidates decline these proposals.
Over the years, we’ve learned that handling this process can be tricky for many people. In extreme cases, navigating this incorrectly can hinder a candidate’s relationship with a company. You’ll certainly want to avoid this fate when declining a job offer in the future.
In this article, we’ll help you decide the best approach for turning down an employment opportunity by outlining the following:
Feel free to jump around but make sure to check out the email and phone call sections — we’ve included templated examples for you to reference going forward.
Declining a job offer doesn’t need to be complicated. Don’t overthink it. Instead, make sure to be timely and professional when you decline a job. State the reason you’ve decided to pass on the opportunity in a concise, respectful way using the hiring manager’s preferred communication method (over the phone/via email).
Don’t overshare any personal details or draw the process out. Be sure to stick to the decision timeline you’ve previously agreed to with the employer.
Approach the situation with respect and gratitude. Keep in mind: if you do this correctly, the employer should happily consider you for future employment opportunities.
Generally speaking, the only ways you should decline a job offer are over the phone or via email; leaving a voicemail, ghosting the employer, or sending a text message won’t cut it.
If you need to decline an employment opportunity, sending a well-written email is a great way to do so — especially if most of your communications have been by email.
Here are some dos and don’ts for declining a job offer over email:
Do:
Don’t:
Dear [hiring manager name],
I’m writing to thank you for taking the time to consider me for the [name of position] role [company name] is looking to fill.
Unfortunately, after consideration, I’ve decided to decline your job offer. I can’t move forward with this opportunity because [enter your reason for declining].
I really enjoyed getting to know you and your team and wish you all the best as you look to fill this role in the future.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you again for your time and consideration.
Best,
[Your name]
While this is only an example template, an email message similar to this will help you decline a position and remain on good footing with the employer.
Informing an employer that you need to decline their offer is usually news that’s best delivered over the phone. This helps to ensure nobody is confused about the reason you're declining. It also allows you to express your regrets and gratitude respectfully.
When you make this call (or answer it if they’re calling you), be polite and get to the point quickly. Make sure you express the reason you’re declining (they may be able to address it) and thank the employer for their time and consideration.
Like doing this via email, declining a job over the phone comes with a list of dos and don’ts.
Do:
Don’t:
[Employer]: Hello, how are you today?
[You]: Hi, I am well. How are you?
[Employer]: Excellent! I’m calling to check in on the job offer we extended to you. Have you come to a decision?
[You]: I have. Unfortunately, due to [reason for job offer refusal], I can’t accept your company’s offer. Thank you very much for your consideration, though.
[Employer]: I’m sorry to hear that, thank you for taking the time to review our offer and go through the interview process.
[You]: It was my pleasure, thank you for your consideration and best of luck filling this position.
[Employer]: Yes. Have a nice day.
[You]: You too.
In the end, you don’t want this conversation to leave a company feeling slighted or like their offer was taken lightly. If your conversation sounds like the one above, you’ve done a good job.
It’s not bad to decline a job offer. As a job candidate, you need to be truthful with yourself. Finding a job that aligns with your values, passions, and career goals is very important. Accepting a job that doesn’t isn’t good for anyone (you or an employer).
Companies don’t hold job offer declines against job candidates, especially if they were courteous throughout this process. As such, if you need to decline a job offer, do it. Just make sure to have the proper conversation(s) when you do.
Companies will, however, hold it against you if you ghost them. Chances are, you're interviewing at multiple places. You may even have multiple offers. That still doesn't make it acceptable for you to ghost a company.
Instead of ignoring emails, phone calls, and job offers, use the tips above to decline the offer. Failing to reach out to the employer after they offer you a job is far from best practice. In fact, it's a reputation ruiner.
You never know where your career will go in the future; you may want to pursue a role with that company again one day. If you ghost them, they'll put it in their notes. Even if you apply years later, your reputation for ghosting will precede you.
If you don't intend to accept an employer's offer, you should still be respectful and build a strong reputation with the company.
Deciding not to accept an employer’s job offer can be difficult, especially if you were once very interested in it. That said, sometimes things change (for a variety of reasons), forcing you to decline a job offer.
When this happens, there’s a right and wrong way to handle this situation. Here’s what you should keep in mind:
Employ these strategies to decline a job the right way. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you can’t get hired by the company in the future if things change.
Often, people decline jobs because at some point in the hiring process, it becomes apparent that the company isn’t a great fit. While it’s good when people don’t accept offers from companies they don’t want to work for, save some time by knowing what to look for from the start.
To help you avoid a situation where you need to decline a job offer, read How to Choose the Right Company to Work For [Finding the Perfect Match]. If you have any questions, please let us know — our hiring team is here to help you in any way you need.