When job hunting, many people feel that if they apply for a job it means they should accept an offer if they’re successful.
This can result in feeling obligated to say yes to an offer while knowing the role is unsuitable.
Or it can result in being apprehensive about applying for positions where certain requirements are unclear.
When this is raised during coaching conversations, my go-to response is: You can say no at the altar.
Job applications are a two-way street. Both sides must understand if a working arrangement is suitable, so you are interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you.
But if you’ll still find it hard to shake this sense of obligation, consider this.
How many times have you gone for a job where you made it to the final round and weren’t successful?
Just like you, the company went through the whole process of reviewing candidates, and then at the end they decided who gets a yes and who gets a no.
So if saying no at the altar is a normal part of the process for companies, why can’t it be a normal part of your process too?
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