Six Reasons to Walk Away from a Job Offer

After all those hours of preparation, interviews and shredded nerves, that magical offer finally lands in your inbox. But in your head something nags at you…. multiple reasons to walk away from a job offer. 

Something inside doesn’t feel quite right.

As you read the text and scan through the detail, shouldn’t you be feeling happier?

Any job hunt can confuse emotions and blur priorities. I would suggest that if you are not at least 95% sure that it is the right job for you, then, so long as your financial situation allows for it, you owe it to yourself to hold out for “the one.”

Possible reasons to walk away

Doubts about the rapport with your future manager. 

Our gut is a proven vital source of basic instinct. When we can’t quite put our fingers on why something doesn’t “feel right,” there is usually a reason why. If you have initial doubts about your rapport with your future boss, it is worth analysing why you are hesitant. First impressions can deceive, but ignore the power of a “blink judgement” at your peril.

The job specification had changed significantly from when you first applied. 

If your future employer is so unsure about the scope of your role, how do you know that the goalposts won’t shift once you have started? You are making one of the most significant decisions in your career. It is hard to walk away from the role once you have started. Ask a few more questions to tighten the definition of the role before you take the plunge.

You are told the salary offer is non-negotiable. And it isn’t what you requested. 

Paying someone what they are worth is a no-brainer if you want them to be motivated to stay for the long term. If you are offered less than you asked for, there may be many reasons, but at the heart of the matter is that they likely don’t value you enough. Employers can nearly always offer more for the “right” person, no matter how they might protest.

Job offer walk outs happen

Your partner is probing your motivation that little bit too much. 

It is all too easy to lose our sense of self in a job search. It is sometimes helpful to lean on those that know us well to give us a sense of perspective. If our partners are asking us a few too many questions about whether a particular role is a fit, maybe we should explore the reasons why for ourselves?

You have another offer pending that you think might be better for you. 

Now, this is probably the biggest spanner in the works of all. Imagine fantasising about another woman (or man) on your wedding night…. Hardly a positive sign for the impending marriage, is it? The pending offer might well fall through, but if you think it is better for you, there will be other better opportunities.

You don’t have a reason. But do you actually need a reason?

When it comes to a big decision like turning down a job offer, it may seem foolish to turn your back on an opportunity without a specific reason. If you can’t put your finger on why but are still stubbornly hesitant, that is likely the best course of action. You don’t need a reason to walk away. At the end of the day, if it doesn’t feel right, move on.

The grey areas between all of the above and many more factors will ultimately influence your decision, but if more than one of these warning signs are flashing, maybe it is worth having another think?

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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists.

Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).