Excuse Letter for Not Joining the Company (Format & Sample Letter)

It may not always be that after attending and passing an interview, a candidate will automatically join the company which he applied for. If you happen to be the affected culprit, it is important that you draft and send an official decline apology to the head of the company’s recruitment.

The letter you draft under this circumstance is called the “Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company.” It is an apology-cum-explanation as to why you are unable to join a firm even after attending and getting accepted for the position you applied. This letter also states the reasons for deciding to turn down the offer altogether.

So that the letter serves its purpose to the purpose intended, the letter must contain some critical pieces of information. Knowing about these pieces of information is, no doubt, essential to be able to do a great job. Below are some of the ‘must-have’ details in the letter:

• Relevant Addresses – Start the letter by specifying the relevant addresses of the parties involved. These are the ones for the sender, you in this case, and the recipient, typically the head of recruitment of the firm affected. Use the format of the official letter to display these addresses.
• Identify yourself and the position you applied for – As noted above, this is a letter that is drafted to decline a given position you had initially applied for. You should hence identify yourself and the position. If it had a job reference number, specify it.
• State why you are unable to join the firm – Next, state why you are unable to join the firm. Be straight and open here because you never know, you might have to apply to this firm at some point in the future. Do not criticize the firm in any way if the reason was a fault on the part of the firm.
• Apologize for the inconvenience caused. Your decision not to join the firm will potentially inconvenience the firm in some way or another. As a matter of courtesy, you should apologize to the firm for the inconvenience that your decline is likely to pose.
• Wish for a friendly rapport going forward – Close the letter by wishing for a friendly rapport between you and the firm. Ask them not to use this incident to your disadvantage if and when you apply for vacancies in the same firm at some point in the future.

While drafting this letter, there are things you should avoid at all costs, regardless of the exact reasons why you have opted to decline the offer. They have the potential to spoil for you, especially if you happen to do business with the firm in the future. Right here, we delineate those things that a letter of this kind ought not to contain at all:

• Openly criticizing the firm – Even if your decision not to take up the job vacancy has something to do with an inadequacy on the part of the firm, you should never openly criticize the firm. Just leave in peace and let those who are comfortable with those terms to work for the firm.
• Swearing or Vowing – Never swear or vow that you shall never work with that firm or apply to it at any point in the future. All that goes around comes round indeed. You never know, a point may come when your only option is to work for that firm.
• Comparing the firm with another one – In case your motive for declining the offer stems from a better offer by another firm, do not openly show this. No company wants to feel or sound inferior to another one. Instead, you should leave it vague or merely state that you have two offers, and you have to choose strictly one of them.
• Making inaccurate or unsubstantiated statements – Each statement you make has to be truthful and accurate. They have to capable of substantiating. Remember, it is these little things that may spoil for you if you choose to apply to the firm for another job opening in the future.
• Adopting a Casual Approach – This “Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company” is not a friendly or casual letter, for all practical purposes. Instead, it is a formal letter and should hence be treated as such. Do not fall into the temptation hence of adopting a casual approach. That will only jeopardize your chances of being taken seriously.

This letter, as is the norm with many other official letters, come in diverse forms and types. These variations are mainly because of the unique roles that they are intended to play. Four of these types stand out. You can use any other or these excuses for not joining the company in the letter format above to write a reasonable letter.

Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company due to emergency

Some emergencies might usually arise in between the receipt of a job offer and the date of first reporting. If and when they arise, a decline of the offer might often be the only viable option. As expected, the letter ought to reveal these vital pieces of information:

• The exact vacancy applied for
• The precise emergency that has hindered you from taking up the vacancy
• Any plans for the future after the emergency has passed on
• How you intend to relate with the company going forward
• Some of the ways in which you may engage and enrich the firm afterward

Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company due to studies

At some times, it could be that you just can’t take up a vacancy due to the need to attend to your studies. If this is the case, it is only courteous that you draft a letter of this kind to that end. A letter of this kind has to state explicitly the following details:

• The vacancy which you are turning down
• The nature of the studies you have enrolled in
• An offer to be available for the job even when studying
• Any likelihood that you may seek employment with the same firm in the future
• Official apology for the inconveniences likely to arise

Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company due to sickness

It is also possible to turn down a vacancy due to sickness. Many sicknesses are however temporary. As such, a decline of this kind only needs to postpone the date of first reporting rather than turn down the offer overall. A letter of this kind has to showcase these pieces of information:

• The identity of the vacancy you intend to turn down
• An explanation of the reason for turning down the offer
• How long you are willing to wait before reporting
• A plea for patience and special consideration
• Sorry for the inconvenience that your delay is likely to inflict

Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company due to family matters

Several family matters may also impede your ability to take up a job vacancy pronto. These include domestic squabbles, sicknesses, errant children, spousal issues, and a host of disagreements. As always, you must draft this letter and use it to explain why you cannot take up the vacancy. The letter should express:

• The job title and vacancy you are turning down
• The exact family issue that is informing your decision to turn down the offer
• How long the issue might last
• Whether the decline is temporary or permanent
• Your plans as regards your career growth and aspirations

FAQs

This Excuse Letter for Not Joining Company is not without its share of controversies. It is necessary to learn about these controversies to be able to appreciate the topic better and do a splendid job. We hence examine some of the frequently asked questions surrounding this topic:

We can never over-emphasize the need to draft this letter. It is a great way to show that you care for the relations between the company concerned on the one hand and you on the other hand. Moreover, you might normally have to reapply for a vacancy with that firm later. This letter creates a friendly rapport that ups your chances of being accepted later.