Job Rejection Letter by Candidate

After multiple interviews and a subsequent offer, you have decided that the job is not right for you. You may have received a better offer or decided that this particular position is not appropriate for you at this time. It is important, when rejecting the offer, to remain professional and polite. You want to maintain a positive relationship with the hiring manager and the company, while letting them know that you will not be joining their team. Express your gratitude and clearly communicate the reasons for your decision.

In most cases, you may have already told the company verbally that you will not be accepting their offer. However, just as with a thank you letter, writing a letter declining the offer will elevate your relationship with the company and document your decision in writing.

It is always important to begin your letter by expressing your appreciation for the offer and the time the hiring manager and other employees invested in the recruitment process. Specifically thanking them for the opportunity to learn more about the organization, or meeting the team is also a way to make the letter personal and unique to the opportunity.

Hi (Name)

Thank you so much for the offer for (Job Position) at (Company). I appreciate your taking the time to interview me, and for answering all of my questions. I am honored that you have considered me for this important position.

After careful consideration however, I’ve decided to respectfully decline your offer. Although I was extremely impressed by your (Company’s) culture and mission, I have received an offer that is more aligned with my experience and career goals.

(Here, you can add why you are declining the offer - or not.)

Please accept my sincere appreciation for the effort and time you invested in the hiring process. The professionalism of your team and the support you provided were very impressive.

It has been such a pleasure getting to know you, and the team, and I wish you all continued success. Please let me know if I can be of assistance in any way in the future.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

All the best,

You can use parts or all of this letter to write a personal note specific to your circumstances. Other examples might include:

Dear (Name),

After careful consideration and review of my career goals, I have decided to respectfully decline your offer.

I am grateful for the time and effort that your team put into the hiring process, and I appreciate the opportunity that was presented to me.

However, I have recently received another offer that aligns more with my long- term career goals and provides a better compensation package.

I want to express my sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please extend my appreciation to the great group of individuals with whom I met. I have no doubt that your organization will continue to be successful.

OR

I wanted to thank you for taking the time to interview me for the position of (Job). I was very excited about the position and career opportunities.

However, I have decided to decline your offer at this time for various personal and professional reasons.

In the future, if another opportunity opens up, I would love to be considered.

Thank you again for your consideration.

OR

I appreciate the time and interest you and your team invested in the recent interview process for the position of (JOB) at (Company). At this time, I have decided to decline your offer.

This was not an easy decision, and I enjoyed meeting everyone and am so impressed by the work you do.

I have decided to (pursue another offer; remain where I am; reevaluate career options; personal reasons).

I wish you and your team continued success, and I hope we can stay in touch for the future.

With appreciation,
Signature

When declining an offer in writing, it is best to eliminate any negative reasons, such as: unacceptable salary; cultural differences; job description or other reasons. If asked, your specific reasons can be better explained in a phone call with the hiring manager. Again, it is important to stay professional and not communicate anything negative that may reflect poorly on you in the future. This company or the hiring manager may surface again, and you will want to be thought of positively.