{"id":255,"date":"2017-11-01T02:28:21","date_gmt":"2017-11-01T02:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nixq4qvp95-staging.onrocket.site\/?p=255"},"modified":"2022-10-20T16:50:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T16:50:00","slug":"can-you-decline-a-job-offer-after-you-accept-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/can-you-decline-a-job-offer-after-you-accept-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you decline a job offer after you accept it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

After weeks of soul searching and research, you found the dream job and had your heart set on it. During the interview, the hiring manager was captivated by you\u2013 you killed it, and were offered the position. Obviously, you jumped on the opportunity! You worked really hard to land this job! Everything is peachy keen until the unexpected happens and suddenly you are not in a position to take up the job offer anymore. <\/span><\/p>\n

First of all \u2013 don\u2019t stress. This happens all the time. Consider the following scenarios: <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. You were turned down from your first choice, but shortly received a call from the hiring manager who explained that the candidate they initially chose was no longer available\u2026 now they want you.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. You randomly come across a job advertisement that sounds so much better than the job you were just offered\u2026 you proceed with the interview on a whim, and it turns out they want to hire you too.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. A major life event occurs and you need to change location or your career direction, fast.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. You discover more information about the position or company and, then, you\u2019re not so happy about the job. Rumour is that the boss is a <\/span>slave- driver<\/span>, or the company\u2019s success has been really low lately.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. You are going through a midlife crisis, an unexpected epiphany \u2013 \u00a0you realize that this job is just not right for you. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Whatever the reason, turning down a job you\u2019ve already confirmed is never ideal. However, if<\/span>\u00a0you know with certainty that you can\u2019t follow through, here are a few tips to turn down the offer and hopefully maintain a positive relationship with the employer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t Wait \u2013<\/b> Let your employer know as soon as you realize that you no longer need the job. The sooner you let them know, the sooner they can start looking for your replacement. If only a couple of days have passed since you accepted the job offer, you may find yourself not wanting to bother, but it is definitely good manners to do so, especially since the employer has already invested time and money into giving you the job.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Be honest but tactful<\/b> \u2013 <\/span>Let the employer know why you changed your mind, but do so without offending them or the company. If you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll get along with other employees, simply say you don\u2019t think you fit in with the<\/span> company culture<\/span><\/a>. If you found a job you are much more interested in, explain that you were offered a job that is more appropriate to your <\/span>skill set<\/span><\/a>. The best way to handle an awkward situation like this is to make sure all your interactions with the hiring manager<\/span>\u00a0are professional and polite, so don\u2019t give any negative comments about the employer or the company.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Do it in person or over the phone<\/b> \u2013 Let\u2019s be honest here, confrontation can be intimidating and uncomfortable in general. If you\u2019re more comfortable with a phone call, that is totally okay. Just don\u2019t email or utilize social media to inform the employer of your decision. Own up to your decision and express your regret in inconveniencing them. It is also beneficial to mention some positive factors about the company that you noticed during your recruitment process. Don\u2019t forget to mention your appreciation for those. Focus on explaining that turning down the job was a really tough decision. It\u2019s always best not to burn bridges with any employer \u2013 you never know if you will work with them in the future. Once you\u2019ve told the employer face to face or over the phone, you could follow this up with a formal letter. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Know your bottom line<\/b> \u2013 The person who hired you may try to negotiate with you in a final attempt to change your mind and get you to stay. Before you approach them, determine what your bottom line will be. Would you keep the job for more pay or other benefits? If you decide you do not want to negotiate, be clear about this with the employer if they start to guide the conversation towards that direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Last but not least, do not feel guilty about your decision. The amount of money the company has invested in you thus far is insignificant when compared to the amount of money they would have invested and lost if you would have left after a few weeks of induction and training.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Think positively and act honestly. If you have a good reason, the hiring manager is likely to understand. Do your best to leave the employer on good terms and you\u2019ll have a handy contact in your network.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you’re thinking about a career change or ready to start looking for a new challenge, start with Adzuna<\/a>. 3+ million unique job ads await!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    After weeks of soul searching and research, you found the dream job and had your heart set on it. During the interview, the hiring manager was captivated by you\u2013 you killed it, and were offered the position. Obviously, you jumped on the opportunity! You worked really hard to land this job! Everything is peachy keen Continued \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,134],"tags":[140],"class_list":["post-255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-finding-a-job","category-interviews","tag-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}