There is nothing worse as a job applicant than not getting a response from a prospective employer. That means it’s important to talk with applicants throughout the entire process. Applicants who aren’t selected for job interviews deserve at least a rejection email or letter to help them move on with their search for a job.
Responding to all unsuccessful job applicants can be time-consuming, but your response usually marks you as a reliable employer. Your job rejection letter encourages the potential employees to apply again if you post another position in the future for which the applicants may qualify.
When Drafting a Rejection Letter before Interview
When writing your rejection letter, ensure that you keep the tips outlined below in mind.
- Allow the candidates to know as early as possible: If you know from the moment that you browse over a certain application that they are not a suitable match for the advertised job, it’s good to let them know as early as possible. Even if there is no other appropriate candidate to resort to in the pile of applications, send them a fast rejection email to put them out of their misery.
- Give the candidate honest feedback: Avoid giving the candidates some fake excuses about how you plan to file or keep their resumes on file when it is already in the bin. Just tell them they are unsuccessful, but if you do think they will be a perfect match for any another position in your company, allow them to know.
- Show them some support: Ensure that you show some support to the job applicants and make the letter positive. You can do this easily by identifying some of their strengths. That could be giving recognition of their skills and experience as well as encouraging them to continue searching for a suitable position.
Sample Email (for rejection before interview)
4th June 2019
Mr. Jason Williams
2000 16th Street
Dulk, TK 09006
Dear Jason:
We sincerely appreciate your interest in NeeBen Enterprises and the position of Business Manager for which you applied for recently. After reviewing all the applications received by the set deadline, your application was not shortlisted.
The human resource team appreciates all the time you invested in your cover letter. However, we encourage you to apply for any future advertised and posted positions in our firm, for which you qualify.
Regards,
Vanessa Benson
Human Resource Director
Sample Letter (for rejection before interview)
4th June 2019
Mr. Jason Williams
2000 16th Street
Dulk, TK 09006
Dear Jason:
Thank you for submitting your introduction letter and CV for the position of the financial manager with our organization.
Although we were incredibly impressed by your impeccable skills and proven job experience, we believe it does not line up with our niche currently.
However, we believe that you are a skilled professional with a great career, and we would encourage you to apply for any advertised positions with our organization in the future.
Thank you again for your job application, and we wish you all the best in your search for a job and career success as well.
Yours sincerely,
Vanessa Benson
Human Resources Manager
Post-interview Rejection Email or Letter
A post-interview rejection email or letter refers to a document that confirms or informs a job applicant that they weren’t selected for a position even after getting interviewed. A candidate might have qualified for the job position, but another candidate was selected probably because of their skills, experiences, knowledge, and any other qualifications that surpassed all the other candidates.
A post-interview rejection letter is usually sent by the hiring manager and it’s followed by a phone call that informs the candidate of the bad news. Although most employers make phone calls beforehand, some employers only send letters to unsuccessful candidates.
Tips to write
In general, better job rejection letters or emails create a good candidate experience. Each candidate responds differently to job rejection. Nonetheless, there are some best practices to keep in mind when drafting your job rejection emails and letters. When writing job rejection emails, remember to:
Convey empathy: You should show the unfortunate candidates that you understand how it feels to get such an email or letter. Remember that a little empathy will go a long way when it comes to enhancing the candidate’s experience.
Be personal: Try to customize your letters, so that they feel like a personalized conversation instead of a bulk update.
Show some gratitude: You should thank the unsuccessful candidates for applying for your position. You might not always be able to compensate all the candidates for their effort and time, so showing your gratitude is pretty important.
Sample Email (rejection after interview)
Dear Annette,
Thank you for allowing us to meet you and also interview you for a position with our organization. We sincerely appreciate your great interest in joining our firm, and we enjoyed speaking to you.
Although your qualifications, skills, and work experience are pretty impressive, we had to select a candidate in the end, whom we believe closely matches the requirements of the position at this moment.
We sincerely appreciate your expertise in the finance sector and interest in our organization. We hope you will consider us again and apply for any open positions in our company in the future since you were among the top candidates we interviewed.
We thank you again for all the time, effort, and energy you invested in our employee selection process, and we also wish you professional success in all your future endeavors.
Regards,
Grace Rickson
Human Resources Manager
NeeBen Enterprises
Sample Letter (rejection after interview)
Dear Annette,
It was an honor and pleasure meeting you to discuss your professional background and the interest in the finance manager position. We appreciate your time, patience, and effort throughout the selection process.
Unfortunately, we were unable to shortlist you for further consideration since we have selected another better-qualified candidate. However, we are honored to have had the opportunity to know more about you, your accomplishments, and skills.
If you’ve any questions, kindly feel free to contact us at +1854200544789. Thank you again for your application, and we wish you all the best in your job search and all future endeavors.
Yours sincerely,
Grace Rickson
Human Resources Manager
