Is it ok to accept offer now and deny later? I start getting offers for federal recent graduate, student pathway, and temporary offers.
Answers
Hi Mike- thanks for serving the USA! To answer your question: are these offers formal, written offers or are they verbal offers. A written offer says that you and the company that wants to hire you have both invested time in developing a relationship, have negotiated a starting salary and have begun the process of onboarding you into their company. In that case, it is very bad form to accept this offer, then decline it. But it's ok to politely decline it when initially offered. Company recruiters talk to one another and they move around from client to client, so if you've accepted and declined, you will create a very bad, lasting impression.
On the other hand, if its a verbal offer, its still not the best situation, but its less damaging than if you were extended a written, formal offer and accepted it, then declined. If its a situation where a recruiter contacts you out of the blue and asks if you might be interested in a certain job, then you say yes , then change your mind, you're ok as long as you haven't entered the interviewing process with the hiring manager.
In any event, my advice would be to pursue those opportunities that really appeal to you and decline those casual, out of the blue, "would you be interested in this job", kind of inquiries that'll come your way that don't have your interest.
I hope that all makes sense and is helpful. Good luck with your career aspirations- its a good time to be looking for a job- lots of opportunities to choose from !
Hi Mike,
Thank you so much for your service and for submitting your question. Although I do not have personal experience with this situation, I have looked through a couple of articles that agree on the same points. When turning down a job offer you’ve accepted, make sure to read the contract you’ve signed ( this is of course, assuming that you have signed a contract). Sometimes companies will have no repercussions for rejecting their offer (https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-turn-down-a-job-offer-you-already-accepted-2061404). At the end of the day, it’s always recommended that you show appreciation towards the company that has offered you a position. After you express gratitude, you can choose to briefly explain why you have turned down the offer. If you are interested in reviewing language to decline a job offer, this article includes a great example: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/blog/can-you-decline-a-job-offer-after-youve-accepted-it/
Best,
Yasmina, ACP Staff
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