When Should a Job Offer Be Rejected?
Applying for a job is very similar to a date: it’s a tedious, often awkward process that requires a lot of effort for minimal impact, which strains your muscles as much as possible for small talk. Read the wrong situation and you’ll end up in a terribly unpleasant situation that you can’t get out of without turning your life around, so instead, you try to make it work by pretending that some important things (sex, paid vacation) never really do. weren’t what you cared about.
If you’re constantly single, it might be tempting to get into a relationship with the first person to laugh at the pun in your Tinder bio. if you are unemployed, any job offer starts to look like the beginning of a good long-term relationship. Despite how desperate you are for a stable job, experts say it’s okay – and often encouraged – to turn down a job offer until you get the right job. Just like deciding to get things formal with your internet date, the trick is to know the warning signs and know how to politely dismiss them so that your name doesn’t get passed on forever as a useless, perpetual mess.
You don’t owe anyone anything
It’s nice to feel like you’re being looked after, wanted to, when you are paraded during a tour of the workplace, and you feel like you’re being coaxed into the proverbial booth bag. But just like on dates or with anyone trying to flirt with you on Twitter, always remember: you don’t owe anyone anything.
Jodie Glickman, CEO and founder of professional development company Great on the Job, said young people especially fall into this trap when they feel obligated to accept a job after going through a rigorous application and selection process.
“I’m always amazed at the sense of loyalty that comes immediately after being offered a job, but this is the courtship system, this is the dating game,” she said. “You rate the employer the same way they rate you.”
The goal is to take the driver’s seat – get a job offer – and then make a decision. “It’s always okay to say no,” she said.
“This does not mean that you are a bad person, it does not mean that you presented yourself under a false pretense,” she said. “You have every right to work very hard to make them love you and get this offer, and then decide if you want to be there or not.”
Warning signs to watch out for
Keep your eyes and ears open throughout the interview process and read the job offer carefully so you don’t miss warning signs that should trigger a red alert in your brain that the job is probably not for you. Think of it as “sleeping on a mattress on the floor” in a job offer.
Discrepancies
Look for discrepancies between the job you were applying for and the one you were offered. “If the salary or benefits do not live up to your expectations, or if their culture description seems out of sync with what you’ve observed with your own eyes, you should consider rejecting the offer,” said Dr. Michael McCutcheon, personal life consultant and psychologist with Wanderlust. Careers.
“This is a strong warning sign that you [may] be entering a bait-and-switch relationship,” he said. He often cites a case where a company promotes a “fun” office culture, but your visit to the office finds zombie-filled wastelands where the fun is limited to flavored coffee creams. “It’s probably best to nip it in the bud and hold out in some places that give you exactly what they promised.”
“If there is no respect, you must refuse”
Constant ghosts, standing up or twitching are not something you should never put up with on dates. It’s the same with job offers. “If your interviews continue to be postponed or if company representatives miss appointments or calls, take the hint,” McCutchen said. Likewise, if a company changes its job offer or can’t handle your reasonable hiring conditions – such as taking time off to work with a sick family member – you won’t be on the right foot.
“If there is no respect, you must refuse,” he said. “Just like in the dating world, if you don’t feel respected in the courtship process, then it is unlikely that anything will change if you are completely attached to someone.”
Briefly about the specifics
McCutcheon recently had a customer dubbed an office manager at a media company. As a result, the client had to create an entire HR department without any HR experience. This is bad for the client at this current gig – who had to create an entire HR department out of thin air – and for future vacancies who will only see the title of “office manager” without realizing that much more has been invested in it. …
Glickman recently struck out a phrase from a friend’s employment contract that listed his responsibilities “without restriction,” which essentially meant the company could ask him for anything and everything.
“The more specific the better,” she said. “If they don’t have an exact role or title, or they can’t provide a job description, this could be a red flag.”
You can’t talk to anyone
If the company doesn’t let you talk to other employees or potential coworkers, the alarm should sound like crazy, according to McCutcheon.
“They’re trying to control the narrative,” he said.
He recommends waiting for the second interview before asking to speak to other staff and saying something like, “This offer is really exciting, thank you! Before I officially sign up, I was hoping to have an informal chat with a few team members. Could you have someone in mind who would agree to this?
Think of it in terms of dating: if someone is serious about dating you but doesn’t want you to date family or friends, don’t ignore it because they might be hiding something.
If the employees you are talking to are less than enthusiastic, then something is probably wrong, too. The specific questions you ask your potential colleagues are less important than the overall mood they create, he said. He recommends open-ended questions such as “How would you describe your overall experience here?” “If you could change something about the culture of the company, what would it be?” “What do you like and dislike most about working here?”
“If they moan or roll their eyes, or if they generally seem unenthusiastic, don’t hide it under the rug,” he said, adding that you should trust your intuition. “They are trying to convey their misfortune to you …
Politely declining the offer
So this job isn’t for you in the end – the top management is full of fish, etc. The key to politely declining, Glikman said, is to be very gracious first and acknowledge the renewal of the offer (also known as no halos). You should never lie about your reasons, but you don’t always need to give too many details about why you are taking the exam. It’s okay if you decide to take another job or move to another industry; but if your reasons are more personal (say, the office always seems to smell like microwaved fish), just leave it general. Sign the note wishing them the best in finding the right candidate, or telling them you will keep in touch regarding future vacancies if you don’t want this door open.
Glickman advises responding quickly or transparently if you need extra time. If you are doing other work, you can tell the company that you are expecting other offers, and you would like to be able to make a decision as soon as you have full information from everyone. According to her, usually a week is a good time for a response. “You want something to end on a high note so they don’t think you’re a jerk,” she said.
It might seem embarrassing to give it up, but it’s better than being trapped in a job that you will hate after a few months.
“They don’t put your interests ahead of the organization’s interests,” she said. “Therefore, you do not have to put the organization above your own interests.”