The Top 5 Reasons Job Seekers Are Likely To Decline A Job Offer

A new survey has identified five “red flags” that cause interviewees to reject a job offer. During the interview process, when one (or more) of these scenarios shows up, employers are placing themselves at risk – revealing reason(s) for candidates to bounce out of the interview process. Overall, the new research shows that 37% of interviewees report having a negative experience when interviewing for a job. Given the new research, commissioned by VoiceNation, what can employers do to make sure they aren’t creating an exit strategy in the interview process? And how can job interviewees negotiate effectively, when the opportunity is the right one?

Uncovering a Poor Interview Experience

Of the group that reported experiencing poor interviews, 44% of the respondents were Gen Z – perhaps suggesting that folks 18-24 have different expectations when applying to jobs? However, 43% of respondents stated that they’d been put off for specifically senior positions – typically reserved for workers with greater experience than Gen Z, but not always. This result may also suggest that expectations are changing across all generations – or that expectations are higher for more senior positions, creating more pressure and challenge at different levels in the organization. Then again, it could simply mean that some companies aren’t always clear communicators, when it comes to job expectations and the interview process.

What Causes A Job Seeker to Reject a Job Offer?

The number one reason job seekers reject a job offer is when salary is not disclosed. That shows up in 38% of the responses, and it makes total sense. After all, how can you say “yes” to something, when you don’t know what it pays? Dan Marshall, Group Head of Digital at Moneypenny and Voice Nation (the company behind the survey) offers this guidance for hiring companies, “When advertising for the role, make it as detailed as possible, especially when it comes to role and experience requirements, and salary expectations – this will avoid any potential miscommunication and issues down the line.”

However, for job seekers, it’s best to set expectations accordingly when it comes to your salary. Full disclosure may not be in the employer’s best interest. That’s not because they are playing games with your career – it’s because they don’t want the competition to know what they pay. Consider that, in a competitive market, companies rely on salary and compensation packages to attract the brightest and best. Publishing salary levels (salary and wage disclosure is required in some states) can be a dangerous game for employers. It’s like revealing trade secrets to the marketplace. In the battle for wage equality, some employers will want to negotiate, in private, around compensation. What some may classify as a “red flag” could be reframed as “par for the course”. In other words, set your expectations accordingly – full salary disclosure is often a dialogue, not a number published on a website.

Negotiation Is the Key to the Job Interview

Negotiation is part of the interview process. It offers the employer a chance to potentially save some money, that’s true – but it’s also an opportunity for the job seeker to demonstrate their skills inside a conversation. It’s one thing to say, “Hey, I’m a good negotiator,” in the interview process. But, when it’s time to talk salary, can you prove it? Are you ready to negotiate effectively, and prove your value?

When it comes to discovering details of the salary, or the complete compensation package, inject curiosity into the conversation. Don’t let a negotiating tactic turn into a reason to reject the job offer outright. Remember it’s called an “interview”, but at its best it’s a dialogue. You have the ability to ask questions, to inquire, as part of the negotiation. While 38% of job applicants might be turned off by a lack of salary details, 62% of job seekers appear to be able to navigate those challenges. Which statistic do you want to claim for yourself? Choose wisely. Understanding what to expect can help you to stay curious, stay in the game, stay in the conversation. The rewards might be worth it, because, at the very least, you are learning how to interview and negotiate better every time. As any scientist will tell you, experiments never fail. What if you viewed the job interview as an experiment, instead of a pressure-packed, make-it-or-break-it chance for your career? What would change?

Other red flags that cause job seekers to reject offers include:

1. Continual interview rescheduling – is that part of the process, or a reason to move on to another opportunity? The survey doesn’t share how many times the interviews were rescheduled. But 25% of respondents found that rescheduling was a reason to remove themselves from the interview process.
2. Disrespecting colleagues in front of the interviewee – if you say you’ve got a culture of caring and inclusion, but colleagues are dismissed or treated poorly, the interviewee sees beyond the hype. Hope is not a strategy, and what people see and experience speaks louder than the words on your website. 23% of respondents cited this issue as a red flag.
3. When the Role is Different than Originally Advertised – for 18% of respondents, there was enough of a “bait and switch” to cause concern. Consistency is what employers look for on your résumé, and it’s also what interviewees look for in the job search process. Misalignment is a reason for candidates to bounce.
4. Inconsistent Answers – when questions receive different answers in the job interview, it creates mistrust and concern for 18% of interviewees. Again, consistency of messaging is key to keeping candidates in the conversation.

The job interview is a dialogue, not a one-way conversation. While job interviews can feel nerve-wracking and pressure packed, there’s an easier way to approach the conversation. First of all, understanding what to expect can help you to turn a “red flag” into a “green light”, when you realize that you are prepared for the negotiation. Exploring articles, like this one is a great way to get better prepared. A coach or savvy headhunter can provide wise counsel as well. Ultimately, staying curious and noticing inconsistencies can help you to spot the job offer that isn’t a fit for you. Or, perhaps, to discover the perfect role. It’s out there, and the job interview conversation is the first step in finding it.