As part of the job searching process, there might be times when you need to say no to a job offer.
Whether it is because the job is not a good fit or you do not want to relocate to another area, you are well within your rights to turn a position down.
Declining a job offer from a company can be tricky and it needs to be undertaken with tact and diplomacy because you do not want it to prevent you from securing another opportunity in the future. Nevertheless, if you ever find yourself in such a position, always remember to notify the company in a respectful, professional manner.
Here are some tips on how to politely reject a job offer:
Be sure of your decision
Before giving your decisive answer, you need to take a final moment to be sure that you are not interested in the job offer.
Rejecting a job offer needs careful consideration, so if you change your mind once you inform the company, it is unlikely that you can go back on your decision.
Let them know as soon as possible
Once you have decided, do not delay on responding to the company. Letting them know immediately will help them move forward in filling the job position as quickly as possible.
Still, even though you will not be part of the company’s workforce anytime soon, you should consider staying in touch. You never know when you might want to work for them in the future.
Provide a reason
When it comes to turning down a job, you need to be explicit about the fact that you are passing on the opportunity.
Providing the company an honest but brief reason is usually better than leaving them to make assumptions.
After all, it is the right and respectful thing to do to not leave them in the dark about why you are declining the position.
Thank the company
The interview and selection process require a considerable amount of time and resources from the company, so you should not disregard their effort by coming off as ungrateful.
Therefore, while you may have rejected their offer, you should thank them for their time and consideration.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
First published in the Borneo Post online on 8th August 2020: https://bit.ly/2PEv48F
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels.
