It’s easy to swell with confidence with a job offer that you’ve decided isn’t right for you. It’s tempting to think that you’re simply way too cool for school and stop acting smartly and diplomatically, not to mention humbly. Now’s the time of year when the applications go out in a flurry, so it’s a good time to remember these five pointers on how to properly turn down a job offer.

1. Don’t Keep Them Waiting.

You might be tempted to linger in the adulation of a fresh job offer. Deny yourself this ridiculous pleasure and let the people know quickly that you’re not interested so they can move on quickly, and your denial of their offer doesn’t become an issue for them. You probably hate it when companies take forever to get back to you, right? Everyone does and for good reason.

2. Give an Honest Concise Reason.

Be firm in explaining why you’re not accepting. Don’t try to cushion the blow. That just comes off as insulting. Hiring managers like concise explanations. They have lots of stuff to do but also need good feedback so they can make the best decisions.

3. Be Thankful and Use the Phone.

Most hiring managers prefer a phone call. It shows more effort, and you can use the opportunity to thank them for their interest. Adding a human touch is something they’ll appreciate and respect—and they deserve that.

4. Offer to Stay in Touch.

Think again about your network. If these people liked you enough to give you an offer why not try to maintain a business relationship? Maybe the job wasn’t meant to be, but it’s good to have people who respect your abilities willing to say nice things about you.

5. Be Professional and Respectful.

This probably goes without saying, but again remember to be humble and respectful. You’d be surprised how many people forget themselves when they get a job offer.

Turning down an offer is a good problem to have, but that doesn’t mean it’s not something that doesn’t need attention and thoughtfulness. Be courteous and respectful and that same respect will come back to you.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.