Reasons to turn down a job offer
In today's changing economy, finding employment can be tough. Some job seekers find themselves desperate and willing to accept almost any job offered to them. They are concerned with being able to pay the bills and put food on the table.
Unfortunately, there are companies that take advantage of this desperation. There are times when a person should turn down a job offer. It may not seem like it at the time, but there areinstanceswhen it is best to hold out for something better.
Receiving a job offer is usually a good thing. It is not good, however, when there is an ulterior motive on the part of the potential employer. The motive could be physical attraction, for example.
When the potential employer is interviewing you, you may notice odd behavior. Examples of this are; not looking you in the eye, attention focused below your neck, strange or personal questions and/or being too close to you. Invading your personal space is not okay. Personal questions are not part of a job interview. To clarify: personal questions that are not acceptable include anything to do with your dating habits, and any sexual questions.
If any of these things happen during a job interview, turn the job down. This is unacceptable behavior for an employer to exhibit. When you get a job, you want to know that you got it due to your work ethic and skill set for that job, not for your attraction level. If this happens to you, report it to the proper authorities.
If a potential employer is sketchy about pay days and rate of pay, you may want to turn the job down. You do not want to put in long hours of hard work and not get paid. Discussion of pay is a standard part of the interview process.
When employers are evasive about pay, there is usually a reason. The company may not be able to pay their employees on time or at all due to economic hardship. When this is the case, turn the job down.
The whole idea of getting a job is so you can pay your own bills. Another example is some companies will hire people at below average wages. These companies are looking for people that will work hard for cheap wages. If you have experience and are a hard worker, you deserve a fair wage.
Safety comes first in any job. When there is a lack of safety equipment like goggles, gloves, shields (on machinery), and hard hats, turn down the job. Safety equipment is necessary in most businesses. With proper safety equipment and safety procedures in place, accidents are less likely to occur.
Unsanitary conditions are a concern also. This is especially true in the food service industry. Hair nets, gloves and smocks are a staple in most places that handle food. The work space must be clean as well as bathrooms. Contamination happens easier than people think. In unsanitary conditions, people can become ill and pass it to co-workers as well as to the patrons. If the place does not appear to be clean and safe, turn the job down.
One way to know if a company is potentially engaging in illegal or suspicious activity is if they offer to pay you "under the table". At a glance, this sounds good to some people. If they are being paid cash, no taxes are being withheld. In theory, it doesn't have to be reported at tax time.
Stop and think about it. Why is the company paying under the table? Why don't they want it to be known you are working for them? You don't want to be working for a company that has shady practices.
The bottom line is: pay attention when job hunting and think before accepting a job offer. Ask questions during the interview and do some research on the company. Most jobs are not going to be a barrels of laughs every minute of the day. However, you do not want to work under deplorable conditions either.
A good thing to remember is that during a job interview, you are not the only one being scrutinized. You should be evaluating the company to see if it will be a safe and acceptable place for you to work. Sometimes it pays not to jump the gun, out of desperation, to accept a job offer.
