Search millions of new job openings »
Given the current economy and high unemployment rates, saying no to a job offer could seem counter-intuitive. There are, however, certain situations in which it is perfectly reasonable and sensible to turn down a position.
1) There is no room for promotion
The job might look good compared to other current offers, but just because the salary is higher now doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be earning more in years to come. The same goes for advancement. If another employer offers you more chance to make your way up the company ladder, it might be worth sacrificing luxuries in the present for the sake of the future opportunities. You do not want to be stuck in a dead end job with nothing to aim for; it can be extremely demotivating.
2) The job is too easy
If you don’t feel challenged and don’t have the opportunity to use your skills, chances are good that you’ll become bored and disengaged. Additionally, if you are taking a lower level job in hopes of working your way up, think carefully beforehand. Make sure that the channels are still open to get to where you want to be and that you are not damaging your professional reputation.
3) The job is too hard
Similarly, you don’t want to be in over your head. You do not want to start a new job knowing that you are setting yourself up for failure. It’s easy to talk yourself up in an interview and oversell your skills, especially if you have been out of work for a while, but you will not be able to talk your way out of it if you are not qualified for the job.
4) The job is too far away
A long commute can add many more hours to your workweek. You need to weigh the costs and benefits and make sure the job is worth it. Not only can commuting be time consuming and tiring, but it can also be very expensive – are you going to earn enough money to cover your costs? If you have to travel for hours each day to get to and from work, it can seriously impact on your personal life. Everyone needs a good work-life balance, so make sure that you will still have enough time and energy to enjoy yourself and relax. If this is a long-term job offer then you will have to keep up the commute for quite a long time — is that realistic?
5) There is no job security
It should go without saying that job security is important. Even if you don’t end up losing your job right away, just working at a company with high turnover or an unpredictable future can be incredibly stressful. If you’re currently out of work and need to accept an offer with little job security, it would be wise to keep job hunting after starting your employment.
What do you think about these reasons? Are there any you disagree with or any that you’d like to add?
About the Author
Richard McMunn is the founder of How2become, a leading career specialist for public sector careers and JobsInLancashire.com; a online jobs service provider in the UK. Richard has a real passion for helping people prepare for and pass tough recruitment processes and assessment centres in order to secure their dream job.
