How to Write Candidate Rejection Letters

No one likes to give bad news. Unfortunately, as a recruiter, you are going to have to be the bearer of bad news more times than not. At some point, you will have to tell every single candidate you contacted that they are no longer in consideration except for the one you decide to hire.

But, what’s the best way to deliver the bad news?

There are some recruiters who despite knowing today’s candidates place an emphasis on timely communication choose to ghost candidates. They ignore emails asking for updates and screen calls from candidates who they know are no longer in consideration. Don’t be one of those recruiters.

Relationships are at the heart of recruiting. When you choose to ignore a candidate, you risk tarnishing your client’s employer brand and damaging a relationship which may have resulted in a future placement or new business opportunity.

When it comes to updating former candidates, there’s no need to overthink this communication. A simple email will suffice the majority of the time. (Note: There are instances where a phone call is more appropriate, especially when a candidate has made it farther along the hiring process.)

Okay! But what should I include?

Rejection emails are unlike any other email you send candidates. They don’t require extreme personalization, and it’s advised you provide a generic response to protect you and your client from a potential lawsuit for unlawful hiring practices.

Your best bet is to craft a simple template to use every time you recruit. A good template paired with the right ATS/CRM can help you speed through the process.

Drafting Your Template

When drafting your email template, there are a few things to consider:

• Although tempting, don’t lead with the news in the subject line. It’s cold and impersonal. Instead reference their application to the hiring company and/or the title of the role.
• While you can use a prepared response, you have to remember that you are still sending this email to a human who devoted time and resources to apply to your job. Avoid informal greetings such as “Dear Candidate.” Instead, address them by their name.
• We all know that searching for a job can be tiring process. While you cannot offer a job to everyone who applies, you can and should thank them for their time and consideration. A single sentence will do.
• Now, it’s time to get to the point of the email, and share the news. It’s best to avoid providing too much detail. Instead, inform them the position has been filled or your client has decided to to pursue other candidates, but be prepared for the candidate to ask for more detail. While it’s up to you decide how much you want to share, be careful of opening yourself up to risk.
• Wrap up the email. You said what you needed to, and there’s no need to drag out the email any longer. Wish them the best of luck in their job search. If you’d like, you can suggest they connect with you on LinkedIn and/or follow your company page to be alerted when you’re recruiting for similar roles in the future. If you choose to do this, provide them with the proper links to make it as easy as possible.

Sample Job Rejection Template

As a thank you for reading this far, here is your own template than you can use during any stage of the hiring process.

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