4 Main Points To Consider Before You Decline A Job Offer You Already Accepted

After a hectic job search, you finally send resumes or CVs to several companies and firms. You get rejected at some places while you may have also attended quite a few interviews. And then there comes the job offer! You are all excited and decide to jump at the opportunity by accepting the offer followed by a job acceptance letter. Everything is set and you are ready to take off. Just then you face a situation because of which you will have to decline the offer. 

It is your dream job and everything starting from the salary to the position is favorable. But still, you cannot ignore the mid-life crises, the pressure of sudden job change, or the illness of a family member that you have to look after, and hence you will have to reject the job offer. Declining a job offer after accepting may look unprofessional and you may feel quite bad about it, but not taking early action can lead to bad consequences. So, if you have to decline a job offer you already accepted, take action as early as possible!

Rejecting offer letter

Let us get to the point and answer the question: How to decline a job offer you already accepted? Many people find themselves in situations like these but panic and take wrong decisions. People wondering why is it such a big deal? We tell you it is a big deal because it impacts your professionalism. It is generally considered bad manners to accept a job offer and then decline it. 

There are several things to consider before taking the big step. Figure out if declining a job offer is the best option available. The problem may seem unsolvable but still, look for other ways to tackle the situation. Be completely sure and confident about your decision so that you do not regret it in the future. If you are declining the offer because of another one,  thoroughly analyze and compare both of them. Reconsideration is important because once you decline a job, the chance will most likely not knock on your door again.

Points to consider before you decline a job offer you already accepted

Here are the main 4 points to consider before you decline a job offer you already accepted:

Read and review the contract again

The process of declining a job offer after accepting may become a little complicated if you have already signed an employment contract. There will be a written proof of your acceptance of the job with the company in the form of a contract. This means that contractual obligations may arise leading to legal consequences. This happens because an employee has to serve a notice period for the company before resigning.

However, there is a way out of the difficult maze through effective communication. You are lucky that employers do not want to waste their valuable time on training someone who will quit in the beginning only, which means there will still be a hope of getting out without a tedious process.

Inform the HR of the company as soon as possible

After the consideration and understanding of all the terms, you can finally contact the HR of the company you applied to and inform them of your not-so-pleasant news. There is no such urgency to inform but if you have accepted a job offer, it means that you have occupied a free vacancy in the job market. It also means that company recruiters and HRs have winded up and stopped interviewing candidates for your position in the hopes of you fulfilling it.

Hence you need to tell them your decision of declining the job offer right away. The sooner you inform your employer, the sooner your replacement will be found, and the sooner you will be freed of the burden. In addition to the company’s benefit, they will also appreciate your early communication making things less complicated for you.

Thank them for the offer and explain your situation

Always remember that the company’s HR managers have dedicated a lot of their time to find you, so make sure that you express gratitude to the employer for the chance. At least appreciate them because they did call you back after your interview. Be honest and smart at the same time when you are explaining the reasons behind declining the offer and not continuing with the company. 

Being rude to them without any reason can destroy your future chances of working with the same people. If you signed a contract or an agreement, then most likely you’ll have to politely decline a job offer via a letter and notify them in person or by phone. You only need to choose the latter options if your acceptance was not formal.

Decline the job offer professionally

The way of communicating with the company should be professional and formal not for the sake of informing in a hurry. Take time, when they have invested so much time to hire you why can’t you reciprocate? In case you have already signed the employment agreement or contract, send a written letter. Send the message in person and try to have a quick conversation with the HR manager one last time. Sending an email or informing through just a phone call is informal but acceptable.

You can also avoid declining the offer and try to buy some time. Besides declining or not declining, there is another alternative to go for: pushing for more time to decide the position. The perfect way of approaching the manager with such a request is to first thank the employer for the opportunity and then request for a chance to speak with a few people in the company to learn about the work culture and past projects. This will help you in making a decision and will buy a little more time. Who knows you may end up not declining the job! Most companies will appreciate that you are making an effort to know more about the company.

Final words

We hope that may have got the required guidance on how to decline a job offer you already accepted. No matter how you choose to handle the sophisticated situation, always remember to remain honest towards your ethics and values. Continue to promote a responsible and professional reputation within your field. If you apply these principles in your life you will be ready for whatever the future brings in the long run.

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