As a serious job seeker, one of the most difficult and stressful things to do is to decline a job offer. Whether you have a job right now, or are still searching  for job opportunities in Atlanta GA, being offered a job can be a very exciting prospect. However, the experts will tell you that you should never accept a job offer on the spot. Take at least a day to go over the company’s goals for you, while also sorting through the salary offer and benefits package. Make sure that all of these meet your individual career and financial needs before accepting or declining. In other words “sleep on it” first.

If, after you take this time to consider it and you decide to decline the job offer, we have some tips for you to do so. By following these tips, you may still be offered a future opportunity that better meets your needs, without burning any bridges with the company.

Tell the Company Immediately

Once you have made the decision to turn down a job offer, make sure that you let the company know as soon as possible. It is not in your best interest to lead the company on for a long period. This will only frustrate them in the end. The sooner you tell the company, the more understanding they will be of your decision. This also gives them a chance to find another suitable candidate.

Express Sincere Appreciation

When turning down a job offer, it is best to express sincere appreciation to the company for their time. Call the person who offered you the job and tell them via a phone call of your decision. Also, contact every person you met with regarding the job, letting them know of your decision, and how much you appreciated their time.

Tell the Company What you Liked

An excellent tip to employ when declining a job offer is to tell the company what you liked about it. This will help them attract candidates in the future. By doing this, the company will know that they did not waste time by interviewing you or offering the job to you over other candidates. Feedback of a positive manner will go far to making you stand out as a true professional.

Keep the Door Wide Open

It is always best to keep the door open to future opportunities even when declining a job offer. You can do this by letting the hiring manager know that you would be interested in different positions in the future. You could also tell the company that the two parties might be a better fit at a different point in your career, but not now. Be specific and explain why this is.

Honesty is the Best Policy

When you contact the company to decline the job offer, do not sugarcoat the reason or hide the real reason why you are doing so. Tell the truth about your decision, but do not rip apart the company or any particular person you met with. You can say things like, “I don’t think I would be productive working under the management style of John Doe.” If you received an offer from another company that will pay you more or offer a better benefits package, tell the company this is why you are declining the job.

Turning down a job offer is not an easy prospect, but trust your instincts if something doesn’t seem right. Be professional, prompt, and positive as you explain why you are not accepting a job offer. The company may come back with something better or may be willing to work with you in the near future for job opportunities in Atlanta GA.