Paula writes: I’ve been trying to find a web page where I can get advice how to write a letter to a company that has offered me a job. After careful consideration I have decided not to take the job and wanted to send a nice and polite letter declining the offer. I don’t have experience in this and wanted to know where can I find sample letters that I can modify.
The Career Doctor responds: Kudos to you for being a smart and courteous job-seeker! You never want to burn any bridges because you never know when a new opportunity will arise with that employer.
Declining letters are fairly easy to write. You basically want to thank the employer for the opportunity, praise the employer, stress the difficulty of making the decision, and offer best wishes for continued success. That’s it; short and sweet. Three paragraphs.
As with any other job correspondence, be sure to edit your letter and check (and double-check) for typos.
You can go to Quintessential Careers for a sample letter declining a job offer.
