Congratulations, you’ve landed the job! While you’re flattered to have been chosen as the best person for the role, it’s an offer you aren’t feeling completely certain about. In fact, you’re most likely planning on turning down the offer altogether.

Having to turn down a job offer can be awkward, but you have to make the right move for your career in the long run. Additionally, how you handle it is key to coming across as a respectful and professional individual.

Here are 4 ways to gracefully turn down a job offer:

Let The Company Know As Soon As Possible

If your plan is to turn down a job offer, don’t stall on letting the company know. Once you have come to a decision, plan out what you are going to say and reach out to them as quickly as possible. While it’s a conversation you probably aren’t looking forward to, not being transparent about your intentions can lead them to miss out on the next choice for this role in this candidate-driven job market.

Show Your Appreciation

Perhaps you aren’t accepting the job offer because the pay offered doesn’t meet your expectations or you didn’t get a good vibe from the company during the interview process. Regardless of your reasons, you’ll still want to show the company how appreciative you are of their time and that they hold you in high regards. While the response you’re giving them isn’t going to be the one they were hoping for, a genuine message of gratitude can go a long way!

Be Honest, But Polite

While you don’t need to list every single reason why you’re going to turn down a job offer, you also shouldn’t leave the hiring manager in the dark as to why you’re doing so. If you’re able to, calling them over the phone is the most respectful way to tell them you won’t be accepting their job offer. Some good examples of an honest and polite answer include:

• After giving it some thought, I have decided that now is not a good time for me to start a new position.
• After careful consideration, I have decided to accept a position at another company that I believe will provide more opportunities for my growth as a professional.
• While I appreciate your offer, I have made the decision to stay with my current company.

Stay In Touch

After you turn down a job offer, don’t let your “thanks, but no thanks” be your last interaction with the people you interviewed with! Depending on the size of your industry, there’s a real possibility that you’ll be seeing the people you interviewed with at some point in the future. Regardless of whether or not this is the case for you specifically, offering to stay in touch is not only respectful, but it also allows you to keep your options open in the future.