From a job seeker’s perspective, waiting endlessly for updates is worse than not getting the job. During the recruitment process, certain applicants just won’t make the cut. It’s difficult conveying negative news, but every candidate deserves respect throughout the process. A prompt rejection email after an interview makes it easier to break the news.

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This article covers everything you need to know about drafting a professional yet compassionate rejection email to candidates.

Here’s the cheat sheet:

• When To Send Rejection Emails
• Importance
• Key Considerations
• Tips to Improve
• Rejection Email Template

When To Send Rejection Emails

Emailing unsuccessful applicants that they’re not in consideration anymore is more nuanced than it may seem. There can be several reasons to reject a candidate:

1. Mismatch of skills. When a candidate’s expertise and experience align better for a different role or field.
2. Lack of experience. When the applicant’s level of expertise doesn’t match the standards set for the position.
3. Poor job fit. When a candidate might have the technical skills but not possess the values you’re looking for. Assessing job fit involves comprehensively evaluating a candidate’s technical and soft skills to determine how well a candidate will adapt to your company after hiring.
4. High salary/job expectations. When the benefits and compensation don’t match what a candidate expects from the company.
5. Unprofessional behavior or poor attitude. When a candidate demonstrates inappropriate behavior during the interview or when recruiters predict that the candidate might be harmful to the company in the long run.

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Importance

Follow the well-known phrase: communication is key. Clear communication is the building block of efficiency. That means you’ll have to be the bearer of the good and the bad news.

Improves Candidate Experience

The tendency to shirk away from negative news also applies to recruitment. A recent survey by Greenhouse reveals that as many as 75% of applicants never hear back from potential employers after interviews.

Ghosting unsuccessful candidates might seem convenient, ‌especially when recruitment is in full swing. However, it can be extremely detrimental.

Just as you review multiple candidates for a role, job seekers apply at different organizations. And stalling unsuccessful candidates may be the only obstacle between them and other, more suitable job offers. It’s due diligence to be honest and upfront about applicants’ status. When done correctly, candidates won’t take the rejection personally.

Earns Goodwill

It’s time to unlearn the phrase “every press is good press”. According to a survey by CareerPlug, 37% of candidates admitted they shared negative experiences online. Negative reviews severely damage your company’s image and discourage potential hires from applying.

However, the same survey shows that 61% of candidates shared a positive review online after having a good experience. Websites like Glassdoor allow users to rate, review and rank employers based on the specifics of the hiring process and candidate experience. As a recruiter, you should always work to earn favorable feedback.

Boosts Talent Pools

In your quest for top talent, you will come across certain excellent individuals who, ultimately, aren’t suitable for the role. You’ll want to keep tabs on these applicants. A well-structured rejection email is an essential part of candidate relationship management.

Recruitment doesn’t have to be reactive every time a new role opens. You can peer into your recruiting CRM databases and reach out to past applicants who left a mark.

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Key Considerations

No matter the job requirements or the type of employment, there are a couple of factors that must be constant in every rejection email:

• Be humane. It’s good practice to avoid sounding too robotic.
• Be informative. Clearly state the reason for rejection. In the case of exceptional candidates, be sure to communicate that the candidate is a good fit for future opportunities but not the current role.
• Be respectful. Steer clear of mentioning anything that might have a hint of prejudice.
• Be punctual. Don’t make your candidates wait too long for an answer. Send rejection emails within one or two weeks.

Tips To Improve Rejection Emails

Notifying candidates when they’re out of the race shouldn’t be like ripping off a bandaid. Be courteous when conveying negative news. Consider the following ways to improve candidate rejection emails:

1. Personalize Emails

Reviewing multiple applicants can be monotonous. In a flurry of resumes, cover letters and references, it’s easy to treat candidates like the sum of their qualifications. At times like these, it’s vital to remember that behind every job application is a real person.

So when you’re writing an email to notify disqualified candidates, acknowledge them by name. To kick things up a notch, be specific and include at least one strength they displayed during the interview round.

2. Be Considerate and Professional

Not getting the job is never good news. Yet, your candidates will surely notice a respectful and timely rejection email acknowledging them. Ensure that what you say is always appropriate and free from all forms of bias or anything that may seem discriminatory.

By being ethical in how you inform applicants, you’ll significantly reduce any ill feelings held against your organization.

3. Keep It Simple

Recruiters often schedule multiple interviews with key stakeholders — HR representatives, line managers, department heads and even top-level executives. Certain businesses wait to interact with potential hires until the end of the recruitment process. Other companies are upfront with just one round of interviews.

A good rule of thumb is that the longer a candidate is in the pipeline, the more detailed a rejection letter should be. Regardless of the phase, a typical rejection email contains two to four paragraphs. Ensure that there’s no room for any sort of misunderstanding by clearly stating the purpose of the email.

4. Rely on Templates

Lastly, developing email templates saves you the effort of creating a new email from scratch every time. Email templates are a bare-bones format of what the final draft should look like, with enough scope to tweak and change as per what you need to convey and to whom. An email template provides an outline to follow that you can customize accordingly.

Most recruitment software has built-in databases to create and store email templates. You can expedite the process by selecting default versions of emails and editing fields based on requirements.

Greenhouse Recruiting lets managers edit email templates, set custom rejection reasons and select from a dropdown list of saved options. Source

Refer to our recruitment software features and requirements checklist to learn more about what a comprehensive system can do.

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Rejection Email Template

Relying on a template to inform rejected candidates expedites the process and ensures that you skip any essential detail in your haste. To its core, every rejection email must include the following:

• Candidate’s name.
• The name of the vacant role.
• Gratitude for applying for the position.
• A clear statement that the candidate won’t move to the next step of hiring.
• Best wishes to the candidate in future endeavors.
• Accurate signage with your name, designation and company name.

Here’s a generic post-interview rejection email sample:

Subject: (company name) – Your Application For (job role)
Hi (candidate name),

Thank you for taking the time to connect with our team for the role of (job role) at (company name). We received multiple applications and interviewed a significant number of candidates for the role. After great consideration, we regret to inform you that we have decided to go in a different direction.

Although you demonstrated your expertise and skills well, we will be moving ahead with another candidate since (add a reason for rejection).

(Provide some specific feedback from the interview process). (If the candidate would be a good fit for future roles, mention it). Our team was impressed by your credentials, and we will reach out again if we find a good match in the future.

We wish you all the best in your job search and future endeavors.

Regards,
(Your name)
(Your email signature)

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Conclusion

Just as you develop candidate shortlists to proceed to the next recruitment steps, create a list of candidates that didn’t make the cut and work through that list. Sending a rejection email lets you tie up loose ends. With the right recruitment tools, you can streamline and organize the process.

Did we miss out on a key element of the post-interview rejection process? Let us know in the comments!