How To Respectfully Decline a Job Offer

At different points in your career, you may find yourself having to decline a job offer. When turning down a job, you’ll need to let the recruiter or hiring manager know as soon as possible so they can continue their search. Informing the company that you’re not interested in accepting their job offer shows professionalism. You may want to interview for another role in the future or cross paths with the recruiter or hiring manager again so it’s in your interest to make sure you leave a positive impression.

How to turn down a job offer

After the final round of interviews, companies will give a verbal or written offer to the candidate they want to hire. The offer includes the role’s responsibilities, salary, benefits, work hours, and other important information about the position and company. Once you receive this offer, you’ll have anywhere from a few days to a week to formally accept or decline the offer.

If you choose not to accept the offer, you’ll need to let the company know promptly. Declining an offer typically happens over email by sending a short message to the recruiter or hiring manager. Sometimes, after extending an offer, the hiring manager or recruiter will schedule a call, and you can decide if you want to turn down the job over the phone.

This article will go over how to decline a job offer but keep the door open by being polite and respectful.

Techniques:

1. Notify the hiring manager promptly
2. Show appreciation for their time and effort
3. Provide a valid reason for declining
4. Be straightforward and concise
5. Offer to stay in touch for future opportunities
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Notify the hiring manager promptly

The hiring manager likely has a deadline for filling the role and will appreciate a timely response. Notifying the hiring manager as soon as you’ve made a decision helps minimize any inconvenience and shows that you value the hiring manager’s and recruiter's time.

This way, they can continue their candidate search and find someone else for the role. The manager will notice and appreciate your courtesy and professionalism, helping you to end on a positive note.

Show appreciation for their time and effort

Recruiters and hiring managers spend a lot of time on the back end during the interview process when evaluating candidates. They’ve likely not only read your resume and reviewed your portfolio but also talked about you in meetings, discussed you with upper management, compared you against other candidates, and even explored your online profiles.

Start your message with gratitude to show appreciation for their time and effort. Let them know you appreciate their time and the opportunity to help keep the door open. Rather than just saying, “Thank you for your time,” add a personalized touch about a specific experience during the interview process.

Pick something specific you spent time doing with them: “I appreciate the time you took to explain to me the company’s travel protocols and team management apps … ” This demonstrates that you take the opportunity seriously and value the company’s interest in you.

Provide a valid reason for declining

When turning down the role and company, provide a valid reason for declining. Let them know briefly why you’re not accepting the role without going into too much detail. Avoid mentioning any negative points about the hiring process, the position, or the company.

Examples of reasons for declining a job offer:

After careful consideration, I have decided to decline the offer …

• Due to the compensation package not aligning with my current financial goals and needs.
• As the position’s location isn’t compatible with my current personal and family commitments.
• And remain in my current role.
• Because I’ve accepted another position.
• The timing isn't right for me to make a career move.

Be straightforward and concise

When writing your job offer decline email, try to be straightforward and concise. You don’t want to take up any more of the recruiter or hiring manager’s time. The message should feel professional while also expressing your appreciation.

Resist the temptation to overexplain any details of your rejection. This can happen when you feel guilty about not accepting a role. Remember to keep the message clear and to the point, sharing the main reason you can’t take the position.

If you want to be specific about why you’re turning down the offer, consider these examples:

After careful consideration, I have decided to decline the offer because …

• I’m seeking a role with a stronger focus on [specific technology or field].
• I’m looking for a position that offers more flexibility in remote work options.
• The travel requirements for the position don’t fit my personal circumstances.
• I’ve decided to pursue further education, which requires my full focus at this time.

Offer to stay in touch for future opportunities

If you enjoyed working with the recruiter or hiring manager and would be interested in a different position at the company, end the message by offering to stay in touch for future opportunities. This will expand your professional network while keeping the door open at the company. You could follow the company, hiring manager, and recruiter on LinkedIn to further show interest.

No one can predict the future. A role that you’re better suited for could open up. The recruiter or hiring manager may move to another company. The possibilities are endless, which is why you want to maintain a professional relationship and leave a positive impression.

What to avoid when declining a job offer

Declining a job offer may feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you haven’t had to turn one down before. You may have the urge to procrastinate and put it off, but companies appreciate when you respond as soon as possible. Spend time thinking about what you want to say, making sure that you’re professional and appreciative while being clear and concise.

• Avoid being informal. The tone should stay professional. While it may feel personal, this is a business decision.
• Avoid brutal honesty and negative feedback. Even if the experience wasn’t the best, focus on the positive so you can keep the door open and maintain the relationship just in case things change.
• Don’t procrastinate or ignore the recruiter. The recruiter needs to know so they can move on to the next step in their job. Giving an answer shows that you respect what they do.
• Avoid making promises you can’t fulfill. The hiring manager may try to convince you to reconsider, but be firm if you’re sure the position or company isn’t the right fit.

Sample letter to turn down a job offer

Following a template or sample can help you figure out the best way to structure your job offer decline email. Make sure that your message is personalized. Recruiters will be able to tell if you used a generic job offer rejection letter that you found online. Taking the time to thoughtfully write the email shows respect.

• Professional greeting. Start with a formal salutation.
• Expression of gratitude. Thank the employer for the opportunity.
• Clear statement declining the offer. Politely inform them of your decision.
• Brief explanation (optional). Provide a concise reason.
• Offer to stay in touch. Express willingness to maintain contact.
• Professional closing. End with a formal closing and your contact information.

Template for declining a job offer:

Subject: Appreciation for the Job Offer - [Your Name]

Dear [Recruiter's Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to thank you for offering me the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I appreciate the time you and your team have taken to get to know me and evaluate whether I’m the right fit for the position [can include a specific detail about the recruitment process].

After careful consideration, I’ve decided to decline the offer because [Insert specific reason]. This decision wasn’t easy, as I have great respect for [Company Name] and am impressed by the innovative work you’re doing [insert what you like about the company’s work].

I genuinely enjoyed getting to know you and the team and learning about the exciting opportunities at [Company Name]. I hope we can stay in touch and potentially collaborate in the future, as I remain very interested in the impactful work your organization is doing.

Thank you once again for the opportunity and your understanding.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your LinkedIn Profile (optional)]

[Your Email]

[Your Phone Number]

Should you decline the job over the phone or by email?

After making the difficult decision to reject a job offer, you might wonder if you should let the recruiter or hiring manager know over the phone or through email. This is often up to you. The recruiter may have a call or meeting scheduled to go over the offer, but you can decline the role beforehand by sending an email.

Phone calls can be more personal but also have more pressure and unpredictability. Emails save the recruiter or hiring manager time and can make you feel more comfortable and in control.

Troubleshooting common scenarios

When declining a job offer, you may come across some common scenarios that you want to be prepared for. Being ready for all possible outcomes, especially when turning down a position over the phone, can help you feel more confident. The conversation may not end once you tell the hiring manager that you’re uninterested in the role. You want to leave a positive impression and remain professional no matter what.

Handling counteroffers

After you reject the job offer, the recruiter may send you a counteroffer, especially if the compensation package was your reason for declining. Wait until you have the formal counteroffer in writing before you formally accept (if you plan on doing so). The hiring manager may verbally increase your salary, offer paid time off, or suggest a sign-on bonus, but nothing is set in stone until you have the offer letter documenting the changes.

If you’re not interested in the company, you can politely decline the new offer again. Be firm, but stay professional if you don’t think the company or position is the right fit. Remember that this is a business decision, and you have to do what is right for you personally and for your career.

Managing emotional responses

You can’t control how the hiring manager or recruiter responds, but you’re responsible for how you react. When declining a job offer, you may need to be prepared to manage emotional responses. The recruiter or hiring manager may get angry or try to guilt you into accepting the position.

Being nonreactive and calm is how you maintain professionalism during tense or uncomfortable situations. If you receive a strongly worded email after your rejection, avoid responding (if you need to at all) until you’re feeling in control of your emotions. During a phone call, remember to breathe and be careful about how you respond. How you handle these situations shows your character and builds your professional reputation.

Addressing concerns about future opportunities

If you want to decline the specific role but are still interested in working for the company, make sure to let the hiring manager know. Explain in your email or over the phone that while the role that you interviewed for wasn’t the right fit, you would like to be considered for future opportunities.

Check the company’s LinkedIn or open roles on the career section of their website to see if any positions match your skills and interests. Tell the hiring manager if you want to interview for other positions. Do this while you already have an open line of communication.

You may not see any roles that interest you right now, but keep checking the careers page. In the next couple of weeks or months, send a follow-up email to the hiring manager or recruiter to let them know you’re still interested.

Summary

When declining a job offer, you want to be polite and respectful to keep the door open for future opportunities. You can let the hiring manager or recruiter know that you’re not accepting the offer over the phone or through email. They appreciate it when you respond promptly to a job offer. This message should be brief, expressing your gratitude for their time and stating why you’re not accepting the role.

Maintain professionalism throughout all stages of the interview process, even when declining an offer. Your goal should be to leave a positive impression in case a different role becomes available or you have an opportunity to work with the recruiter or hiring manager in the future. Every interaction is part of your professional reputation.

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