How to reject job offer

How To Decline a Job Offer

Turn Down an Opportunity Without Burning Bridges

Theresa Chiechi / The Balance

What’s the best way to decline a job offer? How should you turn down a job if you don’t want to take it? It always makes sense to be polite when you reject a job offer, even when the offer didn’t come close to what you were expecting.

There are times when you should turn down a job offer, but what you say or write when you decline depends on your reasons for rejecting it.

If the job wasn’t a good fit, for example, but you liked the company, state in your email or phone call that you were impressed with the organization but didn’t view the job as a good fit for you.

Your response might include a mention of the key skill sets that you would like to employ, the level of responsibility toward which you wish to aspire, or other elements of the prospective job that were missing.

For example, if the target job involved only inside sales, point out that you were interested in a position handling major accounts providing a clear pathway to sales management; the possible upside being that the employer thinks of you for another role currently available or one that might open up in the future.

Tips for Turning Down a Job Offer

Before sending a declination of offer letter, make sure you are positive you do not want the job. If a scenario exists wherein you might take the job (such as a pay increase or other changes in the benefits package), first try to negotiate a counteroffer. Once you send a rejection letter, there is almost no chance you will be offered the job again.

However, if you’ve considered the opportunity well and have decided not to accept it, sending a polite, grateful, and timely job rejection letter is ​a terrific way to maintain a good relationship with the employer.

You never know when, if or how your paths might cross again, so it’s always a good show of professionalism to exhibit gratitude and timeliness.

When You Don’t Like the Company

If the company is unappealing because of its culture, a prospective supervisor, or its products or services, “thanks for the opportunity” with a simple reference to the job not being a great fit at this point in your career is sufficient.

Candidates are generally better off not expressing specific dissatisfaction with the staff with whom they interacted or sharing any criticisms of the organization.

When the Job Doesn’t Pay Enough

If a job and organization are attractive but the offered salary is insufficient, you might address this issue in your communications. If all efforts to negotiate a higher salary fail to yield the results you require, send a communication expressing your thanks and reaffirming your excitement about the position, stating that you must decline due to the level of the salary.

Sometimes an employer will come back to you with a better offer once they see that you are truly willing to walk. Be prepared to discuss a counteroffer, if a higher salary would make a difference.

What to Include in a Job Rejection Letter

Your letter should include the following:

Address the letter to the person who offered you the position. Include your contact information and phone number, even though it is on file with the employer.

There’s no need to give extensive details as to why you’re declining the job. Do not include any potentially offensive reasons, such as a poor work environment or feeling uncertain about the company’s long-term future and profitability.

However, it is appropriate to briefly mention a reason for turning the job down. For example, you might explain that you accepted another offer, decided it was best to stay at your current job, or felt that the position didn’t ultimately match your career goals. Whatever the case, keep your explanation brief.

As with any communication sent to an employer, it’s important to make sure that your letter is well written and does not contain typos or grammatical errors.

Even in declining a position, all correspondence should be professional.

Sample Letters Declining a Job Offer

Review the following sample job rejection letters and use them as templates for your own letter.

Job Rejection Letter Example #1

Contact Name
Street Address
City, State Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

Thank you very much for offering me the position of Marketing Manager with Hatfield Industries. It was a difficult decision to make, but I have accepted a position with another company.

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to interview me and to share information on the opportunity and your company.

Again, thank you for your consideration.

Signature (hard copy letter)

Job Rejection Letter Example #2

Contact Name
Street Address
City, State Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

Thank you very much for offering me the opportunity to work at Bronson Associates. Unfortunately, I will not be accepting the position as it does not fit the path I am taking to achieve my career goals.

Once again, I’d like to express my gratitude for the offer and my regrets that it didn’t work out. You have my best wishes in finding someone suitable for the position.

Signature (hard copy letter)

Job Rejection Email Example

Job Rejection Email Example

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

Thank you for offering me the position of Unit Coordinator at Acme Enterprises and for reviewing my counteroffer with management. I fully understand that budgets are tight, but must regretfully decline the position at the current compensation.

Once again, I want to thank you so much for your graciousness during the negotiation process. I wish you and Acme all the best.

How to (politely) decline a job offer

Jump to section

I was just catching up with a friend this past weekend. Like so many others, she’s on the hunt for a new role.

And she’s fortunate to already have a stable job, but she wants to position herself better with an eye toward her career.

Recently she was offered a new job with her current company. Yet she’s still interviewing for two other internal positions while also interviewing externally. By the end of this month, she’ll likely have turned down even more job offers. After all, she’s holding out for the best opportunity for her career trajectory.

It’s both a dance and a game, an art and a science. And for job seekers, landing the offers best-suited to their potential is going to mean turning down others.

But declining a job offer isn’t always easy.

You might have just invested weeks in a grueling interview process. Ultimately, you decided another offer presents more opportunities. Or you might really enjoy the company and its culture but the position isn’t the right fit. Or you might be interviewing rigorously but your current company countered your negotiation with a salary adjustment that you can’t refuse. Or, if you’re like my friend, you might have multiple job offers on the table at once.

There are lots of reasons why declining a job offer might be in your best interest. Careers are long, however, and life is unpredictable — in the short- and long- term. Always keep a relationship mindset rather than a transactional one. When declining an offer, keep these considerations in mind.

How to politely decline a job offer

So, you’ve found yourself in a position where you need to turn down a job. Let’s walk through some steps to keep top of mind when politely — and professionally — declining a job offer.

1. Make sure you want to decline the offer

The first (and probably most important) step: make sure you want to say no. Changing jobs is a big life event — and the decision isn’t always an easy one.

Consider all factors of what it means to say no to the job offer. Would your pay or salary significantly increase? How would accepting (or rejecting) impact your mental health and well-being? What about workplace flexibility, remote, or hybrid work options? Do you see yourself growing within the organization? How well do your values align with the company values?

When I recently evaluated a career change, I wrote out all the pros, cons, and things I needed in my life — both personal and professional. It helped to see an evaluation on paper to be able to decide on whether or not a role was the right fit for me.

You might consider working one-on-one with a coach. A coach can help guide you through your decision-making process and challenge your thinking in ways you might not have imagined. With personalized coaching, you can decide with confidence. After all, a new career brings on a whole new set of challenges and opportunities.

Be certain you want to say no before you decline. There’s often not a lot of wiggle room if you change your mind.

2. Show appreciation and gratitude

Interviewing is a hefty, time-consuming process. It’s likely many folks invested a lot of time throughout your interview process. Recruiting takes a lot of work — from resume and phone screens to interview panels to vetting sample projects. The offering company is excited about you and eager (and hopeful) for you to join the team.

Lead your declination with a sign of appreciation and gratitude. Make sure you thank the recruiting team and the hiring team for their time and thoughtfulness. It’s never a bad idea to reiterate what you’ve learned from the process. By sharing your gratitude and learnings, you’re signaling to the company that you really took this opportunity seriously.

3. Keep the networking door open

Some of the best advice I’ve ever received from a mentor was this: “You’ll never know when your paths will cross in the future.”

Sometimes, timing is everything. For example, you could interview at your dream company for a role that you’re not super excited about. Or you be keeping your eye out for a different position in another region or location.

Keep that networking door open when you decline an offer. It’s a good idea to offer to stay connected on LinkedIn. You can also reiterate your interest in the company but say the position just wasn’t the right fit. It’s not too bold to say you’d be interested in future roles (if that’s the case) that may be more aligned with XYZ.

Whatever the case, look at the opportunity as a webbed network of future opportunities. Just because you’re saying no to a position now doesn’t mean you have to walk away from the company altogether.

4. Explain your decision

A simple “I’m declining this opportunity” won’t suffice. Especially if you’re interested in keeping that networking door open, it’s important to explain your decision. This is particularly true if everything is aligned except for the actual role — new roles may come up.

You can be transparent but you also don’t need to share details. For example, let’s say you’re declining a role because you’ve received another offer with a better compensation package, flexibility, and growth opportunities. It’s okay to share that information with the recruiter.

But you may be relocating to a new area to care for a sick family member and need to find a new job. In personal and private career and life decisions, you’re under no obligation to share with a potential employer. At the end of the day, it’s up to you.

In some ways, companies may not even know their job offers aren’t stacking up to others in the market without this tangible feedback. It’s important that companies understand the logical reasoning behind their declinations. By gathering this data, they can actually take the feedback to adjust their own hiring practices.

3 email examples for turning down a job offer

If you’ve made up your mind about declining an offer, the next step is to tell them your decision. For many people, this might include a combination of email and a phone call or the offer of a deeper conversation. But people are busy. An email lets the hiring manager know immediately that they need to keep the position open and move other candidates forward.

Depending on the scenario, your declination email will look different. Here are 3 job offer rejection letter templates to help craft your email.

If the offer doesn’t help you achieve your career goals

Thank you for the generous offer to work as a

I sincerely appreciate the offer and want to express my gratitude for the chance to meet your team. But after careful consideration, I know this opportunity isn’t the right fit for my career trajectory.

I wish you all the best in finding the right candidate for the role. Please do keep in touch if another position opens up with in mind.

If you’re interested in the company — but not the role

Thank you for the opportunity to work as a

After careful consideration, I have come to a difficult decision. Unfortunately, I have to decline this opportunity at this time. I’m incredibly interested in but the position itself doesn’t seem like it’s the right fit for my career goals.

I sincerely appreciate the offer and want to express my gratitude for the chance to meet your team. I wish you all the best in finding the right candidate for the position.

If you’ve accepted a better offer

Thank you for the opportunity to work as a

I sincerely appreciate the offer and want to express my gratitude for the chance to meet your team. I wish you all the best in finding the right candidate for the position.

How to turn down a job offer when the timing isn’t right

As mentioned earlier, timing is everything.

When we show up to work, we show up as whole people. Personal lives can be messy. Job searching is a daunting and messy process. And making a big career change can sometimes not be the right decision for you.

First, engage your support system to help get career advice and gather feedback. For some, it might be a mentor or teammate. For others, you might be working with a personal and professional development coach.

Once you’ve determined the timing just isn’t right, that’s okay. There are two key components to ensure are communicated clearly to the offering company.

You want to maintain a relationship. Make sure you’re transparent about the relationship you’d like to maintain. Hopefully, at this stage in the job search process, you’ve built a strong relationship with either the recruiting team or hiring manager (or both).

Express your gratitude and appreciation for their investment in the relationship. State that you’d love to continue to maintain the relationship. Connect with the person(s) on LinkedIn.

Check in every so often with the recruiter and/or hiring manager to see how things are going. Express interest in the company and the team — and reiterate that with the right position and the right timing, you’d be ready to make the leap.

Consider the perspective of the offering organization. It’s almost guaranteed they’d like to employ a person who will want to stay with the company for a significant period of time. It’s likely they’d like to hire someone who wants to grow within the organization. It’s likely that they’d like any new hire to add value in meaningful ways.

Make sure you reiterate your interest in future opportunities. But tie it back to what the mutual wants. You can also work with your coach or mentor for the best career advice specific to your situation.

Your next move is out there

Your career path is yours. And the hiring process — and job interview — is no easy feat to overcome.

You should feel proud of yourself for receiving a job opportunity, even if it’s not the right fit for you. It’s likely any potential employer would be lucky to have you on their team.

Alignment with your values, aspirations, and practical needs is crucial for succes in any role, and you learn more about what you’re looking for as you go through a job search process.

When you’re evaluating a job opportunity, consider the role of a coach or other objective guidance. With personalized support from BetterUp, you can feel confident in your decision.

How to Politely Decline a Job Offer (With Example Emails)

Job offers can range from jump-out-of-your-chair-and-call-your-mom exciting to start-venting-to-the-group-text insulting. But regardless, you still need to respond.

Of course, it’s easier to reply to a job offer if you’re delivering positive news or just asking for more details or more time. But turning one down is a different story.

Whether you’re faced with an offer that you’d never accept in a million years or one that you’d consider (if not for the other, better offer you also received), here’s how to craft a gracious “thanks but no thanks.”

Follow these steps to craft your email:

Step 1: Show your appreciation.

First and foremost, it’s important to thank the hiring manager for the offer and for their time. Yes, interviewing potential candidates is part of the job, but this person likely spent several hours reading your resume, trolling your social media profiles, and sitting down with you for interviews. They also may have gone out on a limb to talk you up to other people at the company.

So a heartfelt—and specific—thank you for that time and effort will go a long way. For example:

Step 2: Give a good, brief reason.

Especially if you’ve spent a lot of time interviewing or the job offer is from a company you’d consider working for in the future, it’s right and respectful to not leave a hiring manager in the dark about why you’re declining the position. That said, there’s also no need to go into detail about the red flags you saw in your would-be boss, spill about the amazing perks at the job you did accept, or moan that you’ve spent the past week agonizing over your decision.

The best approach is to be brief but honest about your specific reason for not accepting the position, saying something like:

You can elaborate to the extent that it makes sense—for example, at one point, I had been referred to a company by a friend and gone through three interviews before getting an offer and felt that I owed the hiring team a thorough explanation. I expressed how much I enjoyed getting to know the group and why the position was so interesting to me, but shared that I had another offer that would ultimately point me more in the direction of my career goals.

But if the position seems terrible and the only real reason you have is that you’d rather stand in an unemployment line than accept it, a simple, “It’s not quite the right fit for my career goals at this time” will suffice.

Step 3: Stay in touch.

The working world—especially in certain industries—can be surprisingly small. So offering some small pleasantries before you sign off is always a good idea. If you can reference something you discussed, like an event or conference you’re both attending, do so. Otherwise, you can make a simple mention that you wish this person all the best in the future.

Here’s what this advice might look like all together:

Email example if you decided to accept a different offer

Thank you so much for the generous offer to join your team. As we discussed, I’ve admired the company for a number of years, and am a proud endorser of its products. However, after further consideration of where I currently am in my career, I’ve decided to accept an offer at another company.

I would love to stay in touch via LinkedIn and have already started following you on Twitter. Again, thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Email example if the role or offer isn’t the right for you

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me over the last few weeks. It was a pleasure to learn more about all the great work you and the team are up to at Company Inc.

While I’m flattered to receive such a great offer from your team, I’ve decided to pursue a role that has more of a focus on writing than editing. So I will unfortunately have to decline. It’s been terrific to get to know you and the team, and I wish you all the best.

Email example if you’ve decided to stay at your current job

Thank you again for offering me the software development role on your team. I appreciate you all taking the time to interview me and answer my questions about the job and the company. After a lot of consideration, I’ve decided that this isn’t a good time for me to leave my current position. I hope we can stay in touch and that I might have the pleasure of working with you in the future.

Here are a few more things to think about as you write your email—especially if this is a situation where you’d really like to keep communication lines open.

Turning down a job offer—no matter how sure you are that you don’t want it—never feels great. But sometimes it’s worth waiting it out for the right job, and not just one that happens to be available. Take a deep breath and don’t forget that you’re dealing with this because you’re great and people want to hire you.

Adrian Granzella Larssen, Richard Moy, and Regina Borsellino contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

The Muse is a values-based careers site that helps people navigate every aspect of their careers and search for jobs at companies whose people, benefits, and values align with their unique professional needs. The Muse offers expert advice, job opportunities, a peek behind the scenes at companies hiring now, and career coaching services. The current team of writers and editors behind The Muse’s advice section includes Regina Borsellino, Brooke Katz, Rebeca Piccardo, Devin Tomb, and Stav Ziv—and over the years has included many other talented staffers! You can also find The Muse on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Flipboard.

How to decline a job offer gracefully

You spent a lot of time tailoring your resume to the job. You may have gone through months of job search, several rounds of interviews and received a job offer. You should be thrilled that you got the job, but you have chosen to decline it.

Declining a job offer takes careful consideration, and there are many reasons why people decline a job offer.

Perhaps the offered salary was too low even after negotiations (go to our salary comparison tool to understand the industry average for your salary), there was a disconnect with your future manager, and you sense that you would not be a good fit with the company culture, or during the discussion, you realise that the actual job does not match the job description you signed up for.

Is it unprofessional to decline a job offer? Not at all. In today’s job market that is candidate-driven in some functions, skilled professionals may have multiple job offers, and it is widely accepted that job seekers might turn down a role.

Depending on your industry and sector, you might even receive multiple job offers. In fact, a recent survey by Gartner found that nearly 50% of job seekers are considering at least two job offers simultaneously.

Turning down a job offer takes tact and grace

Declining a job offer is a difficult decision. A big decision. It is natural to feel nervous about turning it down. It almost feels like you are breaking a promise or not holding up your end of a deal you made when you first applied for the job.

The reality is employers know that candidates may not accept a job offer even if they interviewed hard for it. If you still feel bad, think of it this way: Like the way hiring managers turn down applicants, job seekers also have the right to turn down job offers.

Declining a job offer will not burn bridges. You need to do it in a respectful and professional way that would not damage any work relationships with the organisation in the future. Ahead, you’ll find tips on just how to decline a job offer.

Be prompt when turning down the job offer

First and foremost, you need to act quickly and inform the hiring manager or recruiter as soon as you have decided to decline the job offer.

Taking your time to update the employer of your decision is likely to create an inconvenience. This is because the hiring team may have other potential candidates lined up in the event you decline their offer.

Also, this will not do you any favours in maintaining a good relationship if you do like the company and hope to work there in the future.

Consider the medium: Should you email or call the hiring manager to decline a job offer?

Although sending an email to turn down a job offer is acceptable, speaking to the hiring manager or recruiter directly over the phone makes a more considerate way of turning down the job. A phone call also offers a more personal touch.

After all, this individual had invested much time with you through the interview process and is probably looking forward to having you on their team. If you want to call but are worried you would get stuck during the call, write down what you want to say and use your notes to keep you focused.

If you cannot get them on the phone, send an email immediately to avoid delaying the hiring process further. You could add in your letter that you didn’t manage to catch them for a phone call and have to email.

Give a good reason why you are turning down a job offer

You do not have to give the hiring team or recruiter a complete account of why you are turning down the job offer.

You need not provide a specific reason, and the reason need not be the whole truth (for instance, there is no need to say you don’t connect with the hiring manager, or that you do not appreciate their company culture).

At the same time, to decline a job offer politely, you do not want to say too little, or anything negative as you should take this opportunity to preserve the relationship for the future.

Start with a note of appreciation

In your email or call, start with a thank-you note like:

“Thank you very much for offering me the opportunity to work at [Company] as [Job Title].”

“Thank you for your generous offer and the opportunity to work at [Company] as [Job Title].”

7 example job rejection responses to give when turning down a job offer

Follow with a brief explanation of why you have to decline a job offer. Here are some examples of how to explain your reason:

How to end your call or email when declining a job offer

Finish your conversation or email with a thank you note and some pleasantries. You want the hiring manager to know that you appreciated their time.

And again, you do not want to burn any bridges as you may not know when your paths will cross again, especially if your industry is small.

So end your call or email with something like this, “Again, I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to interview me and for offering me this role. I wish you all the best in finding someone suitable for the position. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, and I hope that we cross paths in the future.”

How to maintain a good relationship with a company after rejecting their job offer

Turning down a job offer is intimidating but can be handled with professionalism and grace. Keep in mind that a role that is not quite the right fit for you will only lead to resentment and unhappiness in the long run.

Follow the steps above, and you will be able to decline a job opportunity and still maintain a relationship with the company. If you want to remain in the company’s good graces for future job opportunities, you could stay in touch.

One way is to add the individual who interviewed you on LinkedIn. This way, this person will be updated on your achievements and career developments.

By doing this, you would, to some extent, remain top-of-mind for the company when a job opportunity at that company comes up.

Looking for a great job opportunity? Browse our latest jobs, submit your CV or get in touch with a Michael Page consultant to discuss roles in your field.

How to Reject a Job Offer Gracefully

Content Manager and Career Expert

After having applied for job after job after job in your cut-throat job search, you’ve finally managed to bag yourself an offer but it just isn’t quite right for you. Whatever you reason – maybe you’ve received a second offer and you need to let this one down or perhaps you’ve simply realised that the job doesn’t tie in with your career goals – rejecting an offer can be just as hard (if not harder) than a breakup.

So, how do you go about letting the hiring manager down and rejecting a job offer gracefully? And should you call or email them?

This guide will answer all your questions and walk you through the steps you need to take to decline a job offer without burning any bridges in the process.

1. Don’t Procrastinate

Once you’ve made your decision and you’re 100% certain that you want to turn down the offer, it’s vital that you don’t waste any time and let the hiring manager know immediately. Their time is money, and while you’re procrastinating they could be losing out on another candidate they had their eyes on.

Don’t sit on a decision for days or hold off rejecting the offer because you’re too nervous – unless, of course, you want to earn yourself a black mark next to your name and ruin any chance of making vital contacts in the industry.

2. Keep It Simple

You don’t have to go overboard and make your refusal super emotional (I know I compared it to a breakup, but you’re not actually in a relationship with the hiring manager). You don’t have to be excessive on how great you think the company is. Instead, be polite and keep the rejection letter or email to the point – there’s no need for pages of unnecessary waffle.

3. Show Your Appreciation

It’s important to thank the hiring manager for the opportunity and for their time throughout the interview process. If you have taken a liking to the interviewer, this appreciation will come naturally as you will feel bad about letting them down.

You could choose to thank them for something specific. For example, if you asked a lot of questions to come to your conclusion, you can mention how helpful you found everyone involved in the process and how you really appreciate the time that they spent to explain the role in detail to you.

4. Provide an Explanation

Following on from the previous point, you will naturally need to provide an explanation as to why you are rejecting the role and why you find it unsuitable. The most respectful thing you can do is to not leave the hiring manager in the dark about why you are not willing to work for the company. That said, if your decision is based on the fact that you didn’t like the company culture or the hiring manager, you don’t need to brutally honest about it.

In all other instances, you should be brief but honest. For example, if the reason is because the salary they’re offering is too low for your financial obligations, you can tell them so; they may even come back with a counteroffer. The same applies if the commute will be too long, the role isn’t what you expected or you have been offered a more suitable position that better aligns with your career goals.

Be sure to include aspects of the company you like, though, and how you enjoyed meeting the manager or recruiter in your explanation.

5. Propose to Stay in Touch

If you made a connection with the hiring manager, but the role wasn’t a good fit for you, you can propose to stay in touch with them. Keep the door open by letting them know that you’re still interested in the company if a more suitable role arises. In addition, you can offer a small pleasantry before you sign off by referencing something you discussed or by simply ending your note on: ‘It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, and I hope that we cross paths in the future’.

6. Offer Referrals

As I previously mentioned, some jobs can just be the wrong fit for you – but perfect for someone you know. If you have a reliable contact that is looking for a similar position, let the hiring manager know and put them in contact with your friend. This will generally soften the blow of your refusal.

You could follow the template below when writing up your response:

Dear [Hiring Manager],

Thank you so much for the generous offer to join your team. As discussed, I am a big fan of your company and a follower of its products. However, after further consideration, I feel this role will not align with my current career goals.

That being said, I have a few connections I think would be great for the role and would be happy to send their contact details to you. If there’s anything else I can send along to you, please let me know.

7. Follow the Style of Your Point of Contact

Has your communication been entirely by email? Or have you been discussing details over the phone? Consider your normal method before choosing how to decline the offer – it might be much easier to decline the offer by email but if you’ve been speaking on the phone, it’s only polite to call before you follow up in writing.

8. Call Them

Deciding whether to accept or decline a role can be an important life decision and the way you deliver your decision can make a world of difference. As Leanne Knight, the senior HR manager at Boots UK, says: ‘In a digital world, sometimes it’s nice to get the personal touch by having a great telephone conversation’.

The following tips will help you deliver the news politely over the phone:

9. Send an Email

An email is usually the preferred method of communication when it comes to the hiring process. The below sample can help you form your personalised reply when you are lost for words.

TotalJobs

10. Do it by Letter

A letter is also an appropriate method of notification, especially if it’s a follow-up after a telephone conversation. The below template can give you inspiration for your personal letter.

WikiJob

Being the bearer of bad news is an uneasy situation but is necessary when you need to decline a job offer. By following this guide, you’ll learn how to do this gracefully without burning any bridges.

Have you had to turn down a job offer before? If so, share your experience with us in the comment section below…