Why Would You Decline a Job Offer?

Why might you decide to decline a job offer?

As a recruiter, I've had the unfortunate experience of having one of my candidates turn down a job offer that they were presented but fortunately I've only experienced this once.

The fact is that sometimes, a job offer does not have everything that a person wants or needs and if the company is unwilling to improve upon it, the person has to decide if they really want the job or not.

Here are some common reasons to decline a job offer:

• Inadequate compensation, benefits, vacation, bonus, stock options, etc.
• Disagreement over job title and/or job responsibilities
• A change of heart either regarding your current employer or the potential new employer
• A gut feeling that “something just isn’t right” with the new employer
• A change in your personal situation that just makes the new job less attractive or impossible to accept.

If you decide to decline a job offer after it’s been made, you need to understand that you have most likely burned your bridges with the company you are turning down.

Companies don’t like to have people turn down an offer they’ve made because not only do they have to start their search again from scratch to fill this position, they may have already turned down other suitable candidates for the job that they SHOULD have offered the job to in hindsight.



No one wants to look like they made a mistake so if you decline a job offer after it’s been made, you are basically telling the company they made a mistake offering you the job in the first place.

Think twice before you decline a job offer.

Do you really want to shut the door on the job opportunity and the company?

Keep in mind that when you decline a job offer, you basically go back to the same situation you had before you started looking for a new job and whatever complaints you had with your old company and job are most likely going to be waiting for you when you get back!



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