Picture this, you’re applying for jobs, interviewing and excited about the prospect of a new role.
Sounds great, right? It is! Chances are, you may have to turn down an offer of employment if you’ve got a few on the table.
So what’s the best way to approach this?
If you make contact straight away, it will not only let you move on and focus on the role you’ve chosen to accept, but it will also allow the hiring manager to continue with their hiring process without delay.
It’s important to say thank you for the opportunity to have met with the hiring manager and for the generous offer.
If you were using a Recruiter, chances are quite a lot of work and back-and-forth went into the process to make you the job offer.
If it was a direct application. the hiring manager or HR took the time to meet with you and were probably excited to get you on board, so it’s important to acknowledge this and express your gratitude.
This is where the advice for going through a Recruiter and directly varies.
If you’re being represented by a Recruiter – be honest. We want to know why you’re choosing another role as it will help us when working on similar roles in the future. We want you to accept the role that will make you the happiest and that best suits your career path. We will understand and be happy to give you advice if you’re struggling to decide between multiple offers.
If you’ve applied directly – keep it simple. There’s no need to tell them about why you have declined their offer. You could risk affecting your relationship with the organisation, which brings me to…
Even though this isn’t the role for you right now, you never know what could come up in the future. Rejecting the offer in a respectful and honest manner will help you to maintain a good relationship with that potential employer.
What looks worse than declining an offer? Ghosting the recruiter or hiring manager! Even though they may be disappointed, you’re not accepting the role, once they hear from you they will be able to move on with the process. This will also help you to maintain good relationships in the market.
You can read more about why you shouldn’t ghost your recruiter here .
Find the job you love I Find the right talent
Get in touch with people2people
Australia
I
United Kingdom
In business since 2002 in Australia, NZ, and the United Kingdom, people2people is an award-winning recruitment agency with people at our heart. With over 12 offices, we specialise in accounting and finance, business support, education, executive, government, HR, legal, marketing and digital, property, sales, supply chain, and technology sectors. As the proud recipients of the 2024 Outstanding Large Agency and Excellence in Candidate Care Awards, we are dedicated to helping businesses achieve success through a people-first approach.
Recent articles
Latest Media Features
Get in touch
Find out more by contacting one of our specialisat recruitment consultants across Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Copyright © 2025, people2people
people2people acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country, pays respect to their Elders past and present, and extends that respect to all Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori peoples today.
people2people partners with CarbonInvoice to measure and mitigate any carbon emissions associated with the work we do.
Specialisations
Locations
Resources