It might even be the same job, which was just poorly described. Sometimes, especially when you're interviewing with human resources or a job hunter, going for the job you don't want can lead to an immediate offer of a better job. Who knows? Reasons Why You Should Decline In some circumstances, declining the interview is the right thing to do: The first, obvious reason is that you have already accepted a new job elsewhere. Sometimes, you can't be sure that your current employer will not find out about the interview. And your current employer may not take this well. If there is a real risk, declining the interview is the safest thing to do. There will be other offers. You are now in the second or third round of interviews with the company (many sought-after jobs in high tech can require more interviewing than you'd ever imagined), and as you have become more familiar with the company, you see that you're not a good fit. You have a trusted friend who works there, and she hates it. If her reasons sound well-founded, it's OK to pass.
But if everything else about the job sounds good, you could write "I like the company and I think I'd be right for the job, but the salary offered isn't acceptable. If there's a future opportunity at a higher salary, I'd appreciate being considered. "