Knowing how to decline a job offer in a respectful and professional manner is essential to maintaining good relationships in the business world. While looking for a job can be a long and challenging endeavor, sometimes it can result in an offer that’s not the right fit for you.
In this article, we’ll explain how to decline a job offer without burning bridges. We’ll talk about the different methods you can use and give you pointers on what to include in your response, as well as demonstrate all that through concrete examples. Let’s start!
Key Takeaways
When you decide to decline a job offer, send your answer as soon as possible.
You should provide a reason for declining, but you shouldn’t go into specifics.
Make sure to show gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to maintain a healthy professional relationship with the employer and leave the door open for the future.
Declining a job offer via email allows you to craft your response carefully.
For a more personal approach, you can decline the offer by phone or in person.
How to Politely and Professionally Decline a Job Offer
Here are some vital tips that will help you understand how to decline a job offer politely and professionally.
#1. Send Your Answer Promptly
Sending your answer promptly is important, as it shows appreciation for the hiring manager’s or employer’s time. Once you’ve considered the offer and made a decision to decline it, you should immediately start working on your response and send it as soon as possible.
This way, you’ll give the employer time to review other resumes and proceed with other candidates. If you delay giving them the answer before finally declining, you might end up stalling their hiring process and negatively impacting their business.
A timely response will leave a good impression on the employer and ensure your relationship with them stays positive for potential future collaboration.
#2. Provide a Reason
Providing a reason for declining a job offer is not mandatory, but it helps the other party understand your decision. This is especially important if you’ve been in contact with the recruiter, hiring manager, or employer for a while and you’ve already established rapport.
By communicating your reason for declining their job offer, you’ll continue nurturing a courteous and professional relationship. However, you don’t have to go in-depth in your decision-making process. It’s enough to give a general reason, such as accepting another position that better aligns with your career goals or having other personal considerations.
#3. Show Gratitude & Appreciation
Expressing gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity is critical when declining a job offer. The employer spent time and effort considering you as a job candidate, so thanking them for it is a respectful and professional thing to do.
Your expression of gratitude will add a positive note to the rejection, softening the negative impact it might have on the employer. This will help you maintain a good relationship with them should you ever decide to reapply in the future.
#4. Try to Stay in Touch
You want to try to stay in touch with a potential employer even if you decline their job offer. This is generally a good practice for professional networking, but it’s even more important if you think you might apply to work with them or collaborate in the future.
You should express your eagerness to stay in touch in your response, but you can also continue working on maintaining contact later on. For instance, you can occasionally send a networking follow-up email to congratulate the hiring manager or their company on a professional achievement.
#5. Personalize Your Response
You should personalize your response when rejecting the job offer to show dedication and emphasize your appreciation for the opportunity. The decline message shouldn’t be generic, and it should talk about the specific role and the company that you’ve applied to.
Furthermore, you should address the reader by their name and write to them directly. That way, your personalized response will have a greater positive impact on the reader. It will signal effort on your end and demonstrate respect for the recipient of your message.
Declining a Job Offer Via Email: Pros & Cons + Examples
Declining a job offer via email is an established and professional way to approach the situation. It’s also one of the most common methods due to its multiple benefits.
For starters, you get the time to craft an optimal response. Use your email writing skills to methodically write the message and ensure it perfectly conveys your thoughts. Additionally, you can revise your writing and improve it until it’s flawless. There’s a lot less pressure than declining a job offer in person or via telephone.
However, this method lacks the personal touch that other, more direct types of communication offer. There’s also the issue of delayed responses due to the nature of remote email communication. For example, the employer might want to ask for clarification or give you a better offer. In that case, the communication can continue for hours or even days.
7 Common Reasons for Declining a Job Offer: Email Examples
Now, we'll look at email examples for the most common reasons to turn down a job offer.
Reason 1: Low Salary
Here’s an email example of how to decline a job offer due to the salary not meeting your expectations:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
I would like to thank you for offering me the position of [Job title] at [Company name]. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity and value the time and effort your team invested in my application. However, after careful consideration, I have decided to decline the offer as the salary doesn’t align with my financial goals.
I sincerely enjoyed our conversations and discussions with the rest of your team. I remain impressed with your company’s vision and culture, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.
Once again, thank you for your offer, and I appreciate your understanding.
Best regards, [Your full name]
Reason 2: Not the Right Fit
Now, let’s see how to decline a job offer via email when the job isn’t the right fit for you:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
Thank you very much for offering me the [Job title] position at [Company name]. Though it has been difficult to make this decision, I have to respectfully decline your job offer as I believe the role is not the right fit for my current career goals.
I greatly appreciate the time and effort you and your team dedicated to my interview process. Our discussions only elevated the respect I have for your organization and its mission. I would like to stay in touch and hope we can collaborate in the future.
Thank you for your understanding and the opportunity.
Sincerely, [Your full name]
Reason 3: Accepted Another Offer
Here’s an email example of how to decline a job offer due to accepting another job:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
Thank you very much for offering me the role of [Job title] at [Company name]. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity, but I had to make a difficult decision and accept another job that aligns with my career goals more closely.
I remain impressed by your company’s goals and efforts, and I’ll keep following the exciting work that your team is doing. Moreover, I hope we can stay connected, as our paths might cross again in the future.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely, [Your full name]
Reason 4: Not Interested in the Role
Let’s see how to decline a job offer when you’re not interested in the job:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
Thank you for offering me the [Job title] position at [Company name]. I am grateful for the time and effort you invested in my interviewing process. However, I have to decline the offer as the role doesn’t align with my current professional interests.
I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your organization, and I hope we can stay in touch moving forward.
Best regards, [Your full name]
Reason 5: Personal Reasons
Let’s see how to reject a job offer due to personal reasons:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
Thank you very much for offering me the position of [Job title] at [Company name]. While I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity, I unfortunately have to decline due to personal reasons.
This was not an easy decision, as I am very impressed with your team’s work and the company’s values. I wish you the best of luck in future endeavors and hope we can stay in contact.
Kind regards, [Your full name]
Reason 6: Distance
Let’s see how you can decline a job offer when the location is too far away:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
I want to thank you for offering me the role of [Job title] at [Company name]. However, after careful consideration, I have decided to decline due to the distance involved. The commute would make this extremely challenging for me and it would significantly impact my work-life balance.
I admire the work that you do, which made this decision all the more difficult. I hope we can stay connected should the circumstances change in the future.
Best regards, [Your full name]
Reason 7: Due to Benefits
Here’s how to decline a job offer if the benefits don’t suit you:
Good Example
Subject line: Job offer - [Your name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring manager’s last name]
Thank you very much for offering me the position of [Job title] at [Company name]. I truly appreciate the effort you and your team invested in my hiring process, and I want to thank you for considering me for the role.
Unfortunately, I had to make a tough decision to decline the offer, as the benefits package doesn’t meet my current needs.
I loved learning about your team and your company, and I hope we can stay in touch.
Best regards, [Your full name]
How to Decline a Job Offer Via Phone: Pros & Cons + Email Formula
To decline a job offer via phone, you want to approach the conversation calmly, respectfully, and professionally—the same way you’d approach a phone interview.
One of the biggest advantages of this method over email communication is that a phone conversation is much more personal. It helps you build rapport with the hiring manager or employer and allows you to show appreciation for their time and effort directly.
Moreover, you can provide immediate clarification if the other party has questions. This can help you avoid misunderstandings, further strengthening your professional relationship with the hiring manager or employer.
On the other hand, declining a job offer via phone can be more stressful, as the conversation is difficult to plan ahead. You should have strong verbal communication skills to avoid uncomfortable situations or possible misunderstandings.
If you want to learn how to decline a job offer via phone, here’s a simple formula to follow:
Start with a greeting and an introduction.
Express your gratitude for the offer and the employer’s effort.
Politely decline the offer and provide a brief explanation.
Show eagerness to stay connected.
Finish the conversation on a positive note and wish them success moving forward.
How to Decline a Job Offer After You’ve Accepted It
To decline a job offer after you’ve already accepted it, you want to act quickly and be honest. You should inform the employer right away so that they can refocus and find the right candidate for their position.
You should acknowledge that you might’ve put them in a difficult position and apologize for any inconvenience. If you want to go the extra mile, you can offer to assist them in hiring someone new. For instance, you can recommend another candidate you’re confident in and help that candidate get up to speed about the company’s work and culture.
Employers might be disappointed by your decision, so they might ask you additional questions. Your goal is to remain calm and professional, listen actively, and address their concerns without getting defensive or upset.
Since you’ve already accepted the offer, you should decline the job in person or via phone rather than email. At this point, written communication won’t be personal enough and might show a lack of respect for the employer. A conversation will allow you to express yourself clearly and maximize the chances of keeping the doors open for future opportunities.
Let’s wrap it up with several bonus tips that will help you master the art of declining job offers:
5 More Tips on How to Decline a Job Offer
Maintain a professional tone. Regardless of the reason you’re declining a job offer, you should always use formal language and remain polite and respectful. This can help you build a professional network.
Provide constructive feedback. If you’ve spotted areas where the employer can improve the hiring process, you can let them know. However, be sure to do it in a helpful and tactful manner so that it doesn’t come off as mere criticism.
Be gracious even if the offer isn’t competitive. If the salary or the benefits package doesn’t align with your needs, you should still thank them for their offer. This can open doors to salary negotiations or a better offer in the future.
Stay positive. Even if the hiring process wasn’t perfect, you should still strive to maintain a healthy relationship with the company. Avoid negative acts and comments, as that will burn bridges with them and can even hurt your professional reputation.
Consider any legal implications. This is particularly important if you’re declining a job offer after accepting it. You should carefully review the contract and consult the lawyer, if needed, to see whether you’re breaching something that can result in legal or financial problems.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to decline a job offer helps you navigate this complex situation that can have a significant impact on your professional career. By doing it correctly, you can maintain a healthy relationship with the employer and leave the door open for future collaboration.
Remember to be quick in your response, thankful for the opportunity, and professional throughout the conversation. That way, whether you decline a job offer via email, phone, or in person, you’ll ensure the situation goes smoothly and elegantly.
