Five ways to politely reject a job offer

It requires courage and diplomacy to turn down a job offer. There is the fear of being blacklisted by a company, and in a small fraternity, of crossing paths with a ‘could-have-been employer’ . But there are always good ways to let an offer go, as Devina Sengupta shows.

Give good reasons

Aflimsy excuse can be seen through. An HR head of Bangalore-based IT firm recently received an email from a candidate who said he had lost his father and may not be able to cope with shifting jobs. "It was a sincere letter and I appreciated the candidate’s honesty ," says the HR head.

Mail or Call

"A well-drafted email or a conversation can explain why you have to drop the offer. If a candidate is senior, then acall to the hiring manager is required to explain why the decision was taken ," says Nirmala Menon, founder and CEO of Interweave Consulting.

Write In Early

It is natural for companies to look at other candidates and expect employees to have multiple options. Still, do not delay declining the offer till the eleventh hour — this is unprofessional and industry experts often remember those who did.

Inform Everyone

An email declining the offer has to go out to all those who interviewed you in multiple levels, says Elango R, HR head of MphasiS. "Make it personal to you and not the company," he says. This will stand you in good stead.

Close the Loop

After joining the new firm, an email to everyone, including the previous organisation and those who you did not join, should be sent. The email should have details of your co-ordinates , which reflects that you are interested in building relationships.