Earlier this week, I interviewed for a job that has opened up in a neighboring department (same business, different work section). It’s a management position that would let me cross the gap from para-professional/leadworker to manager/supervisor, and it pays a little more. It would also be quite a bit more stressful than my current job, which I’ve been doing very successfully for 16 years and which, most of the time, I really like.
The more I think about it, the less I want the new position. One consideration among many is that I don’t handle stress well. Because of my Addison’s Disease, emotional/psychological stress results in significant physical pain. Like 7 and 8 on the 1-to-10 scale.
I’m 99.99% sure that, if they offered me the position, I would decline it. So, do I withdraw my application now, before they make a decision, or wait and say no? If I withdraw my application, I will say it is because of my health, not that I don’t want to work with them.
If you’ve already interviewed for the job, let it go, your work here is done. If the job is offerred, you are not obligated to accept. Withdrawing your application at this stage would send confusing messeges. Don’t worry about it.
I’ve never been in such a position, but I don’t think it matters at this point. I don’t think you have anything to gain by withdrawing your application now.
Hang on and wait. If you don’t get the offer, then the problem is solved. If you do get the offer then you can tell them you need to think about it, and perhaps you should take a day or two to think about it, then you can politely state that, for health reasons, this might not be a good fit at the moment.
Just keep the process going. If they offer you the job turn it down because it doesn’t pay enough. See how high they’re willing to go. Ask for other benefits, more vaca, a company car, the sky’s the limit if you really don’t want the job. You’ll have a great feeling of self-satisfaction when you turn them down in the end.
However, don’t do this if you think you’ll still want to work for them some day, or if you’ll succumb to the temptation of a higher salary than you expected. I think avoiding stress is a wonderful idea.
I disagree with the others. I think if you’ve decided you don’t want the job, it is better to speak up now. You save them the time of considering you (and potentially checking on references). If they go through more consideration and end up making you an offer only to have you reject it at that time, they could be a little resentful.
You should consider every interview as a two-way street. You are interviewing them to determine if the job is a good fit for you. Don’t feel bad telling them you decided it wasn’t. But don’t waste any more of their time than you have to.
If you don’t get an offer, do nothing. If you do, simply say you’ve reconsidered and must respectfully decline their offer. Don’t give them any ammunition against you, what purpose would that serve?
Or pregnancy, try interviewing for a job pregnant. Might as well stamp a “I am going to be out for 6 weeks right after you hire me.” I’ve worn baggy tops to interviews before so they couldn’t tell I was preggers.
As for the OP, I would ask them to withdraw any consideration for me at this time, so that they can concentrate their attention on candidates who want the position. I think it is courteous, and since you have worked for them for so long I don’t think it would make you look bad at all.
That reminds me …I applied for a job when I was very early in my pregnancy. There was a long application process (testing, etc), and then the final interview. I went through the whole process, but by the time the interview rolled around, I was seriously (and visibly) pregnant. It was one of the most hilarious and uncomfortable interviews ever. They couldn’t legally ask me about the pregnancy, but everyone kept pointedly looking at my huge, pregnant belly, and waiting for me to say something.
I just crossed my hands over my tummy and rocked that interview!
Couldn’t actually take the job, I was due the same week the training started.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the Widget Supervisor position. Your department clearly has excellent leadership and many exciting initiatives ahead.
Unfortunately, after careful consideration, I have determined that this position is not a good fit for me at this time, and I would like to withdraw my candidacy. I wish you the luck in filling the position, and I look forward to working with you in the future.
I had a fellowship where I had a dozen or so interviews at 7 month pregnant- and enormous. It was almost comical, my waddling all over town in the dead of summer.
While they could not ask about it, I could bring it up. I usually said “I know you can’t ask this, but no doubt you’ve noticed that I am about to have a little one. I am due in September and have been planning to take 6 weeks maternity leave. There could be some flexibility in that depending on the circumstances. I want you to know that I have been working towards this position for years, and am fully dedicated to it. We are lucky to have excellent family support in town, and have already arranged our child care.”
I got plenty of offers. Luckily the hiring process I used was a slow one, and the timing worked out perfectly.
Sometimes it went over well and they have me their work life balance spiel. Sometimes it was awkward.
I know from first-hand experience how time consuming our agency’s post-interview consideration process is, having recently completed it for a hiring committee I was on. I think saving them the time of considering me would be thoughtful and considerate. I"ll send the email first thing Monday morning.
I’d essentially do what Inna said, something like “I appreciate the opportunity to interview, and after careful thought I request that I be removed from consideration for Position X.”
No obligation to give them more information, though you can if you choose. I’ve done this before - I interviewed for 2 jobs at new workplaces, and after one interview, it was clearly a bad fit. I waited until after the other interview, knew that was a good fit and withdrew from the first search. Even if I hadn’t gotten job #2, I wouldn’t have accepted job #1.
Or, now that I read the whole thread, what even sven said.
I was in this position a couple of years ago with a job I would have enjoyed and been really good at, but which would have meant moving 2-3 hours away. I didn’t worry about it until the interview seemed to go really well, after which I (a day later or so) sent an email very similar to even sven’s above to the interviewers. My thinking at the time was (and still is), why risk pissing them off if they interview some more folks, deliberate for a few days and settle on me, then turn them down?
That felt too much like burning my bridges, so I respectfully bowed out before they’d spent too much time on me.
You might not have gotten that this is in the same company. Given that, yanking the chain of another group is not a really good career move.
I’d tend to withdraw now, since it prevents the offering department (if they offer) from being rejected and speeds the process for them. I’d think long and hard how the reason given will affect your career.
You’re right, I thought the OP was talking about a different company. And you’re right again because in that case it is a tough call on a reason to give.
