How to Reject A Job Offer (That You’ve Already Accepted): An Email Template

Yep, this one definitely makes it to the top 3 most awkward work-related emails you’ll ever have to send in your life. It’s certainly not easy rejecting a job in the first place…and particularly not one that you’ve already accepted.

You might have had a change of heart or decided to go with a different company. And that’s okay. Ultimately, it’s your decision and these things happen. You just need to make sure that as soon as you’ve decided that this job is not The One, you send this email ASAP to give them as much time as possible to find another candidate.

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Subject line

No longer able to accept [position title]

Body

Hi Jon,

My sincerest apologies, but unfortunately I am no longer in a position to accept the role of XXX with [company].

I’ve just been offered another job, and after much agonising and deliberation, I’ve decided that this role will be a better fit for my career trajectory.

Please know that I did not make this decision lightly, and I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience and frustration this may cause you and your team. As I’m sure you can appreciate however, I could not let this stand in the way of making the best decision for my career. I believe that the [position] and [company] have a great deal to offer a prospective employee, and I hope that you are able to find a suitable replacement.

Thank you again for your time, and I wish your team all the best for the future.

Best regards,

[Your name]

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Always agonising over those tricky-to-word work emails? Here are 10 pre-written templates to help you navigate those awkward work scenarios.