Job Rejection Email Template
It’s helpful to create a template that you can use for all of your rejection emails. Here’s a template that you can customise:
Dear ,
We appreciate you applying for the position at . After meeting with several candidates, we have decided to move forward with another candidate for this position. We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us and learn more about our company. Our hiring team enjoyed learning more about your experiences, skills, and qualifications.
While we were impressed by your , we were looking for a candidate with . One thing that stood out during your interview was . In the future, we may enjoy learning more about these experiences.
As you continue looking for jobs, please consider the other roles in our hiring portal. If we ever find a position we feel you are suited for, we can reach out directly as we have your resume on file. We appreciate the time you took to meet with us and wish you the best of luck in your job search.
Sincerely,
Here is an example of a rejection email you can send after interviewing a candidate:
Subject line: Social media strategist at Social Corp
Dear Nathan,
We appreciate you applying for the social media strategist position at Social Corp. After meeting with several candidates, we have decided to move forward with another candidate for this position. We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us and learn more about our company. Our hiring team enjoyed learning more about your experiences, skills, and qualifications.
Give Feedback If Possible
Sometimes it’s not feasible to provide feedback in every candidate rejection email if you received hundreds of applications however, a bit of context about the applicant pool or hiring process would be appreciated in rejection letters to candidates. If you have a smaller applicant pool, or are rejecting job applications after the final-round interviews, providing feedback to candidates in rejection emails after interviews would be greatly appreciated.
Feedback in job application rejection emails can be brief, simply outlining the skills or requirements the applicant does not meet. If the candidate performed poorly in the interview, or is outright unsuitable for the role, you can use your discretion to decide what to include in their job rejection email. Many candidates spend their time waiting and interviewing, so giving feedback in candidate rejection emails can help them succeed in future applications.
Principles To Write Polite Rejection Letters
Generally speaking, better job rejection emails create a better candidate experience. Every candidate will respond differently to rejection. However, there are some general best practices to abide by when writing your own job rejection letters and emails. When using these job rejection emails samples to write yours, remember:
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Template For A Rejection Letter Or Email To Applicants
Use this rejection letter sample or rejection email template to save time. This rejection letter sample or rejection email template contains all the most important elements that a good rejection letter should have. Use this rejection letter sample or rejection email template and feel free to customize it to fit your own needs.
Rejection Email To A Candidate Who Was Not A Good Fit
Hi Jane, We appreciate you applying to the Marketing Manager position at ABC Corporation. We know that many companies are hiring, and thank you for taking the time to visit us and interview with our team. Although you have some great skills and experience, we have decided to move forward with a different candidate whose experience more closely matches our needs. Again, we really appreciate your time and effort. If you would appreciate additional feedback, please donât hesitate to ask. The best of luck with your search. Warm Regards, Marketing Director
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Create A Compelling Subject Line
A rejection letter sent by email needs to stand out from the rest of the candidate’s mail. It must explicitly show that it’s an email from your company. Including your company’s name and the position they had applied for on the subject line will capture the candidate’s attention.
Examples:
- LeadEntertainment Senior Customer Relations Position
- FurnitureDelight Regional Procurement Officer Position
How To Write A Candidate Rejection Email
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
Sending a detailed rejection email is an important part of the recruiting process. When you send a rejection email, the candidate can continue searching for other opportunities without waiting for your response. A positive email can help you keep an open connection with the candidate for future opportunities that are better suited for their qualifications. In this article, we explain how to write a job rejection email to a candidate and provide a template and example.
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Example Rejection Email For Applicants Who Are Not A Good Fit
Subject line: Your application for the sales role at XYZ Company
Hi Ed,
Thank you so much for your interest in the Sales Manager position with XYZ Company. We appreciate you taking the time to visit our offices and interview with our team.
While we were impressed with your skill set, particularly in we have chosen to proceed with another candidate who has more leadership experience.
Again, we appreciate your time, and we wish you the best of luck in your career endeavors.
A rejection email is not required, but sending this message can ensure applicants arent left wondering where they stand and help ensure your company retains its positive reputation. And by creating a template, you can make the process of notifying applicants faster and easier.
What’s Included In A Candidate Rejection Letter
As you can see from the examples below, rejection letters tend to be light on specifics. This is both because of the volume of rejections that companies may have to send out and the fear of lawsuits.
Sending the same generic letter with every position, to every rejected candidate, is efficient and allows the company to have lawyers review the language a single time. A brief letter also doesn’t leave any room for a candidate to make assumptions about the hiring process or whether they will be considered for future openings.
Typically, rejection letters will simply convey the information that the position has been filled and also include some polite expression of wishing the candidate luck in job hunting.
Since these notes are typically form letters, do not expect to see specifics for why your candidacy was not a good match.
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Rejection Letter After Interview Example
Dear ,
Thank you so much for your interest in the here at , and for taking the time to come in and meet with the team.
While we were all impressed with your skill set and experience, weve decided to move forward with another candidate who has more experience. However, we feel youre an excellent culture fit and encourage you to apply for other openings that will be available in the coming months.
Thank you again for the time in applying and interviewing for this role. We wish you the best of luck in your job search and all future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Compliment And Thank Them
Send them a note about the strengths you noticed during the interview process. When you use assessment tools like Testlify, you can quickly see their strengths and weaknesses in particular skills.
Some interview processes are time-consuming. And the candidate has spent enough time and energy to take the assessment test, prepare for interviews, and wait for your response. Acknowledge this and send them thanks for this.
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What Is A Rejection Email
A rejection email is a form of correspondence where you let a candidate know you’re no longer considering their application. By sending this email, you can help a candidate move on with their job search, knowing that your job opening is no longer an option. Along with showing candidates that you’re grateful for their time and effort, a rejection email allows you to be on good terms with them. You can use this email to explain your reasoning for choosing another candidate and give helpful feedback.
Related:
Tip #: Be Clear About The Bad News
Make sure the candidate understands that this is a rejection letter. Dont leave any room for the applicant to think they still have a chance to get the job.
You should deliver this news early on in the email, immediately after thanking them for their application. The clearer your email is, the easier it will be for everyone to move on.
Here are some examples of clear ways to deliver the rejection:
- Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a position.
- Im writing to let you know that you have not been selected for an interview.
- Weve decided not to proceed with your application at this time.
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Why Applicant Rejection Emails Are So Important
While any rejection letter carries an air of negativity, sending one to an applicant is a decent gesture. It lets them know not to get their hopes up for the role and keep going with their job search. Otherwise, they may continue to hold out hope for an interview that will never come hope that may eventually turn to resentment towards your brand.
However, you have a chance to earn goodwill towards your organization when you let candidates know that youll keep them in mind for other roles that may be a better fit for them. According to a Workplace Trends study, 80% of job seekers say they wouldnt consider future relevant job openings at a company that didnt follow up about their application yet they would be three and a half times more likely to re-apply to a company if they were notified of the rejection.
Beyond that, sending a rejection letter that reads like it was written by a real person, rather than just a form letter, can help soften the blow and let the candidate know you value the time they spent researching and applying to your organization.
Template: : Informing About Rejection
Hi ,
Thank you for interviewing for on and taking the time to learn about our company. After thoughtful consideration, we have selected another candidate for the post.
We hope youll consider us for the roles we advertise in the future and encourage you to apply again.
We wish you luck in your job search and thank you for your interest in our company.
Sincerely,
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What Is An Interview Rejection Email
An interview rejection email is a short communication from a hiring manager that states a company isn’t moving forward with a candidate’s application. Not all companies send candidates a rejection email after an interview, and if they do, it’s typically to inform you of their decision out of courtesy. An interview rejection letter might contain useful information and advice that can help you move forward with your job search. If an employer sends a rejection email, it may be within the two-week period following the interview to inform you of their final decision.
Why You Should Take The Time To Respond
Believe it or not, many job applicants who’ve been rejected by a company eventually go on to land a job with the company that initially passed on them.
In other cases, hiring managers who have been impressed by second- or- third-place candidates often will network on their behalf with other employers or clients they know are seeking strong candidates for current job openings.
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Be Professional And Considerate In Your Rejection Letter After The Interview
While its likely the applicant will be disappointed no matter how you frame the interview rejection letter, using professionalism and consideration can diminish any negativity they may feel toward you or the company. Consider using the sandwich method where you deliver less welcome news between two positive messages. For example, consider starting by letting the applicant know youre impressed by a specific skill or experience. Next, tell them youve chosen to move forward with another candidate. Finally, finish by thanking them for their time and wishing them the best of luck in their future endeavors.
Example Rejection Email For Applications Who Are A Good Fit
Subject line: Your application for the sales role at XYZ Company
Hi Ed,
Thank you so much for your interest in the Sales Manager position with XYZ Company. We appreciate you taking the time to visit our offices and interview with our team.
At this time, we have chosen to proceed with another candidate who has more leadership experience. However, we were impressed with your background and industry knowledge and feel you would be a great culture add for our company.
We will be posting a few sales positions in the coming weeks, and hope youll consider applying again. Otherwise, we wish you the best of luck in your career endeavors.
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The Value Of Better Recruitment
Talent is one of the most valuable resources for any organization. After all, it is the people working on your team that make it successful. Improving your recruitment processes can help you to accelerate your businessâs success.
Sending well-written and construction emails to unsuccessful candidates is a good way to enhance your recruitment efforts. Another way is to use Recruitee. This talent acquisition platform will help you organize and streamline your recruitment process. Learn more about how Recruitee can help your team today.
Encourage Them To Consider Applying Again
Sustain the connection by encouraging them to apply for more positions that come up in your company. Prompting them to apply again increases the candidate’s confidence and pushes them to keep going.
Examples:
- Please consider applying for any other job opening that suits your career path in our company.
- Don’t hesitate to apply for future positions in our company that meet your standards.
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Why Should You Send Candidate Rejection Emails
Although it can make you feel like the bad guy, a job rejection email actually has many positives for both you and the unsuccessful candidates. Job rejection emails help tie up loose ends for job hunters, who can have many applications going at once. As a recruiter, notifying candidates that you have decided to reject their job applications can make the process easier for you. Reasons to send candidates rejection emails include:
What To Include In The Message
When you’re writing to follow up after being rejected for the job, keep your message simple. All you need to include in a brief email to the hiring manager is:
- A thank-you for considering you for the job.
- Your disappointment that you didn’t get an offer .
- A request for consideration for future opportunities that may be a better fit.
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Relief For The Candidate
The candidate got rejected, but waiting and overthinking whether they got selected or not makes the entire interview experience worse. Contrary to popular belief, a candidates experience does not end when you decide not to hire them. Those candidates you rejected for this particular position may be fit for a future opening.
Examples Of Job Rejection Letters
If youre in charge of sending out job rejection letters at your company, you have likely spent time fretting over what to say and how to avoid hurting feelings while remaining professional.
The emotions of this situation can leave you with writer’s block. Dont worry, we know the struggle. Thats why weve created these sample letters for you.
Of course, we dont recommend that you simply copy + paste and hit send on your job rejection letter using these examples, instead use them as a tool to create your own. You can combine certain elements that you like, and customize them to suit your needs.
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Send The Interview Rejection Letter As Soon As Possible
According to an Indeed survey, there is a discrepancy between the average amount of time employers say it takes them to respond to candidates and the length of time applicants say they wait to hear back. For example, 68% of employers say they respond to candidates within a week, while 44% of job seekers say it takes up to two weeksand another 15% reported waiting months.* The bottom line: Send the interview rejection letter as soon as youve made the decision. Applicants are likely anxious to hear from youespecially if theyve already come in for an interview. By quickly offering your response, you can end the uncomfortable waiting period and stand out as an organization that cares about the applicant experience.
Often a rejection letter will give an applicant the nudge they need to explore other, better-suited opportunities.
Try To Remember The Interview Itself
When thinking back on your experience with the company, review how your interview went. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you think that you did a good job?
- Did you answer their questions in a confident and knowledgeable manner?
- Did you maintain eye contact and interact with every member of the interviewing team?
- Did the interviewers seem friendly or cold?
Asking these questions won’t necessarily tell you why you didn’t get the job, but it can help shed some light on areas you might improve upon in future interviews.
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