How to refuse an employer after an interview

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

You saw an advertisement for a vacancy that interested you, sent your resume, received an invitation for an interview, and then the employer said the coveted "you are accepted" - is this not an ideal scenario for the development of events? At first glance, it seems that it is impossible to come up with anything better - you suit them in all respects, they want to see you as part of their team, and all you have to do is put on a carefully ironed suit and plunge headlong into a maelstrom of new career passions. But here's the bad luck: after such a successful meeting, for some reason you do not want to get a job in this company. What to do in this case? How to refuse an employer?

Still, you cannot order your heart, and if your candidacy completely and completely suits the potential employer, but you absolutely do not feel the same sympathy, then it is unlikely that anything worthwhile will come out of this career union. Returning from an interview, where a satisfied boss has already shown you the future office and told you which donuts are the most delicious in the buffet, you, for obvious reasons, feel cornered: “This is not at all what I'm looking for. I was wrong, I don't want to work there. But what to do if they stopped their search and expect that literally from day to day I will take my chair at the office table?"

You must remember that the job market is akin to the regular market, and you can always give up what you don’t want to buy.

People who find themselves in a situation where they have to refuse an employer after an interview feel, to put it mildly, uncomfortable. The issues of interpersonal relations are also mixed with the issues of business ethics: “I let those who chose me from dozens of the same job seekers fail. It's not beautiful. But I don’t want to compromise my own desires either.” As a result, the “failed employee” begins to invent non-existent reasons for refusal or completely disappears from sight: does not appear at work and does not answer calls. Recruiters advise not to put on a show and stay calm: you must remember that the job market is akin to the regular market, and you can always refuse what you do not want to buy. Moreover, this is exactly what employers do - they easily say "no" to applicants who are not suitable for them.

So, your candidacy was approved, but you have already managed to find the best option or are simply not sure that you want to work in a place where they are waiting for you - what to do in this situation?

Don't hide

Perhaps you are ashamed and it seems that you simply will not be able to correctly explain to the employer the reason for your refusal, so the only correct option in such a situation is not to answer calls and emails, to put it simply - to disappear. However, recruiters claim that this is fundamentally the wrong approach. Agree, you spent a lot of time and effort on these meetings and negotiations, company representatives also distracted from important matters in order to talk to you personally. At the very least, it is ugly to just “evaporate”. The recruiting party has the right to know why you changed your mind at the last moment.

No fairy tales

Even if you are excellent at inventing all sorts of fables on the go, use your skill in a different situation, now it is better to say everything as it is. Firstly, the business world, especially within the same city, is not that huge, and, in the end, deception can be revealed, which will adversely affect your reputation. Well, and, secondly, no one will curse you for the fact that you "have already found a more suitable option" or "imagine your work in a different way and prefer to consider a few more proposals."Why make up fairy tales when you can be honest? Although there are some nuances here: if the reason for the refusal is antipathy towards the future leader and his management model, then you should not lay all the cards on the table, it is better to limit yourself to the polite: "Unfortunately, your conditions do not suit me."

Explain that the decision to refuse was not easy for you, and apologize for the inconvenience.

Don't burn bridges

You should understand that the likelihood that the next time you will be called again for an interview with this company is extremely small. However, she will tend to zero at all if during the last conversation you leave a bad impression of yourself. Therefore, be extremely polite, thank the employer for the interest he has shown in you, as well as for the time he has given you. Explain that the decision to refuse was not easy for you, and apologize for the inconvenience.

Personal contact

It is best if you report your refusal by phone, but if this is not possible, then you should choose the form of an email. Do not write ten pages of "explanatory note", you can limit yourself to one paragraph, but try to make it as meaningful as possible. As an example, you can use the following text: “Dear Ivan Ivanovich, I am grateful to you for your interest in my candidacy, as well as for the time that you have given me. It was a pleasure to meet such a wonderful leader, but, unfortunately, I have to refuse your offer. The fact is that I found a more suitable option and, having weighed all the pros and cons, I opted for it. Sorry for giving you hope, this decision was really not easy for me. Thanks again for your time and attention. All the best, goodbye."