After interviewing for a job, a decision must be made: accept or decline the offer? Accepting an offer is easy enough, and it’s a very positive experience, but what about declining an offer? Declining a job offer takes a little more effort and finesse to ensure relationships can continue in the future. We give our insights and a template on declining an offer while maintaining trust and integrity.

Why Were You Interviewing?

Before declining an offer, revisit why you were interviewing for the role? What got you excited about the position? Was it the company? The leader? The responsibilities? Was it the team? Make a note of what you liked and why and keep it in mind when officially declining.

Investigate Further

Suppose you find that the job isn’t the best fit, but you love the company, and the people, then start searching around for other opportunities. You can seek out the company career page, discuss with your recruiter, and speak with the hiring manager to help identify a better-fitting position. You might find a more suitable role immediately or discover one on the horizon.

Contact Your Recruiter

Contacting your recruiter before declining a role is vital. Share with your recruiter why you are declining the offer and what, if any, it would take to accept the offer. Your recruiter has a solid relationship with the hiring manager and, as such, can help you negotiate a better package if so desired. Your recruiter will also help you work through the process of declining the offer. A recruiter will either relay the message to the hiring manager or help you compose an email to the hiring manager.

Communicate

When you decline an offer, you can choose whether or not you will share your reasonings for not accepting with the hiring manager. If you choose to share, keep your words neutral and be brief. You want to ensure that you don’t burn any bridges as there may be future opportunities connected to the people you meet or with the company again. If you are working with a recruiter, we suggest being open and honest about your reasons for declining so that your recruiter can better serve you moving forward in your job search.

Template

Dear

I would first like to thank you for taking the time to sit down with me and share your insights and excitement regarding the position. I truly appreciate it. Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that while I liked many aspects of the company, team, and position, I must decline your offer. At this time, I do not feel this is the best career move for various reasons (you may be specific here), but I would like to stay in touch and continue to network with you (optional).

I wish you and your team much success.

Thank you,

DIVERSANT Can Help

DIVERSANT, an ACS Company, is one of the fastest-growing IT staffing firms in the U.S. Our team of recruiters coach our consultants throughout the interview process, including negotiations and declining offers that are not suitable for their needs. Contact us today to see how we can assist you in identifying your next IT position.