How To Politely Turn Down a Job Offer

We’ve talked before about the factors that job candidates should keep in mind before accepting a job offer. But what happens if you need to turn down a job offer instead?

Contrary to popular belief, just because you receive a job offer doesn’t mean you have to take it. While it might feel like you should be lucky to receive an offer in such a tough job market, accepting an offer when you aren't fully committed to the role can be costly to the company and can set you on the wrong course professionally.

Turning down a job offer might seem scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Job candidates decline jobs all the time, and as long as you’re professional about it, you don’t have to worry about having any negative repercussions for your career. Here’s the framework and key points of turning down a job offer without burning a bridge for the future. 

What to do if you’ve received multiple job offers

First, congratulations! While it’s tempting to go with the option that offers the highest salary, it’s important to look at the total package, including benefits and opportunities for advancement. What type of professional development programs does each company offer? What would your career path look like with each employer? Did one have a more welcoming culture, or give you a better overall experience while you were interviewing? After you’ve weighed your options, negotiated your various offers to whatever you're satisfied with, make a decision and contact your preferred employer to accept the job. Then when that paperwork is taken care of, it’s time to focus your attention on the company (or companies) that didn’t make the cut.

Why it’s important to decline a job offer gracefully and politely

Declining a job offer can feel uncomfortable. You know that a company has dedicated time to interviewing you, and they clearly want you to work for them. As embarrassing as it might feel to reach out for the purpose of turning them down, it’s important to exercise common courtesy and give them formal notice so they can offer the position to a different candidate. Remember to never ghost an employer, especially one that has extended you an offer!

When planning to decline a job offer, think about the long-term rather than the short-term effects. For example, you may want to eventually work for that company, but for any number of reasons it might just not be the right fit for you right now (perhaps due to location or starting salary). In this case, your message to the employer might also include a request to stay in touch or a few words that express a continued interest for the future. Furthermore, people change jobs all the time and you might find yourself crossing paths again with the same recruiter or hiring manager at a different company – and you won’t want them to remember you as the candidate who ghosted them. Instead, you want to leave a positive, lasting impression of your professionalism. And how you handle your formal notice of declining a job offer will determine that final impression.

How to decline a job offer

When you are planning to turn down an offer, you should let the employer know as soon as possible. In this case, a professional email is the best form of communication. The email should be addressed to the hiring manager who extended you the offer, and it should start by thanking them for their time. Provide some positive feedback about the company and/or the recruitment process to convey your enthusiasm and appreciation. From there, mention you will not be accepting the offer and provide a brief reason why. Of course, a common reason is that you’ve accepted another job, but other possibilities include that you’re relocating, you’ve been accepted to a graduate program, etc. There’s no need to over-explain, but frame the message as being about your career decisions rather than something the company did wrong. Here’s a basic template you can use for declining a job offer:

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name]:

Thank you for offering me the role of [Position Title] at [Company Name]. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to speak with you and learn more about [a topic that you discussed in the interview]. 

After careful consideration, I have [list reason here: “accepted a position at another company,” “determined that my skills are not a match for the role,” “decided to relocate,” etc.] and will need to decline the offer at this time.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I wish you luck in your search, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.

Best,

[Your Name]

In the end, turning down a job offer is just another part of the job search. What matters for your career in the long-term is that you leave a good impression with whoever you communicate with, as you never know when you may cross paths with that recruiter or company again. Good luck!