It’s easy to get excited when an employer is interested in you, especially when you haven’t had any luck getting interviews or job offers. But what if the job proposal isn’t a good fit for you? How do you decline a job offer?
Some of you might be thinking, “Decline a job offer? Why would I do that? Have you seen the unemployment rates?”
As far as declining is concerned you can do it at the conclusion of the interview if you do not feel the opportunity is not right for you. If the offer was made after the interview and you choose to decline you contact the hiring manager and thank them for the opportunity. You would then follow-up the call with a letter (sent via e-mail) thanking them for their interest while wishing them the best for the future. You DO NOT leave the employer wondering what happened to you.
It is not unheard of to decline a job offer. A number of factors will go into this decision such as compensation, the commute, company culture to name just a few. As far as compensation is concerned many candidates who have multiple offers on the “table” will look for the highest dollar or the best overall opportunity for them.