8 Signs you should decline the job offer 

Are you considering a new role and unsure if it’s the right move for you?   

Maybe something doesn’t sit well with you, and you cannot pinpoint what it is.  And it’s wise to be careful.   One wrong move can potentially set your career back years and cost you $1000’s in lost income.   

I’ve seen my share of good and bad offers as a recruiter.  And I’m going to share those red flags in this article.   

Here are eight signs you should decline the offer.  

When you’re interviewing, and especially if you’re in an active job search – whether you’re unemployed or need to get out of a toxic situation – it can be tempting to accept any job offer that comes your way.    

But this isn’t a winning strategy in the long run. Sure, it may solve the issue of having a paycheck coming in – and let’s be honest – that’s a biggie for some people.  But it can cause more significant problems for your career in the long run.  And if you pay attention to this channel, you know I talk a lot about positioning yourself for long-term success and not at the expense of a short-term solution.   

So if you’re in a desperate situation and need to accept a sub-par job, do so – but you better have a solid strategy in the future. Otherwise, you’ll end up in the same situation.   After all, we want to IMPROVE ourselves and not just trade one issue for another.    

But if you’re ready to upgrade your career, we need to get serious about addressing the root cause of our employment circumstances.    

And one lousy job sets you up for another lousy job – those opportunities attract each other for some reason.  This is why a subpar job can set you back years in your career – and in some cases, can completely derail you.  Remember, we need to treat ourselves as free agents and sign with the best possible team and the best possible rate doing the best potential jobs.   

Now back to the situation at hand – if you’re interviewing and wondering if this job is worth serious consideration, I’d like to cover a few signs that you should decline the job offer and pass on the opportunity.   

Sign 1.  The job doesn’t match the posting  

You may have experienced this warning sign before.  You read a relatively generic job description, and it seems straightforward enough.  But once you get into the interview process, it becomes clear that they have a different intention for the role.  

These instances should be approached with extreme caution because you’re likely to find yourself doing work (or expected to work) that you’re not interested in. 

One of my coaching clients had this exact issue come up recently.  He applied for a director-level role.   As he dove deeper into the interview process, it became clear that the company wanted him to do individual contributor work.  There was almost no strategic vision for the role, and his gut feeling was that they didn’t realize what a director would do.

In the end, I advised him to ask them to clarify how the structure of the team, which resources they would allocate, and what deliverables they expected from him.  Sure enough, it was lower-level work that he wasn’t interested in.   

The moral of the story – trust your gut.   If something feels off about a job opportunity, it usually is.

Sign 2.  The job doesn’t align with your career goal 

When actively interviewing for a job – especially if you’re unemployed – it can be tempting to take the first job opportunity that comes your way. Even if the role isn’t aligned with your long-term career goal.  But there’s a real danger in accepting a job like this.  

Because by taking that job, you’ll be moving off your career track.  

And remember, each job you accept will either help your resume or hurt it.  So be careful to accept a job that’s a step backward in responsibility (unless you’re looking to simplify) or in an industry that isn’t beneficial to you.   

Sign 3.  The company does not have a good reputation

You’re doing your due diligence before your interview, right?   Start doing so now if you’re not checking the company’s reputation before accepting an interview.  And certainly before accepting a job offer.  

Because if you are unfortunate enough to join a company with a bad reputation, it may taint you without realizing it. You’ll also want to ensure that their employees like working there.  Knowing the employer’s reputation will also tell you if they pay their people appropriately.   

Still trying to figure out where to start?   Try Glassdoor, Comparably, or any other reputation site.   You can also check with previous employees to see what they thought of their experience.      

Sign 4.  They have unrealistic expectations 

You should understand what they expect you to accomplish as you go through the interview process.   If not, ask this interview question yourself – especially to the hiring manager.  Are they being realistic with what they expect you to achieve?  If they are not, you could be working long hours, under considerable stress, and still feeling like a failure.   

This undue stress from an unreasonable employer can affect your mental and physical health. Not to mention those around you as you struggle to keep your head above water. 

Make sure the employer is grounded in reality on what they want you to deliver in the first 30 & 90 days and even a year out.  If not, you’ll need to coach and educate them.  If they still aren’t coming to their senses, you may want to opt-out of that job offer.  Your sanity isn’t worth the paycheck.   

Sign 5.  The pay/benefits are subpar 

Simply put, the job offer is well below market value.  You should know your worth on the open job market by what knowledge, skills, and abilities you bring to the table.  If the company presents you with an insultingly low offer, it’s a clear sign they aren’t worth considering.  

When an offer is disappointing, the company shows you how much they value you or your role.  Sure, you can negotiate (and you SHOULD) to a degree.  

But know that the first impression is that you’ll need to fight for every dollar.  How will it go when it’s time for a raise? Or a promotion? 

The same thing goes for benefits. You can tell a lot about a company by the package of benefits they offer.  If it’s basic, they probably don’t invest much in their employees in other areas too.  And the problem is that benefits are rarely negotiable.  

So a low pay, poor benefit offer should make you take pause.  

Sign 6.  The culture is toxic  

A toxic work culture is one of the biggest red flags on this list.  Signs of a toxic culture could be a win-at-all-cost leadership style, employers who are not flexible, demanding a return to the office for the sake of face-time.   

Also, pay attention to who’s quitting (and why).   If you’re thinking of joining a company as everyone else is leaving, it’s probably not the most comforting feeling.  High turnover rates and poor reviews are sure signs that something is amiss with the company you’re about to join.   

Ask why the position is open before you sign the dotted line!  

Sign 7.   There will be a work-life balance issue

If they make comments like “we’re looking for someone to be on call,” – beware. Or things like “we work hard but play hard.”   That one is a warning sign too.  And if you prod them on the balance of work and personal life and they laugh it off with “what’s work-life balance??”, you need to think long and hard about if the role is right for you.  

Some (toxic) cultures pride themselves on long hours and a win-at-all-cost mentality. And if you’re working for a start-up, know that you’ll be in for long hours.  (As a side note, start-ups aren’t always bad, but you should go in eyes-wide-open about the requirements). Ultimately you need to decide what balance means to you.   

Now, it’s not to say that there won’t be times with a higher-than-average workload, but if it’s sustained over a long period, it may be a contributor to the following warning sign.   

Sign 8.   Excessive turnover in the role.  

Excessive turnover is something to pay close attention to in the interviewing process.  And in fact, you should be asking this question as part of your screening process (you ARE screening the company, too, right??).  

If the role has had a revolving door of involuntary and voluntary turnover, it should be a red flag to you.  Because there may be an unrealistic expectation of the person, or the work-life balance may be out of whack.   

Or maybe it’s a toxic culture, and not many people last in the role. Unless the company addresses the root cause of the high turnover, it will keep happening.

Either way, accepting a job offer in a department that has a high turnover rate and you’re likely to add to their statistics.  

7 Signs you should decline the offer – Are they all equal? 

It’s worth mentioning that if you notice a warning sign, it doesn’t automatically mean that you should decline the offer.  Use it as a data point to collect more information to make an informed decision.  

There may be cases when taking a less-than-ideal job could be in your best interest.  Especially if you’re new in your career path and need that valuable first work experience.  Have an exit strategy in mind, and know that you’re tolerating the job to build your resume. 

And if you need more help in your job search, I’m here to help!   

Happy job hunting!