Ask a Career Advisor: How Do I Decline an Offer I Already Accepted?

Picture this: After a months-long job search and countless applications and interviews, you finally get a job offer and accept it readily. Your search is finally over, and you’re ready to make your next career move… except a few days later, you change your mind.

According to our What Candidates Want: 2023 Job Seeker Report survey, 24.7% of job seekers have declined an offer after accepting it verbally. While this isn’t necessarily surprising when the competition for talent is high, and you likely won’t be the first (or last) candidate to rescind an accepted offer from the company, is there a “right” way to do it? We asked Certified Career Coach and Advisor Lori Cole for her advice on how to handle this situation.

Is It Okay to Decline a Job Offer After Accepting?

“Yes! While it’s a difficult and uncomfortable conversation to have, and you really shouldn’t accept job offers without careful consideration in the first place, you’ll actually be doing employers a favor by letting them know ASAP that you’ve changed your mind and want to rescind your acceptance,” said Cole. “That way, they can proceed with other candidates as quickly as possible.”

Though the employer won’t be pleased with your news, it’s better than having you start the job and quit shortly thereafter – making the wrong hire is extremely expensive for a business.

However, if you’ve signed a contract of any kind, review it carefully and get legal guidance if necessary before declining the offer.

How to Decline a Job Offer You Already Accepted

There are a number of reasons why you might find yourself wanting to decline a job offer you already accepted:

• You received the full offer in writing and it doesn’t match up with what you were told verbally
• You received a better offer from another opportunity or a counteroffer from your current employer
• You need to change plans due to personal matters
• You felt pressured to accept the offer quickly
• You’ve simply changed your mind after further thought

“Regardless of your reason for wanting to decline a job offer after accepting, don’t just ghost the employer completely. Again, let them know as soon as possible out of respect for their time,” Cole advised. “Ideally, deliver the news verbally and follow up with your formal decline in writing. Keep your explanation short and sweet, and always express gratitude.”

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The main thing you want to avoid is burning bridges or damaging the relationships you’ve formed with the company. You never know when those connections could benefit you in the future, and you want to protect your reputation, too.

For example, you could say something like this:

Thank you again for the opportunity to join ACME, Inc. After further consideration, unfortunately I have decided to rescind my acceptance and decline because [reason]. This was a difficult decision and one I do not make lightly, as I greatly appreciate your time and the effort involved in the hiring process. I wish you all the best as you pursue your next candidate.

“If the employer attempts to make a counteroffer with higher pay or better benefits, hold firm to your decision and don’t string them along if you are certain this isn’t the job for you,” said Cole. “And when all is said and done, take time to process what happened and learn from it so you can avoid this situation in the future.”

Ready to get back out there and find a job you’ll love? Get even more expert advice from our career advisors in our Resource Center.