Refusal letter!!

chris85

Hi guys had a thread recently regarding a job i was going for abroad, Anyways i got the job and its in the UK and the money is decent.

Long story short, i have decided that i want to go travelling instead to Australia for a year or so. What do i say to the company that i will not be taking the job. I would like the job but i feel that if i took the job i would be there for a number of years as the company has lots of opportunites at the moment and would like to be fully dedicated and committed if i took the job and travelling is what i need to do as i have been college so long and need a break.

Is there any use in saying that I would be interested in reapplying for the job next year and hope that they consider this. They were very impressed with me at the interview.

Its in engineering by the way and the starting salary is average compared to other engineering graduate positions.

Any advice? It hard to turn down the first major job of a career yet to be started

Saint_Mel

How can you afford to go travelling straight after college?
And why do you need a break like that after college?

In my opinion, if you give the impression that you need a year long holiday to recover after college, it might not look good for your ability to cope with any stress and pressure of a real job!

Just my opinion of course .., and my advice would be to take the job, if its something your really interested in, work a few years and then if the travel bug strikes you will be in a better position to leave and get another (or same) job when you come back.

chris85

Saint_Mel wrote: »

How can you afford to go travelling straight after college?
And why do you need a break like that after college?

In my opinion, if you give the impression that you need a year long holiday to recover after college, it might not look good for your ability to cope with any stress and pressure of a real job!

Just my opinion of course .., and my advice would be to take the job, if its something your really interested in, work a few years and then if the travel bug strikes you will be in a better position to leave and get another (or same) job when you come back.

The money aspect of travelling is ok. I have spent the last five years doing engineering with very little time to relax as it is a tough course. I have ahd very few holidays, very little time to relax during college as there is a very high workload in college.

Its not about being able to cope under pressure as I am well able to do that but I feel I need to take a break just to refresh myself.

I would like to take the job in a way but the company are more orientated towards a long term career and this would entail a few years of being with them. They have talked about looking to get me chartership as an engineer which would take at least five years. I dont want to be working towards that in the company and then quit.

ibh

chris85 wrote: »

The money aspect of travelling is ok. I have spent the last five years doing engineering with very little time to relax as it is a tough course. I have ahd very few holidays, very little time to relax during college as there is a very high workload in college.

Its not about being able to cope under pressure as I am well able to do that but I feel I need to take a break just to refresh myself.

I would like to take the job in a way but the company are more orientated towards a long term career and this would entail a few years of being with them. They have talked about looking to get me chartership as an engineer which would take at least five years. I dont want to be working towards that in the company and then quit.

You can usually defer a Graduate Position offer by a year in the large Engineering companies. It is quite common in the UK for people to do their year in Oz while at college on a gap year or just after graduating, wheras in Ireland most people do it a bit later on.

I would actually call the HR department of the company and explain that you would like to request a deferral. They will prob give it to you.

Just to give you a bit of advice though. I did an Engineering degree and went to Australia without getting any experience. I loved it there and probably would have stayed if i had gotten sponsorship in an Engineering role. I couldn't get a decent engineering role due to the lack of experience. Got a different job and loved it but I do regret going there without the necessary job-time.

If however you just want to go to Australia for 1 year to go mad and then come back here, you could go with no experience and just do sh!tty jobs. Then come back and get into the Engineering thing.

chris85

ibh wrote: »

You can usually defer a Graduate Position offer by a year in the large Engineering companies. It is quite common in the UK for people to do their year in Oz while at college on a gap year or just after graduating, wheras in Ireland most people do it a bit later on.

I would actually call the HR department of the company and explain that you would like to request a deferral. They will prob give it to you.

Just to give you a bit of advice though. I did an Engineering degree and went to Australia without getting any experience. I loved it there and probably would have stayed if i had gotten sponsorship in an Engineering role. I couldn't get a decent engineering role due to the lack of experience. Got a different job and loved it but I do regret going there without the necessary job-time.

If however you just want to go to Australia for 1 year to go mad and then come back here, you could go with no experience and just do sh!tty jobs. Then come back and get into the Engineering thing.

Good info there. Yeah was planning on going to Oz in maybe November after graduation and then coming back in June and applying for the graduate positions next Junes as there seems to be a lot still available then.

I am battling with myself whether to go work for the company for a year and then just quit and go travelling or travel and then work for them later. Experience would be nice first i guess but feel travelling could be good for me now.

Eoin

chris85 wrote: »

I am battling with myself whether to go work for the company for a year and then just quit and go travelling or travel and then work for them later. Experience would be nice first i guess but feel travelling could be good for me now.

I think you may find it harder to quit and go travelling once you get used to a steady salary and are more focussed on your career path in the company.

Unless this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, then I would pack my bags and head down under. From what I've heard, engineering in college is pretty much as many hours as most people have in their 9 to 5 jobs, so I can imagine you've not had the easy college life that lots of other students have had. Enjoy a year off while you can.

chris85

eoin_s wrote: »

I think you may find it harder to quit and go travelling once you get used to a steady salary and are more focussed on your career path in the company.

Unless this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, then I would pack my bags and head down under. From what I've heard, engineering in college is pretty much as many hours as most people have in their 9 to 5 jobs, so I can imagine you've not had the easy college life that lots of other students have had. Enjoy a year off while you can.

Thats my thinking, Engineering is more than a 9 to 5. For the last year, every weekend and every hour has been needed as there is a large course load. If it was 9 to 5 i would have been able to switch off at the weekend but too much work to do.

I have not had the college life that people may expect. Engineering does just allow you to have hours off in the day or just laze about and get by. The social life has taken a huge hit this year, a massive hit as college has taken over.

I am planning to save till November and thenif needed i will take a loan out of a couple of grand or five grand max. Its only money and with engineering there is always a job somewhere and that is one of the reasons i dont mind turninig down a job as there are plenty of them, not as many here but loads abroad.

the_syco

chris85 wrote: »

I would like to take the job in a way but the company are more orientated towards a long term career and this would entail a few years of being with them. They have talked about looking to get me chartership as an engineer which would take at least five years. I dont want to be working towards that in the company and then quit.

IMO, tell the above, but reword the last line slightly. As others have said, if it's a large company (and probably is if they want you to get a chartership), they'll probably prefer you to do the "Oz thing" now rather than later, when they've spent money on you.

tricky D

Bear in mind that we are heading into a recession, so the job opportunities may be quite different in a year's time. I qualified during a recession - zero jobs. It was not a good time at all.

chris85

tricky D wrote: »

Bear in mind that we are heading into a recession, so the job opportunities may be quite different in a year's time. I qualified during a recession - zero jobs. It was not a good time at all.

No recession in the UK in this company, they made it clear they are hiring a lot of people and seeking new people. They have a lot of big projects starting directly in relation to the olympics doing stadiums and stuff.

I would be working on these projects which is good and I would like to be working towards chartership but I feel I cant commit for so long and give it my all but I would do so in a years time as I am eager to get a career but need time to see the world.

Its a hard decision.

IRH, do you think they would give a deferral, you seem to know a bit about the colleges there

chris_oc

chris85 wrote: »

The money aspect of travelling is ok. I have spent the last five years doing engineering with very little time to relax as it is a tough course. I have ahd very few holidays, very little time to relax during college as there is a very high workload in college.

Its not about being able to cope under pressure as I am well able to do that but I feel I need to take a break just to refresh myself.

I would like to take the job in a way but the company are more orientated towards a long term career and this would entail a few years of being with them. They have talked about looking to get me chartership as an engineer which would take at least five years. I dont want to be working towards that in the company and then quit.

what the hell?! you don't have to say anything about wanting to relax for a year! just don't say anything that you don't need to ie, i want to go travelling for the year because i feel that if i don't do it now i don't think that i will ever get the chance to.
just say that once you go for the year and you come back you'll have it done and then your all theirs from then on...

its pretty normal for a someone to go travelling after college. in fact its quite likely that the person thats offering you the job also went travelling! and if he didnt, well then he probably wanted to and probably regrets not going...

my advice, GO. but make sure that you try and tie up all loose ends as best as you possibly can so that when you come back everything won't be in shambles and you'll land on your feet.

g'luck:cool:

Tails142

chris85 wrote: »

Thats my thinking, Engineering is more than a 9 to 5. For the last year, every weekend and every hour has been needed as there is a large course load. If it was 9 to 5 i would have been able to switch off at the weekend but too much work to do.

I have not had the college life that people may expect. Engineering does just allow you to have hours off in the day or just laze about and get by. The social life has taken a huge hit this year, a massive hit as college has taken over.

I am planning to save till November and thenif needed i will take a loan out of a couple of grand or five grand max. Its only money and with engineering there is always a job somewhere and that is one of the reasons i dont mind turninig down a job as there are plenty of them, not as many here but loads abroad.

As an engineering grad I cant really accept what you're saying - sure the hours were long and weekend had to be spend in the library coming up to exam time, which for us under semesterisation pretty much meant the whole year BUT 9-5 in engineering is not that hard. You will have your weekends and evenings and plenty of dosh to enjoy them.

I would work for a year and then tell the job that you want to take a career break for a few months off next summer and go crazy then with lots of cash in your pocket. As long as you havent taken out any loans and got into debt then you can do what you like at that stage and you'll have valuable job experience to boot should you decide to pack up in the UK and stay in Oz.

In fact, a lot of the big UK firms will probably be able to send you to work in their foreign offices if they have them which would be the best of both worlds.

chris85

Tails142 wrote: »

As an engineering grad I cant really accept what you're saying - sure the hours were long and weekend had to be spend in the library coming up to exam time, which for us under semesterisation pretty much meant the whole year BUT 9-5 in engineering is not that hard. You will have your weekends and evenings and plenty of dosh to enjoy them.

I would work for a year and then tell the job that you want to take a career break for a few months off next summer and go crazy then with lots of cash in your pocket. As long as you havent taken out any loans and got into debt then you can do what you like at that stage and you'll have valuable job experience to boot should you decide to pack up in the UK and stay in Oz.

In fact, a lot of the big UK firms will probably be able to send you to work in their foreign offices if they have them which would be the best of both worlds.

You will find it very hard to find anyone in my college who has only done 9 to 5 in engineering while in college. Very few. mostly guys who couldnt be arsed with the course. I want a first degree and the extra effort i put in gets me that. The job ive been offered is 9 to 5 with weekends free but a lot difference then travelling and seeing the world.

Not really interested in having a great job in Oz, ill just work whereever and enjoy life. Career will start when i get back.

ibh

chris85 wrote: »

IBH, do you think they would give a deferral, you seem to know a bit about the colleges there

chris85 wrote: »

You will find it very hard to find anyone in my college who has only done 9 to 5 in engineering while in college. Very few. mostly guys who couldnt be arsed with the course. I want a first degree and the extra effort i put in gets me that. The job ive been offered is 9 to 5 with weekends free but a lot difference then travelling and seeing the world.

Not really interested in having a great job in Oz, ill just work whereever and enjoy life. Career will start when i get back.

I would imagine as I previously posted that you be able to get a deferral. These companies take on 'x' amount of Grads every year. You have done the assessment centre and interview and they have a record of your performance. Unless next year provides an exceptional crop of Grads who are way better than you, you won't have a problem getting in the '09 selection. I know a few people who have done this and I was offered this as an option when I turned down a Grad position.

If you are not interested in staying to work for a few years in Oz, then go for it this year with a deferral in place. You can pick up jobs part time very easily and if you want to PM me closer to the time, i have a mate in Engineering Recruitment in Sydney and he usually gets people work doing AutoCad etc for a couple of weeks in a company as a temp.. Last guy i set up for this was getting $30 per hr for AutoCad for 6 weeks..

You are also right about the 9-5 in Engineering. To get your First, you will need to work all sorts of hours but the difference in having it on your CV is worth it. (Although you prob don't need it if you have a job offer!!)
I turned down Grad jobs cause I was sick of everything after busting my ass at college and then i fcuked off to Australia only to realise that I would have like to stay there. You seem to have a better idea where you're going with your career, so you will be grand..

G'd luck..

chris85

ibh wrote: »

I would imagine as I previously posted that you be able to get a deferral. These companies take on 'x' amount of Grads every year. You have done the assessment centre and interview and they have a record of your performance. Unless next year provides an exceptional crop of Grads who are way better than you, you won't have a problem getting in the '09 selection. I know a few people who have done this and I was offered this as an option when I turned down a Grad position.

If you are not interested in staying to work for a few years in Oz, then go for it this year with a deferral in place. You can pick up jobs part time very easily and if you want to PM me closer to the time, i have a mate in Engineering Recruitment in Sydney and he usually gets people work doing AutoCad etc for a couple of weeks in a company as a temp.. Last guy i set up for this was getting $30 per hr for AutoCad for 6 weeks..

You are also right about the 9-5 in Engineering. To get your First, you will need to work all sorts of hours but the difference in having it on your CV is worth it. (Although you prob don't need it if you have a job offer!!)
I turned down Grad jobs cause I was sick of everything after busting my ass at college and then i fcuked off to Australia only to realise that I would have like to stay there. You seem to have a better idea where you're going with your career, so you will be grand..

G'd luck..

Hey cheers for that advice I will be going in November to Oz and I will definitly PM you closer to the date and see about getting a temping job in Australia. Would really like to do a bit of temping in engineering over there. Very much appreciated for the offer. sounds good.

Just an update here as well. I emailed the company about the position and they have agreed to defer my position until next year. so that is good news. They said they are keen to get me on board with them so all set to start next year and travel now and know i have something sorted when i get back which means i can stretch out the finances a bit when travelling.

Thanks for helping out lads, can always rely on good auld boards

Saint_Mel

Nice one. I honestly didnt think they'd go for it (but on the other hand I dont know anything about Engineering jobs).

Fair play and hope you enjoy the travel.

shane85

hi ibh,
i myself am going to australia later this year. just finished a site management degree. is it easy to pick up auto-cad jobs or something along that line?