Letter # 3: Negative Message
Assignment: You are a recent college graduate and are applying fora number of jobs. Unfortunately, you receive two offers on the sameday and need to accept one and decline the other. Write a letter tothe hiring manager (see below) explaining your acceptance ofanother offer, keeping in mind the five goals of delivering badnews, found on page 193. You select the scenario that is mostapplicable to your current situation.
Preparation: Review Chapter 8: Writing Negative Messages(Especially pgs. 193-195)
Format: Use the modified block letter format for this assignment.Please refer to page 421-423 for an explanation of the block andmodified block formats. The example in your book on page 422 is ablock format letter while the example on page 423 is modified blockletter format. Please note the differences carefully.
There are two main ways to format a negative message letter;directly or indirectly. You can find comparisons of thesestrategies on pages 193-194. For this exercise, you will beutilizing the direct approach, since you do not need to maintainany formal relationship with the organization you are declining.Follow the organization on pages 195-196 as a guide.
The format of your letter tells the reader a lot about you and yourprofessionalism. Since you do not want to completely cut ties, itis important to leave a lasting respectful impression. Payparticular attention to your letter's margins, line spacing, fonttype and size, and placement of letter parts such as the returnaddress, date, inside address, salutation, complimentary close, andsignature block.
? The information for the job you are declining is: AssistantManager, Hilton Corporation. ? The contact person for this positionis: Terrence Walters, Hiring Manager, Hilton Corporation, 555 SW8th St., Miami, FL 33199.
Recommended Organization
Introduction/Opening: Begin your letter with the bad news. Theindirect approach includes a buffer, however, the direct approachdoes not. Be sure to remain professional and concise in thissection to not sound rude or ungrateful for the opportunity.
Body/Discussion: In the first paragraph of the body include yourreasons for the decision, without too much detail about the otherposition. Having the right balance of ambiguity is respectful tothe employer you are declining. Use creativity when developingreasons for taking the other position over theirs. Maybe theschedule was more flexible or the other position better fir yourskill set. These are just a few examples to consider when writingthis section.
