Accepting a job offer and withdrawing from the job search

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: > > > Accepting a job offer and withdrawing from the job search

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

Accepting a job offer and withdrawing from the job search.

Accepting a job offer ethically obligates you to cease job search efforts and to notify other prospective employers that you must withdraw your name from their consideration. As soon as your decision is made, promptly notify employers with a courteous phone call. Make every effort to speak to your contact in person rather than leaving a voice mail message for this purpose.

Failing to notify employer that you are withdrawing from the job search is discourteous, and potentially dishonest. It's essentially leaving the employer with a misperception that you are still interested in the job.

After you have spoken to your contact, follow up with a written confirmation (by e-mail or hard copy, as appropriate based on each employer's preference). Also see ethical issues related to accepting a job offer.

Samples (below):

Sample 9.1: Acceptance of a job offer

Sample 9.2: Withdrawing from the job search after accepting another offer

Also see:

Guidelines for job search correspondence

Guidelines for using e-mail in your job search

Acknowledging a job offer, neither accepting nor declining

Requesting extension of deadline to accept/decline offer

Declining a job offer

Ethical issues related to accepting a job offer

Juggling job offers: you've got one, but you want another

Employment contracts

Sample 9.1: Acceptance of a job offer; hard copy

1234 College Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-0000
email: myname@vt.edu

March 1, 2009

Mr. Johnathon P. Summers
Summers Fruit Company
1678 Plantation Road
Atlanta, GA 46201

Dear Mr. Summers:

Thank you for your offer of employment as a grower at your Fruitville, Florida site. As we discussed on the phone this morning, I am delighted to accept your offer and look forward to beginning work with Summers Fruit Company.

You indicated that I will be receiving a salary of $______ per year, and will have initial duties reporting to Andrea Caruso. As your offer stated, I will begin work on August 1st. In mid-July, after relocating to the area, I will call you to see what information or materials I may need before August 1st. In the meantime, please let me know if I can provide you with any information.

Again, thank you for offering me this exciting opportunity.

Sincerely,

Jason Banyon

Sample 9.2: Withdrawing from the job search after accepting another job offer; hard copy

1234 College Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-0000
email: myname@vt.edu

March 1, 2009

Ms. Vera L. Clark
Green Magazine
1515 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006

Dear Ms. Clark:

I want to express my sincerest appreciation to you for including me in the interview process as you seek candidates for your magazine’s Editorial Assistant position. I have enjoyed meeting with the members of your staff and think you have an outstanding operation.

However, as I explained when we spoke this morning, I respectfully withdraw from consideration for your position. I have decided to accept another employment offer which I believe very closely matches my current skills and career goals.

I wish you and the staff of Green Magazine the best of success. I hope we will have the chance to visit at the upcoming Magazine Writers’ Conference. Thank you again for the opportunity to explore career possibilities with your office.

Sincerely,

Joy Collins