Can you turn down perm position?

[Honesty0410]

Hey everyone,
Has anyone turned down a perm position interview in favor of waiting for another one. Here is my situation. I am currently a freelancer for MAC, and have been offered to interview for a MAC counter. However, that certain MAC counter is about 1 1/2 hr drive from my house. I wanted to turn down the interview, and continue freelancing in hopes that one of the other counters, all of the others are 1/2hr drive from my house, might have an opening one day. I currently freelance a couple times at the MAC that is far from my house, and I'm fine with it because it's only several times a month. But I don't know about becoming permanent there just because of the 3 hour commute. Do you think it would look bad if I turn down a perm interview?

 

[Chrystia]

I think it depends on a variety of circumstances. Your concern about the commute is completely understandable and it is definitely not easy. I drive 40 minutes to my counter and that seems long to me, never mind your hour and half commute. I would explain that the commute is simply too long for a permanent position commitment, but thank the manger and let her know that you are glad to be considered and would love to continue freelancing at the location meanwhile. Also let her know that you are interested in a permanent position with MAC eventually. She may put in a good word for you with the managers at the counters that are closer to you. That's how I was hired actually. I was a freelancer and a position opened up at a different store than my usual freelance counter. But the counter I usually freelanced at recommended me immediately.

Use your good judgment .But positions do get turned down sometimes. I turned down a position in the downtown counter because the parking is expensive in that area and there are no free lots anywhere.

 

[MissPanther]

It's pretty difficult to get a job at MAC again if you turn down a position I would say. When I was managing at the time, it was frustrating for me to offer a job to someone only to find out that they didn't want it after all. Which definitely made me not want to hire them again if they applied a second time -- it made me feel like I was wasting my time looking in to them.

However, if you offer a valid reason as to why you can't, I'm sure they would understand... Sort of. The chances of you getting another permanent position job offer will become a bit more difficult afterwards though.

 

[COBI]

She hasn't been offered a perm position yet; she's been offered an interview for it.

I think any reasonable person in a management position is going to understand that a 90-minute commute for a retail job is a lot and would not hold it against (or ask the rest of the company to hold it against you.) A 90-minute commute is a valid reason for not accepting the opportunity to interview for a position. I have interviewed candidates for a high-salary position and would not expect candidates to accept a 90-minute commute; in reality, when someone is that far out of the area and is invited for an interview, it is common to question the commute (will they be moving? have they made that commute distance in the past? is it a realistic commute for their life?)

Financially, for a lowering-paying job (which I would consider anything under $35k-$40k for this situation, just to pick a number), it doesn't make a lot of sense. Without knowing an exact wage or vehicle one drives, you can estimate the first 1-3 hours of every work day to be "gas money" for a 3-hour roundtrip commute.

If there is a 90-minute commute (where relocating is not an option and particularly at lower-paying positions), for me as a manager, there is always the question of when the employee will find a position closer to home.

Did you apply for this position specifically (knowing how far it is) or did someone you work with/for currently simply recommend you?

If MAC or its managers blacklist a candidate for other opportunities because they won't make a 90-minute commute for a counter position, then shame on them. Of course, this is JMHO.

I think as long as you explain that you are really excited to continue to be considered for other permanent opportunities, you don't want to waste the interviewers time for a position that would require 3 hours of daily commuting. Again, any reasonable person will understand this, and if they hold it against you, it is not likely the type of manager that you'd want to work for long-term.