When NOT to Turn Down a Job Offer

Sometimes, there are good reason to turn down a job offer. While getting offered a job is always a good thing, there are legitimate reasons to say "no thanks." As a general rule, there should be a major incompatibility with you and the organization for you to turn down the job. For instance, perhaps the commute is so great that it would be unreasonable for you to get in on time everyday. Or, maybe the salary is unreasonable for the amount of work you are expected to do. Minor complaints about the organization, however, are not good reasons to reject a job offer. Here are some common reasons I have heard that just don't make sense to me:

1. I'd prefer to work at a bigger company: Being comfortable at your place of employment is really important, but to me it makes no sense to turn down a potentially good situation just because the company is "too small" or "too big." If everything else is reasonable, why make this a sticking point?
2. I met the boss, and I don't really like him/her: Let's face it: you are never going to get along with everyone you work with, and this is true with bosses or supervisors, as well. Talk to anybody and you will probably find a majority of people don't like their bosses. If you are to be a successful employee, you have to learn to deal with people you don't like.
3. This isn't really the job of my dreams: It is unreasonable to expect to get your dream job right away. This is especially true if you are just out of college or don't have a lot of experience in the field to which you are applying. It might not be what you want to hear, but to get the position you really want, you are going to have to build up your credentials.
4. I don't like the area the job is in: Believe it or not, I have actually heard someone say this. I have even heard people complain about the selection of lunch options near the job! Obviously it would be ideal if you worked in a town or city that had everyone you wanted, but we don't live in an ideal world. Of all the reasons to turn down a job, this is probably one of the worst. Would you really turn down a job just because there isn't a McDonald's nearby?

In these tough times, it is important to make sure that the reason you turn down a job offer makes sense. After all, you never know when that next non profit job is going to come around.