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HowtoDeclineaJobOfferWithLetterExamples

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How to Decline a Job Offer With Letter Examples

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Monty Rakusen / Cultura / Getty Images

By Alison Doyle
Updated July 06, 2016

What's the best way to decline a job oer? How you turn down a job oer depends on your reasons
for rejecting the oer. Review advice on the best way to say "no thanks" to a job, so you can decline
gracefully.

How to Decline a Job Offer

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

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Your response might include a mention of the key skill sets that you would like to employ, level of
responsibility that you aspire towards, or other elements of the prospective job that were missing.
For example, if the target job involved only inside sales, you could say that you were interested in a
sales position handling major accounts that would provide a clear pathway to sales management.
The possible upside will be that the employer might consider you for another role currently
available or a job that might open up in the future.
When You Don't Like the Company
If the company is unappealing because of its culture, your prospective supervisor, products, or
services, etc. then a simple thanks for the opportunity with a vague reference to the job not being a
great t at this point in your career will be sucient. Candidates are generally better o not
expressing any dissatisfaction with the sta with whom they interacted or sharing any criticisms of
the organization.
You never know when your path might cross with any of the players in the future.
When the Job Doesn't Pay Enough
If a job and organization are attractive, but a salary oer is insucient, you might address this issue
in your communications. Normally this would be done after rst arming your excitement about
the oer and trying to negotiate a higher salary.

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If this eort is futile you could send a communication expressing your thanks and rearming how
excited you were about the job, but stating that you need to decline due to the level of the salary.
Sometimes an employer will come back to you with a better oer at this juncture once they see that
you are truly willing to walk.

When and Why to Send a Job Rejection Letter

When you have decided not to accept the position, there are a number of reasons to reject a job
oer with a letter. First of all, a letter allows you to clearly state that you are not interested in the
job. With a letter, there is little room for confusion on either partys side.
Sending a polite and grateful job rejection letter is also terric way to maintain a good relationship
with the employer. You never know if the employer will have a better oer for you in the future, so
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you do not want to burn any bridges.

Before you send your letter, make sure you are positive you do not want the job. If there is any way
you would take the job (such as a pay increase or other changes in the benets package), rst try to

negotiate a counter oer.

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Once you send a rejection letter, there is almost no chance you will be oered the job again.
When you do write your letter, avoid procrastinating. Make sure to send your letter as soon as
possible after youve decided to decline the oer. A timely letter is much more thoughtful than a
late one.

What to Include in a Job Rejection Letter

Your letter should include the following:

Thank you and appreciation for the oer

Written rejection of the job oer

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Address the letter to the person who oered you the position. Include your contact information
and phone number, even though it is on le with the employer.
You don't have to give extensive details as to why you're declining the job. Denitely do not include
any potentially oensive reasons, such as a poor work environment or feeling uncertain about the
company's long-term future and protability. Avoid these kinds of specics in your letter to ensure
your letter is received positively.
However, it is appropriate to briey mention a reason for turning down the job. For example, you
might explain that you accepted another oer, decided it was best to stay at your current job, or felt
that the position didnt ultimately match your career goals. However, 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 though you aredeclining the job,
you want to make sure all your correspondence is 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
Date
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,
Thank you very much for oering me the position of Marketing Manager with Hateld Industries. It
was a dicult 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)

Your Name

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Job Rejection Letter Example #2

Contact Name
Street Address
City, State Zip
Date
Advertisement

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

Thank you very much for oering me the opportunity to work at Bronson Associates.
Unfortunately, I will not be accepting the position as it does not t the path I am taking to achieve
my career goals.
Once again, I'd like to express my gratitude for the oer and my regrets that it didn't work out. You
have my best wishes in nding someone suitable for the position.
Signature (hard copy letter)
Your Name
Advertisement

Related Articles:When to Turn Down a Job Oer|How to Negotiate a Counter Oer

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How to Write Effective Letters for Job Searching

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Getty Images/Darkcloud

By Alison Doyle
Updated August 08, 2016

Crafting eective letters are an important part of your working life, whether you're job hunting or
making connections to help grow your career. At some point you'll need to compose not the basic
cover letter, follow up and interview thank you letter, but also a reference letter and resignation
letter. Here's how:

How to Write Job Letters

Job search email: It's important for your email communications to be just as formal and
professional as if you were writing an old-fashioned paper letter.
Advertisement

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Here's everything you need to know about job search email etiquette including what to include in
your emails, formatting, and how to make sure your email message is read.
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Writing eective cover letters: Writing an eective cover letter is the rst step in grabbing a
prospective employer's attention en route to securing an interview. According to Monster's resume
expert Kim Isaacs, job seekers often make the mistake of using their cover letter to express what
they're looking for instead of speaking to the employers needs. Review the essential elements to
craft a successful letter.
How to write an interview thank you letter: Writing a thank you letter or email after an
employment interview is a must. In fact, some employers think less of those interviewees who fail
to follow-up promptly.
Writing follow up letters: If you've sent a resume to a company you'd like to interview with and you
haven't heard back right away, what do you do next?
What do you write? Here's advice on composing a follow-up letter.
How to write a resignation letter: How you write a resignation letter is important, because it
usually isn't easy to resign and stay on good terms with the company you are leaving. Even if you
hate your work and can't wait to start your new job, it can be dicult to resign diplomatically and
tactfully.

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Advertisement

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Well-written resignation letters can help ensure your resignation goes smoothly.
How to write a reference: Almost everyone is asked to write a reference letter at some time during
their career. Whether it's for an employee, a friend or someone you've worked with, here's how to
compose an eective letter of recommendation.

Review Sample Job Letters and Templates

When you're writing job letters, it's helpful to use a template--you can copy and paste the letter,
then edit it to personalize with your own information. It's also a good idea to review letter samples.
That way you can see what well-written employment letters look like and spark ideas for writing
your own.

Letter Templates
Letter templates for applying for jobs including cover letters, resignation letters, thank you letters
and other job search related letter templates.

Letter Samples
Letter samples for job seekers, including cover letters, interview thank you letters, follow-up
letters, job acceptance and rejection letters, resignation letters, appreciation letters and more
useful employment letter samples.

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More Job Letter Samples

Do you need to reject a job oer or accept one? How about withdrawing your application for a
position or making a counter oer? Here are a variety of employment-related letters you can edit
to t your circumstances.

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