When should you turn down a job offer?
Turning down a job offer can seem like a risky thing to do. It can even seem foolish. This is especially if you’ve been applying for jobs over a long period of time and have had little success. However, accepting the wrong job offer is more likely to damage your career in the long-term than turning down something which isn’t quite right. In this blog, I’ll discuss some of the signs that you may be better off rejecting a job offer you’ve received:
It’s a career dead-end
Every role that you take on should be a stepping stone towards your desired career ‘end goal’. You should have a clear path in mind: Where do you see yourself at the end of your career? What do you want to have achieved? What impact do you want to have had?
If you’re clear on this, then there are risks in taking on a job that seemingly offers little opportunity for advancement towards this vision. That’s not because you always need to be vying for promotion. However, some roles can slow you down and ultimately lead you on a road to nowhere. In that case, it’s better to hedge your bets and walk away.
The company doesn’t match your core values
We are all guided by our own values and principles. These should underpin our job search and determine the roles we want, and those we don’t. If you doubt that the company’s culture and values match your own, then in the first instance, do some due diligence (if you haven’t already). If you still have doubts, it might be worth turning down the offer to avoid being stuck in a company that’s a bad culture fit.
It doesn’t meet your essentials and desirables
Beyond your values and vision, everyone has their own ‘essentials’ and ‘desirables’. These can include anything from remuneration, to company perks, to the ability to work from home. Know what you’re willing to compromise on and what is non-negotiable. Few jobs will match on all fronts, but judge a job offer based on the trade offs you are willing to make.
You have doubts about your future direct manager
Hopefully, as part of the interview process, you’ll have met your future direct manager(s) on one or more occasions. In an ideal situation, you’ll have got on well and be looking forward to working together to move the business forward. However, if you didn’t quite gel with them, then this is something to think carefully about. It could make or break your success at the new firm, and shape your overall experience working there.
The interview process was unreliable
You can learn a lot about a company from how they handle an interview process. It’s, in some ways, your introduction to life at that company. If they’ve been slow, flaky or disorganised, what’s to say they won’t be the same when you’re an employee? Of course, the HR department is not necessarily a true reflection of the department you’ll be working in. Nonetheless, it’s something to bear in mind, especially if your interviewers themselves - who you’ll be working with - have shown such traits.
The pay doesn’t reflect the value you bring
Not everything is about money, but obviously salary is important. If you’ve been offered a salary that you don’t feel matches what you should be getting at this stage in your career, do some research. What’s the market rate for someone with your skills, expertise and experience? What kind of salaries are people in similar positions on? If you find you have been under-offered, you can always try to negotiate a higher offer. If this is unsuccessful, then you have to make a judgement call as to whether you’re better off waiting for a more suitable job offer.
Your gut instinct
Sometimes you have to follow your instincts. If you can’t shake the feeling that it’s not the right job for you, then walk away. Nerves are not always a good indication that something is wrong, but it’s worth listening to your inner voice when it’s trying to tell you something. Dig deeper to work out what has prompted that reaction. This might lead you to tangible reasons as to why the job isn’t the right one for you - or you might find that you’ve been overthinking things. Either way, don’t ignore your gut.
Closing thoughts
Have you found yourself on the fence about a particular job offer? If so, and you’d benefit from a conversation, do get in touch. I’d be more than happy to discuss your options with you.