It isn’t always easy to decide whether to take a job offer or not. Even when you carefully evaluate the job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and everything else you’ve been offered, and even when it sounds good on paper, there can be valid reasons to reject the offer.
What’s the reason most people turn down a job offer? You might think it’s salary, but that’s not always the most important factor for many candidates.
BlueCrew, the on-demand platform for flexible W-2 work, conducted a survey of hourly workers to learn why job seekers reject positions, and location is the number one reason.
Reasons for rejecting jobs vary, of course, and if you’re considering a professional position there may be other factors that influence your decision making. For hourly jobs and gigs, though, the growing ability to access work on demand has given hourly workers in many job categories (including manufacturing, hospitality, and retail) the ability to choose when and how much they work to accommodate their busy schedules.
5 Reasons Job Seekers Reject Offers
1. Location, Location, Location
Even though salary is considered a major factor when deciding on job offers, hourly workers actually lean toward accepting lower-paying jobs if the commute is shorter or closer to public transportation. According to BlueCrew’s 2019 data, 38% of jobs are rejected due to employer location.
2. Work Schedule
Work schedule is important for many employees, placing second with 26% of workers rejecting a job offer because of the hours. BlueCrew’s survey revealed that flexibility has become an important factor when deciding whether to accept or reject a job.
3. Job Type
Surveyed workers are more interested in the type of job than they are in pay, and they are quick to reject jobs that they might not like. Between a tight job market and flex-oriented economy, workers can afford to be selective and choose only to work ina job function they want as well as when and where they desire. 24% of jobs were rejected because of the type of position being offered.
4. Money Isn’t Everything
10% of workers actually rejected jobs due to the pay. That said, BlueCrew’s data revealed that the pay rate is more important for retaining employees than it is for hiring them in the first place. A small difference in pay can keep the best employees at the same company for substantially longer.
5. The Company
For most job seekers, who they work for isn’t the primary motivator in rejecting or accepting a position. Only 2% of job seekers pointed to the company itself as a reason they rejected jobs.
What to Do if You’re Not Sure
If you’ve received a job offer and you’re not sure whether you should take it, it’s important not to make a hasty decision. If you can, ask for some time to think it over. If it’s an on-demand job or a gig, you may be better off passing it up and moving on to the next job option that’s a better fit.
It’s much easier to decline a job, than it is to take it and then have to quit if it doesn’t work out.
