How to Decline a Job Interview

It can happen to anyone who's searching for a job.

You applied to a bunch of them, then got a callback to your dream job—only to have a callback happen at a place you would only work at if you were desperate. Or, perhaps, you applied to a place with enthusiasm and got a call back, only to read reviews that made you realize it's not the right fit for you. Either way, you will probably need to decline a job interview.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a job seeker, particularly in the professional world, is to burn a bridge by "snubbing" the interviewer or company. This can make it impossible to land a job there the next time around, or worse, it could end up with your reputation being dented in the professional world.

The best way to keep your future intact is to ensure that you decline a job interview the right way. Here are some quick ways to do it in a polite, assertive, and career-preserving way.

The only time you should ever consider ghosting on a confirmed job interview is when you've discovered they're an MLM.

I hate to say it, but MLMs do not count as jobs. Rather, they're basically barely legal pyramid schemes—and need to be treated as such. If you search up the company's name and find that they're considered to be an MLM marketing company, even calling them to decline a job interview will be a waste of your time.

Many people have called these organizations to decline an interview, only to end up getting browbeat, guilted, or otherwise roped into going. Guess what ended up happening after that? They lost money because they foolishly bought into it.

One of the things they don't tell you about MLM is that they have recruitment tips to help draw in otherwise trusting, intelligent people. However, they are scams, big ones, and will take your money.

If you notice the warning signs of an MLM, or see that they are an MLM-linked company, run.

Remember why you chose to decline a job interview, if you might find yourself regretting that decision.

It's often a very good idea to remember the "whys" behind our behavior, particularly when you're on a job hunt. If the "why" for your decision involved a psycho boss you know or bad Indeed reviews, you may want to remember that when you're still interviewing for jobs.

After all, it's not like you can reject the interview and then ask for it again. So, make sure you really know what you're doing.

If you already made the appointment for a job interview, call (or email) and cancel it.

The worst way to decline a job interview, regardless of your industry, is to book an interview and just not show up. At best, the interviewer will throw your resume in the garbage bin and just never follow up with you again.

At worst? Well, the hiring manager could put you on a blacklist file—which would bar you from working there for a very, very long time. This may not seem like a bad thing, but the fact is that many hiring managers network with others in their fields.

If you just bail, you might end up having a bad word about you travel to a job interviewer who you do want a job offer from. That can and will hurt your career at some point in the future.

A better way to go about it? Sending an email or calling them, thanking them but telling them that you do not want to interview with them. It's the easiest way to decline a job interview without upsetting them.

Many HR reps prefer to be emailed, and then called for followup.

If sending an email, keep it professional.

Be formal in your language, thank them for the opportunity, and tell them that you just need to turn down the interview offer. You don't have to include a reason, but if you do, make sure it sounds professional—and doesn't give away TMI.

This is a great way to put yourself in front of other job seekers, should you want a different position in the company later on. It'll make a lasting impression that shows your talent for professionalism.

Always be polite about it.

Even though you may have felt a rush of bravado when you got that job offer from the other company, there's no reason to be rude about it. Believe it or not, many company HR reps have had applicants that, for one reason or another, decided that they should be rude about their announcement to go to another company.

Once again, you never know who you'll end up offending—or who that person knows. Knowing how to rock at networking means that you always give people the idea that you're great, friendly, and a hard worker. Being rude just shows you have no tact, and that can ruin opportunities down the road.

Remember that you might want to explain why, but if you don't, it's okay to stay silent.

Sometimes, a company may want to know why the potential employee they wanted turned down the offer to interview. It makes sense, since most companies do want to attract the best talent they can get.

That being said, you never have to give an explanation as to why you decided to decline a job interview. Generally speaking, you should not say much of anything, since it could potentially burn bridges.

Much like with the personal details you shouldn't share in a job interview, if you have a personal reason why you can't attend the interview, it's okay to not speak up about it. If you don't feel like offering an explanation, just say, "Something suddenly came up," or "I just got another offer."

Don't feel guilty about choosing to decline a job interview.

No, your decision to turn down an interview offer doesn't make you a bad person. The hiring manager who's searching for a good potential candidate will understand that it's a matter of business—and that you may have found a better match elsewhere.

You have to remember, an interview is a two-way street. You both have to see yourselves as good matches. Most HR departments are aware of this, and would rather have you decline a job interview than to waste their time and yours.

If they wanted to hire you freelance, consider referring them to someone else.

Freelancers have job interviews, too, you know. If you need to decline a job interview as a freelancer, a good way to ensure that you don't come off as rude or just uninterested is to suggest another freelancer or company that can help them with the task at hand.

Keep a copy of the interaction, just in case you need the HR's contact information later on.

This may seem counterintuitive, but the truth it that you should still keep the correspondence you've had with a company—even if you decided to decline a job interview with them. You never know when you'll need it, and it can help to keep in contact with them.

Even if you don't need to continue your job search right now, having more contacts in your book can help you find new connections and improve the overall quality of your professional network. So, do keep in contact if you can. It never hurts.