Buzz
Delivering the news of a job rejection is never easy, especially when the candidate seemed like a good fit. If they’ve been interviewed, it’s best to let them know the outcome through a phone call. For candidates who didn’t make it to the interview stage, a polite email should be sent to inform them of your decision. Whether it’s a phone call or email, be respectful, concise, and clear in communicating your decision.
Steps
Notifying a Candidate via Phone
Give the candidate a call. Although sending an email might feel easier, especially to avoid any uncomfortable moments, it’s more respectful and professional to speak directly over the phone. This is particularly important for those candidates who have been through an in-person interview.
- Be sure to call during business hours, so you won’t catch them at an inconvenient time like during dinner.
Avoid small talk or casual conversation. Keep the conversation brief, ideally under five minutes. Introduce yourself and get straight to the point. This shows respect for the other person’s time and avoids dragging things out. Don't ask about their personal life, tell jokes, or comment on the weather.
- For instance, saying, 'Hey, Ben? This is Susan from Vitamin World. Great seeing you at the interview! By the way, how’s the weather over there? I heard there were tornado warnings—are any headed your way?' would be completely inappropriate.
Inform them that another candidate was offered the position. Politely state that you appreciated meeting them during the interview and let them know that although they were considered, the company decided to offer the job to another candidate. It's best to be upfront with this information right after the greeting.
- For example, say, 'Hi Ruth, this is Mike Fritz from AAA Tech Services. Thank you for coming in for the interview last week; we all enjoyed meeting you and were impressed by your qualifications. However, we’ve decided to offer the position to another candidate.'
Highlight a couple of strengths of the selected candidate. Rejected candidates often wonder what made the other person stand out. While you shouldn’t go into great detail about their resume or interview, it’s helpful to mention a couple of key strengths the chosen candidate brought to the table.
- For instance, you could say, 'While we valued your extensive experience, the person we hired holds a master’s degree, which was a critical factor for us.'
- Or, 'The individual we chose had prior experience in this exact role, which gave them a smoother transition into the position.'
Clarify that many qualified candidates applied. Job seekers can sometimes feel personally defeated when rejected. In these cases, remind the candidate that there were many other strong applicants vying for the position.
- For example, you could say, 'While you were a strong candidate, we had many highly qualified individuals applying for the role. Unfortunately, you did not emerge as the top contender.'
Encourage them to connect with the company on social media. Rejection can be tough, so try to keep the mood light by suggesting the candidate connect with the company online. This shows there are no hard feelings and keeps the door open for future opportunities.
- For instance, say, 'We’d love to stay in touch in case any future openings arise. Could you send a LinkedIn connection request to our HR department?'
- Or, 'We’d like to keep you updated on our upcoming initiatives. Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see what we’re working on next!'
Avoid engaging in debates if the candidate wants to argue their case. Sometimes, candidates may try to convince you by saying things like, “Give me another shot; I’ll change your mind!” or “You’re making a mistake; I know I’m the best candidate.” If this happens, don’t dive into a detailed discussion of what went wrong in the interview or analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their resume.
- To gracefully end the conversation, say something like, “Although we’ve selected someone else, don’t feel like you did anything wrong. I’m sure you’ll find a great opportunity soon.”
Encourage strong candidates to consider future opportunities with your company. Just because a candidate didn’t get selected for a particular role doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be a great fit in the future. To preserve a valuable connection, let promising candidates know that while they weren’t the best fit this time, you’d love for them to stay in touch. There may be another position better suited for them down the road.
- For instance, say, “Please feel free to apply again if another position opens up. You were close to being selected for this role, and we’d love to see you apply for future openings.”
- If they stood out and you believe they’d thrive in another part of the company, offer to connect them with the relevant department. It benefits everyone involved.
Composing a Rejection Email
Send the rejection email promptly after a candidate has been chosen. Once you, the HR team, or the hiring manager have made a hiring decision, notify the unsuccessful candidates via email as soon as possible. This will help prevent any false hope and give them the opportunity to start their job search elsewhere.
- Ideally, this rejection email should go out the next business day after the hiring decision is made.
Keep your email concise—no more than 3 to 4 sentences. Since the candidate was not interviewed in person, your message can be brief. Start by addressing the candidate by name, then write something like, “Thank you for applying for the Creative Director position at ABC Advertising. While we were impressed with your resume, we ultimately chose to offer the position to another candidate. We wish you the best of luck in your career.”
- Sign off with your name and send the email once you’ve ensured there are no errors.
Do not apologize for not hiring the candidate in the email. While receiving a job rejection can be difficult for candidates, it’s important to maintain professionalism in your communication. Avoid apologizing or implying disagreement with the company’s decision. Never reveal if there were any internal disagreements about the hiring process.
- For instance, refrain from writing, 'Although I would have loved to hire you, our hiring manager had a different opinion.'
Respond briefly if the candidate asks for feedback. If a candidate responds to your rejection email with questions about what made the selected candidate stand out, keep your reply short and to the point. A concise email of 3–4 sentences will help avoid unnecessary back-and-forth while offering some insight into your decision.
- For example, you could say, 'While we were impressed by your resume, the decision came down to your work history. There were significant gaps in your employment that led us to select another candidate.'
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Keep the phone call short and to the point. Let the candidate know they were competing with many others for the role and encourage them to apply for future openings. Make sure the conversation wraps up in under five minutes.
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When interviewing for a role, aim to interview no more than 5–6 candidates. This way, you'll only need to make 4–5 calls to inform the applicants.
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Never fabricate reasons for not hiring a candidate. Even if they performed poorly in the interview, be tactful in delivering the news. It’s important to be honest but respectful in your explanation.
