Wednesday, March 6, 2019

3 Things to Remember When Turning Down a Job Offer



When you get called back for a second interview, it can be pretty exciting. You are obviously on the short list for the position.

But, wait. If you do an internal gut check, you realize you're not super excited about the job or the company. Oh, well, you think, just get that second interview because you're close to desperation to get a new job.

When the job offer does come, you might get a momentary spark of joy, but it's nothing on the scale of a Marie Kondo spark of joy. In fact, it's already fizzled and you're left with the reality that you really don't want the job.

Now what? Should you take the job and hate it from Day 1? Or, do you want to turn it down and keep trying?

A lot depends on your financial situation and where you feel you need to go next in your career. This is a good time to make a list of the pros and cons and speak with trusted mentors or family. If you do decide that you just can't take the job because of various reasons, how you decline the position may be one of the most critical tightropes you will walk in your career.

That's because hiring managers often know other hiring managers and well, they talk. They talk about job candidates and if you blow off the job offer with a rude "no" then they will be talking about you. That could seriously impact your ability to get interviews or offers from other companies.

If you get a job offer that you don't want, then you need to:


  • Be honest. You don't have to be brutally honest, such as saying "I realized I'd be dying a slow death if I took the job because it just sounds so boring." But you can say something like: "The more I thought about the job, the more I realized that it just wasn't the direction I wanted to take my career. I really want to do more field work, rather than analysis in the office." 
  • Be appreciative. You can probably never begin to appreciate the time and energy is takes to post a job, go through resumes, interview candidates, check references and get approval to make a job offer. Not to mention the money it costs. The hiring manager deserves appreciation for spending all that time and energy on you, and you need to also show an awareness of all the other people who may have spent time talking to you or answering questions.
  • Keep communication open. If you genuinely liked the hiring manager, then feel free to say something like, "I enjoyed getting to know you and if I can ever be of help to you in the future, please let me know." Then, you can send a LinkedIn request that will let the hiring manager know you're not just empty words.
Finally, let the experience be a lesson to you that you need to do some careful consideration when you're called for a second interview. If you're truly not interested in the company or the position, then don't waste everyone's time and politely tell the hiring manager you've decided to go in another direction.



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