In this economy, many believe you'd be insane to turn down a job. Certainly, if you're unemployed, you might need to take any position offered to you. But if you're considering a job offer that you know isn't right for you, think about the risks:
Getting stuck. Once you're in a certain job, organization, or field, it might be hard for employers to imagine you in a different role.
Poor performance. If you aren't committed to a job, you're unlikely to take it seriously. This will further your dissatisfaction and may make it difficult to get good references in the future.
Opportunity costs. You'll probably still pursue other jobs. If you take the bad offer, you may miss out on future options that come along. Instead, you might decide to stay in the job market and do all you can to make other more promising offers happen.
Source: Harvard Business Publishing : Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Should You Turn Down a Job in This Economy?" by Bill Barnett.