{"id":4922,"date":"2021-06-30T14:28:57","date_gmt":"2021-06-30T21:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jobhunt.fj-dev.com\/turning-down-interview-invitation\/"},"modified":"2022-02-07T07:53:29","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T14:53:29","slug":"decline-job-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/decline-job-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Decline a Job Interview (with Email Example)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not every job interview represents a good opportunity, but you don’t need to make any enemies. So a graceful rejection is smart.<\/p>\n

Sometimes rejecting an interview invitation is a good idea because the level, the commute, or the employer are not right for you now.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you can do the interview without putting your current job at risk,<\/em>\u00a0my advice is to accept the invitation to interview, even when you are not particularly interested.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Particularly if this interview is a phone interview<\/a>, the risk is less (assuming you don’t take the call at work) and the reward may be substantial. So, turning down a phone interview many not be smart.<\/p>\n

Discovering if you really want to work for an employer should be a major goal of every job interview.<\/p>\n

If you turn down an interview invitation, you lose the opportunity to learn more about them and to expand your network by meeting people who work there.<\/p>\n

However, sometimes turning down the opportunity is the best idea. Here’s how to handle that.<\/p>\n

Resist the Temptation to Ignore the Interview Invitation<\/h2>\n

This may be your first reaction, and there is NO question that far too many employers ignore job applicants, quite rudely! So ignoring them feels like an appropriate response.<\/p>\n

However, for many reasons, including maintaining your reputation as a professional, politely turning down a job interview to keep the door open without burning bridges is a very good idea.<\/p>\n

The good news is that being professional may pay very big dividends in the future with this employer or these people because you have left a good impression even though you turned down this opportunity.<\/p>\n

Don’t Decline or Reject the Job Interview Too Quickly<\/h2>\n

You usually have at least one day to respond with an acceptance or rejection, so use that time. Or, ask for that day if it isn’t offered.<\/p>\n

Trusting your inner voice can be very smart — most<\/em> of the time. Particularly if your initial response is to immediately reject the opportunity, take some time — at least a few hours — to carefully consider the opportunity. Do some research to confirm your instincts, or not.<\/em>.<\/p>\n

If every<\/em> opportunity feels \u201cwrong\u201d to you, you could simply be avoiding the stress of a job interview or the disappointment if you don\u2019t get a job offer as a result. In\u00a0that<\/em>\u00a0case,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0<\/em>trust your instincts.<\/p>\n

But, if you don\u2019t feel negative about every organization and opportunity, pay attention. You may be right…<\/p>\n

Example Reasons for Turning Down an Interview<\/h2>\n

Sometimes, turning down the job interview is the best option for any of these reasons:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. This employer has been laying off staff or profits and\/or revenue are down, and taking a job there feels like a risky thing to do. (Research the employer before you accept an invitation! More on how below.)<\/li>\n
  2. You are currently employed, and going to this<\/em> job interview would be taking a big gamble. The risk is greater than the potential payoff because the job doesn’t seem particularly interesting or special.<\/li>\n
  3. This invitation is for a second (or third) round of interviews for a job, and this job and organization don’t feel like a good fit to you.<\/li>\n
  4. You have interviewed with this employer for a different job and didn’t feel like the organization was \u201cright\u201d for you.<\/li>\n
  5. You know people who work there, and they hate it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Other reasons to turn down a job opportunity certainly exist \u2014 bad future co-workers, manager, location, commute, pay, etc. But, you won\u2019t know if any of those apply unless you accept the job interview invitation.<\/p>\n

    Carefully Research the Employer Who Extended the Job Interview Invitation<\/h2>\n

    Hopefully you researched this employer before<\/em> you applied. When you receive an invitation to a job interview, do MORE research now:<\/p>\n