Declining a job offer

View of Career Services Building from southeast

Career Services Building (0128)
Corner of Washington Street & West Campus Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
phone 540-231-6241 fax 540-231-3293 www.career.vt.edu

Career Services is for all students: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior,
and graduate level, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
> Our Mission and Core Values

You are here: > > > Declining a job offer

JOB SEARCH TOOLS & SKILLS:

Resumes and vitae

Cover letters & other letters

E-mail

Telephone

References

Researching employers

FINDING JOBS & EMPLOYERS:

How VT grads did it

Who hired VT grads

How to start your job search

Pros & cons of ways to job-hunt

Hokies4Hire & the On-Campus Interviewing Program

Job listing web sites

On-line job search advice & privacy protection

MEETING EMPLOYERS:

Handshakes

Career fairs / job fairs

Employer info sessions

Interviewing

Interview attire

Business casual attire

Dining etiquette

DECIDING ON A JOB OFFER:

Salary, benefits, negotiating

Responding to job offers

Acknowledging a job offer

SPECIAL INTERESTS:

International students

Students with disabilities

LGBT students

Graduate students

Declining a job offer

If you choose to decline a job offer, do so courteously, in writing, after making a phone call.

Never say anything negative in writing about the employer, even if you had a negative experience.

If you had a very negative experience, discuss it with an advisor in Career Services.

A decision to decline an offer is usually based on the fact that another offer is a better fit for your interests and goals. It is fine to state this, without giving details about why the declined offer is not a fit.

It is not necessary to state whose offer you accepted, but you may do so if you wish.

Remember that this employer may be a contact for you in the future. Maintain professional, courteous relations.

Sample (below):

Sample 8.1: Declining a job offer

Also see:

Guidelines for job search correspondence

Guidelines for using email in your job search

Acknowledging a job offer, neither accepting nor declining

Requesting extension of deadline to accept/decline offer

Accepting an offer and withdrawing from the job search

Ethical issues

Sample 8.1: Declining a job offer (hard copy layout)

If this were sent as e-mail, your signature block would appear below your name at the end, and obviously you would not have a handwritten signature on e-mail; no date would be necessary since e-mail sending creates a date/time record.

900 Town Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-9009
email: myname@vt.edu

April 20, 2009

Dr. Joan Swietzer
Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs
343 Third Street, NW
Washington, DC 20201-0343

Dear Dr. Swietzer:

Thank you very much for your telephone call and letter offering me the position of Assistant Project Coordinator with the Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs. While I believe firmly in the mission of your organization and appreciate the challenging opportunity you offer, I have had another offer which I believe more closely matches my current career goals and interests. Therefore, although it was a difficult decision, as I explained when we spoke by phone this morning, I must decline your offer. I do appreciate all the courtesy and hospitality extended to me by your office, and I wish you well in your endeavors.

In the position I have accepted with Public Policy Watch, I will occasionally be on Capitol Hill to attend hearings and monitor legislation, so I hope we can get together again and talk about common interests.

Best regards,

(your signature)
Chris Hancock