What To Include In A Job Rejection Email
When writing your message, thank the person for taking the time to go through the process.
Tell them that in this instance, they haven’t got the job. Mention that you interviewed numerous candidates. Knowing there was stiff competition can help them feel better about the rejection.
Next, go into detail with as much specific feedback as you can provide. Nobody enjoys receiving a rejection letter, so it’s important to acknowledge the person’s strengths to boost their confidence.
Provide ways they can stay in touch and if you want them to apply to future roles, tell them where you will post them.
Personalize Your Interview Rejection Letter
While you might use a standard template for all rejection letters, take time to tailor it to the candidate by including their name, the position and something you recall from your conversations. For example: We were impressed with your experience launching your own business. Or, Its always great to meet a fellow state university alum!
Another way to personalize a candidate interview rejection letter is to offer constructive feedback about their interview performance. This can go a long way toward building a strong employer brand and making the experience worthwhile for candidates.
Create A Compelling Subject Line
A rejection letter sent by email needs to stand out from the rest of the candidates mail. It must explicitly show that its an email from your company. Including your companys name and the position they had applied for on the subject line will capture the candidates attention.
Examples:
- LeadEntertainment Senior Customer Relations Position
- FurnitureDelight Regional Procurement Officer Position
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Sample #: Basic Rejection Email
You can use a basic rejection email for applicants whom you havent interviewed yet and dont feel personally invested in.
Subject Line: Your Application for
Dear ,
Thank you for applying for at . I am writing to let you know that,unfortunately, you have not been invited for an interview.
We know this may be a disappointment to you. We received many strong applications for this position, and we were only able to proceed with a few.
We wish you the best of luck in your future career endeavors.
Sincerely,
Of course, you may have a template already based on your company. In that case, ensure that it’s free from grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. The last thing you want is to seem unprofessional. Run your emails through ProWritingAid’s grammar checker so they’ll always have a polished look and read.
Should I Reject Job Candidates By Phone
For candidates who undergo stringent interview proceedings that include first, second and third interviews, its important to provide rejections over the phone. This shows that you respect them and appreciate all the time they took to attend interviews on multiple occasions.
When a job only requires a single interview or the candidate has been advised that multiple people are up for the position, an interview rejection letter or email is a suitable choice. Additionally, you can include a line that the candidate can contact you directly for interview feedback if they choose to do so.
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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.
Build A Talent Pool For Future Roles
Creating a positive rapport with applicants can help build a talent pool that fits future opportunities. Staying in touch with great potential employees can help you reduce recruitment costs, avoid understaffing, and reduce the time spent screening a new cohort of applicants for the next open role.
Keep communication open by connecting on LinkedIn, inviting potential employees to events, and sharing company news.
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Tip #: Thank The Applicant For Their Time
Job candidates often put a lot of time and effort into the recruitment process.
Early on in a candidate rejection email, you should let them know you appreciate the effort they put into applying to your company. If they took the time to complete a job interview, you should thank them for that as well.
Here are some sentences you can use:
- Thank you for taking the time to apply for .
- We appreciate the time youve invested in applying for .
- We appreciate you taking the time to visit our office for an interview. It was a pleasure to learn more about you and your accomplishments.
What To Do After You Receive A Rejection Letter
Getting a rejection is never pleasant, no matter what form it takes. However, its better to have a definitive answer about a job than it is to wonder when or if you’ll hear back from the hiring manager.
Give yourself a moment to mourn the missed opportunity after reading the rejection email, and then move on.
You also might want to take the time to write a thank you letter, even though you didn’t get the job. It could open up future opportunities that may be a better fit.
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Tip #: Consider Offering Personal Feedback
Giving the candidate feedback is optional, but it can be very valuable to write a more personalized rejection letter if you have time.
According to an Indeed survey, 86% of job seekers want constructive feedback about their interview performance. Giving them that feedback will give them a better impression of your company.
You can highlight one or more of the candidates specific strengths that stood out to you. Its best to focus on strengths, rather than weaknesses.
If theres a clear reason why you decided not to proceed with their application, you can let them know. Many candidates will find your feedback valuable, because it will help them nail the next job application.
For example, if you decide theyre not a good fit because theyre lacking experience with a specific tool, you can tell them that directly.
Here are some examples of feedback you could offer:
- I was personally impressed with your
- We were impressed with your skill set, particularly
- For this particular job, we were looking for someone who had more
Alternatively, you can let the candidate choose how much feedback they want by saying something like, I would be happy to chat further if you would like specific feedback about your application.”
What To Include In The Message
When youre 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 didnt get an offer .
- A request for consideration for future opportunities that may be a better fit.
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How Long Should An Interview Rejection Letter Be
In general, an interview rejection letter should be concise and no longer than a single page. When writing your first paragraph, its important to get right to the point in letting the candidate know they were not chosen for the position.
While it may seem nice to start off with positive feedback, this can give false hope of a job offer as the applicant scans the letter. A few paragraphs explaining that your company decided to go another way and that you appreciate their time is sufficient, and you may also include a paragraph of interview feedback.
*Decipher/FocusVision on behalf of Indeed
What Is A Rejection Email
A rejection email is a form of correspondence where you let a candidate know youre 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 youre 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.
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Tip #: Dont Apologize
You might be tempted to apologize for not accepting the candidate, but there’s no need to. You chose the best candidate for your business, and thats the right thing to do.
Offering an apology when none is necessary will make the interaction feel more personal than it needs to be. This is purely a business decision, and you should remember that you have nothing to apologize for.
Sample #: Personalized Rejection Email
If youve met an applicant personally, or if theyve invested a significant amount of time into applying to your company, its better to send a more personalized email.
Subject Line: Your Application for
Dear ,
Thank you for taking the time to apply for . It was a pleasure to meet you when you came to our office to interview with our team. I was personally impressed with your , and I enjoyed hearing about your past work experience.
Unfortunately, our team has chosen not to proceed with your application. At this moment, were looking for , so we ultimately decided to go with another candidate who has more experience in that area.
Well be posting more jobs in the coming months, and we encourage you to apply again if one of them is a good fit.
We wish you the best of luck with your future career endeavors. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn if youd like to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
What are your favorite tips for writing candidate rejection emails? Let us know in the comments.
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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.
How Do You Respond To A Job Rejection Email Without Interview
The best email response to a rejection is short and professional. Do not ask why you did not get an interview. There are many reasons this could have happened such as the promotion of an internal employee or candidates that had more experience than you. Legally, many hiring managers cant share why you didnt move on in the hiring process. Simply, express gratitude for having your resume considered and wish them well.
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Protect Your Bottom Line
Graeme Johnson, Virgin Media’s Head of Resourcing, discovered a lousy candidate experience cost the business $5 million annually in lost revenue.
Out of rejected candidates, 18% were also customers, and two-thirds of those applicants were detractors. Within a month, 6% of rejected candidates canceled their subscriptions with Virgin Media.
Johnson discovered that a poor candidate experience directly impacted the companys bottom line. He prioritized candidate experience and overhauled the companys approach to rejection, significantly improving the net promoter score.
Email Subject: Regarding The Position
Dear Ashley ,While it’s disappointing to see this opportunity go, I want to thank you for getting back to me and letting me know about the decision. I also want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me. It was such a pleasure to meet you and Rohan and learn about Resume Worded . After having the chance to speak with you and after doing my research, I’m confident that industry is where I want to work. I know that I am not in a position to ask for favors, but if you have a moment to spare I would love any additional feedback. Please do not feel obligated to answer this question, but if there was something you noticed, it will help me in my job search and I would be so grateful. I hope everything works out with you and your new hire!Thanks again,
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Why You Should Respond To A Rejection Email
Before we dive into email templates you can copy-and-send to hiring managers, here’s what you should keep in mind:
1) Dont take rejection personally: Its not uncommon for candidates to feel annoyed when they receive a rejection email. But, it’s important to remember that in the current economic climate, it’s an expected part of the job hunt. Always keep in mind that the company is not rejecting you as a person. Theyre simply saying that theyve decided to move forward with another candidate.2) If youre a candidate, reach out and ask for feedback: Its a good idea to reach out and ask for feedback from the recruiter or hiring manager. If you know why you were rejected, you can make sure to avoid making the same mistakes in future interviews.3) Say thank you: While you may not have landed the job, sending a polite thank-you for the interviewer and recruiters time is always a nice thing to do. Plus, in the off chance the employer’s first choice falls through, you’ll create a positive impression and may even end up being contacted.4) Build a relationship: Stay in touch with the people you met during the interview process. The recruiters, hiring managers and interviewers are all potential business contacts in the field or industry you’re in . Connect with them on LinkedIn, email them occasionally and build your network.
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.
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Prove You Respect Your Candidates
Failing to send this one critical email will jeopardize the entire candidate experience probably more than any other thing you could do. Even when they get rejected at the beginning of the process, theyve already invested time and effort. Be it filling in an application form, refining their resume, or submitting any materials you needed for the first stage, this message shows you appreciate the interest.
Also, usually, your applicants are involved in several processes simultaneously. So, letting them know in time that they didnt make it to the next round helps them move forward in their job search and, ultimately, get their next position.
Candidate Rejection Emails For Every Stage Of The Application Process
Want to professionally, thoughtfully, and empathetically reject job applicants? The following are different types of rejection email templates for each stage of the interview process. These will assist you to turn down job applicants at various stages in the process, whether when they are not called to interview or rejected following an interview.
Itâs crucial you donât skip or delay this step or fall into the busyness trap and use it as an excuse to fail to treat your job candidates with respect. You owe your job candidates graceful and timely communicated rejections, no matter at what stage they are screened out.
Use these sample rejection templates as a guide, but they should come with a safety precaution: âHandle with care.â Thereâs always the risk of sounding hollow and like a bot when you use âone-size-fits-allâ templates. Opt for messages that mirror your companyâs employer brand tone and style, and are similar to human face-to-face conversations.
Additionally, candidates that progress interviews and commit a significant amount of time to the process, priority should always be given to rejection by a courtesy phone call first. But if time and competing schedules are not on your side, we have also included an email template you can use.
Sending rejection emails to candidates is an integral part of the hiring process. Signup for free to Occupopâs all-in-one recruiting software for better candidate experience.
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Tips For Writing An Effective Thank
To write a subject line that works in the thank-you email you send after an interview, consider the following tips:
- Be positive: Use an upbeat tone for the subject line that maintains the energy of the interview.
- Be polite: Make sure to use friendly, respectful language and avoid being sarcastic, humorous, or overly informal even if you have developed a relationship with the hiring agent.
- Be punctual: Ensure the recruiter receives the subject line in a thank-you email that is sent as soon as possible after your interview.
