Picture it: you just wrapped up your interview, and youโre confident youโve found your ideal candidate. Theyโre smart, hardworking, qualified, socially skilled, and you know theyโre going to blend well with the team. Youโve even got theย personality assessment results to prove it. You send them the job offer, and they accept. Everything is great, right?
Not so fast.
Unless theyโre the sole person you brought toย the interview stage, chances are that there are a few (maybe even several) other candidates who didnโt quite make the cut. To avoid joining the ranks of companies that leave their applicants with a negative opinion (rejections areย one of the biggest factorsย that lead to this), consider this option: the rejection letter.
To be clear, the purpose of the rejection letter is to deliver bad news, so you shouldnโt expect cheers of joy from the recipient. But that doesnโt mean that the letter canโt serve a constructive purpose.
How to Write a Rejection Letter to a Job Applicant
The key to a good job candidate rejection letter is being honest, kind, and compassionate. Your letter should build the candidate up and let them know that, even though they may not be eligible for this role, they will find more opportunities. Remember that this rejection reflects on you and the organisation as a whole. The tone you set will determine if the candidate will consider applying again in the future, and it also impacts your organisationโs reputation andย employer brand.
Here are the four steps to write a job interview rejection letter that will send the right message.
Step 1: Thank Them
It should be self-explanatory, but thanking the candidate is a good idea.ย Studies showย that saying โthank youโ has ripple effects that directly and indirectly benefit the health and happiness of those who experience it. Remember that the applicant has given their time and effort to apply, take personality assessments, and interview for the role. Acknowledging this and showing your gratitude for their candidacy will cast your organisation in a more positive light.
Step 2: Break the Bad News
This is it โ the hardest part of the entire letter. While it may not be possible to alter the essence of your message, the words you use to let the candidate know that they did not get the position are important. Of these two examples of a rejection, which do you think would be better received?
- I regret to inform you that we have chosen a different applicant for the position.
- After careful review and a difficult decision, weโve decided to move forward with another candidate for the role.
If you chose 2, congratulations: youโre correct. The key here is that weโve let the candidate know that it was a challenging decision and that their application wasย legitimately considered. Additionally, note the subtle difference between the phrasing, โchosen a different applicantโ versus โdecided to move forward with another candidate.โ The latter gets the point across more gently.
Step 3: Explain Why
Still with us? Good. Now that youโve broached the subject, itโs time to explainย whyย they didnโt get the job. In most cases, itโs a best practice to be open and honest, but this should be determined by how your interactions with them went.
Good interviewย โ As great as they are as a candidate, itโs possible that some factor meant that they just didnโt make the cut. Was it insufficient experience that made the difference? Let them know gently (follow a similar methodology to Step 2).
Bad interviewย โ If the candidate made aย negative impressionย during the interview, you shouldnโt call them out on it. Instead, say nothing and skip to Step 4.
Step 4: End on a High Note
Weโre in the home stretch. After youโve thanked the candidate, broken the news, and explained your decision, end the message positively. Ideally, you should highlight strengths that stood out in the interview and/or theirย personality assessment results, point out their valuable qualifications, and express your interest (if you have any) in keeping their application on file for consideration for future roles. Positivity in your closing note will establish a good foundation for any future conversations you have with them.
And thatโs it. With those four steps, you will have a thoughtful, constructive rejection letter for a job applicant that may leave them disappointed but thankful for the experience and hopeful for future opportunities.