How to Renege on an Accepted Job Offer

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You have a job offer in hand, but now you don’t want to join because you have received another offer more appealing than the first one, so now you are thinking how to renege now? 

Feeling trapped?

It happens. You accepted the second offer and want to renege on the first one but are feeling guilty or anxious about the potential consequences! What will you do in such a taxing situation?

Here are the best steps that can help you bypass kicking down the ladder and damaging your reputation.

Steps to Renege on an Accepted Job Offer

1. Check for Legal Consequences

Most employment is to ‘suit oneself’, meaning that you are not legally obligated to an organisation. However, there might be some companies or situations where signing legal documents is mandatory in order to accept the job offer or start the job. So keep your ground secured, and don’t get legally bound to any contract before reneging on an accepted job offer. 

2. Inform the Company or Recruiter Instantly

Once you have accepted the offer, the company will think the position is filled and might stop looking for candidates. So, even if you decline after accepting, the company still needs to fill the position. Hence, it is better to let them know your decision not to accept the offer sooner than later.

Calling your recruiter or employer a day before joining is the best way to leave the worst impression. No matter the amount of notice you give, it’s better to decline than accept the offer and then leave in a week. It takes a whole lot of time and money to onboard and train a candidate and recruit and hire another. 

3. Give a Brief But Transparent Explanation

While explaining your reason for reneging on an accepted job offer, you don’t have to go into the details. Be honest about your reason for reneging. It could be anything related to your personal life that requires your time and attention, you don’t find the work culture or manager a good fit, you have got another more appealing offer, or you have applied to your dream company months ago, and just now you have got the offer letter from them.

However, whatever the reason may be, don’t insult your recruiter or the company. Even if you are declining because you think your manager or recruiter made a poor impression, just say you feel it will not be a good cultural fit in the long run. It might be possible that you may have to face the consequences from your hiring manager or recruiter because you renege on their offer in the form of anger, frustration, and disbelief. Be polite, calm, and courteous while explaining your reasons.

4. Express Your Gratitude

Finally, sincerely appreciate and express your gratitude towards your hiring manager or recruiter for their time and consideration and let them know what you most liked about the hiring process or the company. 

They have spent quite an amount of time preparing for your offer letter (that you have reneged on), so the least you can do when reneging is to express your gratitude.

5. Be Prepared for the Counter Offer

There is always a possibility that the company you are declining may make a counteroffer in order to stop you from reneging because they wanted you to join them after all.

So be prepared for this possibility in advance and know your bottom line or what you want to consider. If it’s all about the money, have a number in mind, or if it is about the good cultural fit that is absent, be prepared to decline any offer and restate that it’s not a good cultural fit for the long run.

6. Handle the Second Offer Carefully

So you have determined to renege from the first company and accept the offer from the second one. However, never assume everything is settled with the other company. It’s quite possible that the second company has other candidates in the pipeline or may change their mind for any reason. 

Therefore, don’t take things lightly, and handle the second offer carefully by taking everything in writing. Also, don’t resign or announce your exit from your present job or company until you have signed an offer letter or contract from your second employer. Also, don’t kick down the ladder between you and your first employer, as you might need them as a makeshift or reference in future. 

7. Learn from Your Experience and Seek Advice from Others

Reneging a job offer is not something you often do without any solid reason. That’s why it can be an unpleasant and stressful experience for both you and your employer. Nevertheless, you can use it as a learning opportunity for you, where you can enhance your decision-making skills for your career and detour such actions in future. Think about what made you take this decision and do your research before accepting a second offer.

It could be a tough decision that may take you through emotional turbulence, affecting your morale and self-esteem. You may feel guilt, regret, and anxiety about your decision and about how others will see you. Therefore, you can seek guidance from your seniors, colleagues, friends, or mentors regarding your second offer and reneging on the first one.

Conclusion: Search for a Job with Remark – the Best Job Portal in India

While reneging on a job offer, you may go through a roller-coaster ride of emotions, seeking validation from you about what you should do. Therefore, think about every aspect carefully before you proceed to renege and accept the other offer only if it satisfies your career goals. You can look for a job you desire with Remark, one of the best job portals in India, and get hired quickly from your favourite company.