have you ever turned down a job?

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marge

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Hi All

As I have whined in here before I am job hunting. Well today I have a second interview and... it's for a job I don't want. I will go and do my best, but if I get an offer...I don't think I want it. This job was a "why not" application, not one I am truly interested in.

Anyways, have any of you had to turn down a job? If so how do you handle it? I will keep an open mind but I don't think this job uses my talents and thus won't be something I stick with. I don't want to be back out there again looking in less than a year.

Of course it's still just an interview so I should relax at least for now.
 
coolcat

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I´m so sorry but I don´t have anything...

But I can send you my best wishes to you!

sending ((((((good vibes)))))
to you found a good Job Soon!!

 
valanhb

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Can't say that I've turned one down, but I will tell you that the job I have now was one that I didn't really want. I became unemployed on about September 7, 2001. Yup, that sucked. Well, I tried for every position I was qualified for, including "receptionist" jobs, which I really didn't want. I hate being on the phone, and I hate answering phones. So what was the first offer I get? A receptionist position.
But it ended up being the best job I've had. It's a great company, great people, they really appreciate what I bring to the company and encourage me to expand my knowledge and skills. It's been a real blessing to have taken the job I didn't really want to take in the first place.
 
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marge

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Originally Posted by valanhb

Can't say that I've turned one down, but I will tell you that the job I have now was one that I didn't really want. I became unemployed on about September 7, 2001. Yup, that sucked. Well, I tried for every position I was qualified for, including "receptionist" jobs, which I really didn't want. I hate being on the phone, and I hate answering phones. So what was the first offer I get? A receptionist position.
But it ended up being the best job I've had. It's a great company, great people, they really appreciate what I bring to the company and encourage me to expand my knowledge and skills. It's been a real blessing to have taken the job I didn't really want to take in the first place.
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Well I was thinking that, what do I know? I mean I have been wrong before. Well I know for sure I am going to tell them I am away over the 4th weekend-Fri through Monday (I'm not but I want time to think) so they don't call until Tues. Maybe then I will have an epiphany.

They may even choose someone else too.
 
jcat

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Yes, I have, but they were mainly "blind offers" made by schools trying to recruit me because there aren't too many native English speakers here who share my specialty. The one exception was a place I'd applied to that offered a lot more money than I was making, but had a very strange way of teaching (no grades, singing during each lesson, no discipline), so I told them I wouldn't be comfortable with their teaching methods.
 
scamperfarms

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Cant say I ever have. and something I think I should have...but a job is a job and bills gots to be paid.
 
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marge

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Well I am going to meditate on it, but I just wish I was more excited about it. I have applied to more that I like better.

To explain more fully, I work at a college and I feel my talents are in student advising, and advocacy. This job is more in the end of development and donor targeting. It's just not me, I think the first interview they liked me a lot even though they knew my back ground wasn't right. So called me back, I have a feeling thought they are also interviewing someone with more experience, so my fears aren't even anything to worry about.
 
eburgess

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I did.... after 3 years of job searching I finally gave up and have to move home at the end of July. and I'm NOT happy about it. I have made arrangments to attend Mercyhurst College's Adult Eduation program. Last week I got a call from a pizza place I applied for 4 weeks ago. They wanted to hire me. I told him that I was moving home so therefore could not take the job. He asked me why I even applied for it I told him that I needed a job 4 weeks ago, and that he was a little late.

Sometimes I wonder why they even adverstize opening at all!!
 
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marge

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Originally Posted by eburgess

I did.... after 3 years of job searching I finally gave up and have to move home at the end of July. and I'm NOT happy about it. I have made arrangments to attend Mercyhurst College's Adult Eduation program. Last week I got a call from a pizza place I applied for 4 weeks ago. They wanted to hire me. I told him that I was moving home so therefore could not take the job. He asked me why I even applied for it I told him that I needed a job 4 weeks ago, and that he was a little late.

Sometimes I wonder why they even adverstize opening at all!!
Click to expand...
I'm 44 years old but right now I wish I could move home and regroup!
I know if I hang in there it will be ok, but it's frustrating.
 
twofatcats

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I tuned down one job offer about 35 years ago to teach at a school of fashion design. It would have been fun in a way, but the position really didn't use my talents. I had just received a master's degree in clothing and textiles, but the position had lesson plans all laid out for the whole course and the teacher was just expected to regurgitate it. I wanted something which involved more development of course material. The position also was only three-fourths time and paid a lot less than I expected to get. So I just told them I was looking for something full time. As I think back on it, though the job I did finally accept was one I thoroughly enjoyed and paid about 50% more, the job I turned down might have given me the experience to go a different direction in my career, to industry rather than public education. And now that I'm retired and look back, I might have enjoyed that. But who knows where it would really have led. Could have been a dead end.

I turned down another job about 20 years ago. I would have been teaching and demonstrating for a sewing machine company. But the job involved a lot of travel, so it was easy for me to tell them I'd reached the conclusion it was more travel than I'd find acceptable. It is a good thing I turned that one down, as my husband's health started to deteriorate shortly thereafter, and I needed to be home.
 
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marge

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Originally Posted by twofatcats

I tuned down one job offer about 35 years ago to teach at a school of fashion design. It would have been fun in a way, but the position really didn't use my talents. I had just received a master's degree in clothing and textiles, but the position had lesson plans all laid out for the whole course and the teacher was just expected to regurgitate it. I wanted something which involved more development of course material. The position also was only three-fourths time and paid a lot less than I expected to get. So I just told them I was looking for something full time. As I think back on it, though the job I did finally accept was one I thoroughly enjoyed and paid about 50% more, the job I turned down might have given me the experience to go a different direction in my career, to industry rather than public education. And now that I'm retired and look back, I might have enjoyed that. But who knows where it would really have led. Could have been a dead end.

I turned down another job about 20 years ago. I would have been teaching and demonstrating for a sewing machine company. But the job involved a lot of travel, so it was easy for me to tell them I'd reached the conclusion it was more travel than I'd find acceptable. It is a good thing I turned that one down, as my husband's health started to deteriorate shortly thereafter, and I needed to be home.
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see that's the thing, I know I *might* be making a life choice decision soon.
And it could change the course of my life...

I just wish I felt more energized by this interview, I feel Like I am going to boot camp. And I know interviews aren't suppose to be fun, but still you want to feel competitive about it.
 
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Originally Posted by Marge

see that's the thing, I know I *might* be making a life choice decision soon.
And it could change the course of my life...

I just wish I felt more energized by this interview, I feel Like I am going to boot camp. And I know interviews aren't suppose to be fun, but still you want to feel competitive about it.
Click to expand...
Remember, even if you are sure you don't want the job, you should do your best because you are getting an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills (which are completely different from actual work skills). A career advisor told me that once, and it really does make sense. If nothing else, think of it as practice for your next interview.
 
tari

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I got another job offer at the same time I got the job I now have. It was tough making the decision, but I finally just had to go with my instincts. It was the right choice! I love the job I have now.

What does that little voice inside your head tell you?

(But I do agree that you should go to the interview, if for nothing else than a chance to exercise your interviewing skills.)
 
purity

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The only jobs I've turned down were a few years back, when I was still trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life! I had another interview just before the one for my current job, and according to the agency the job was mine if I wanted it, but they just had to formerly make me an offer. A month later and they still hadn't done anything, so I called and said that if they were that laid back about employing me, what the hell would they be like about pay reviews etc. Got the job I have now, and I've never been happier.
 
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Yes I have. After an interview the gentleman telephoned next day to offer me the job and I declined. During the interview he asked me illegal questions, i.e., how old I was, my SIN number and indicated he wanted me to work a 60 hour week "just for awhile".

I was very forthright with him when I turned down the job. I asked him if he knew he was asking illegal questions during the interviews and his response was "Oh, yeah, most people don't mind". I told him I did mind and thanked him for the offer but regetfully declined.
 
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