How To Write Job Rejection Emails That Candidates Won’t Hate

Job rejection emails can be a pain point for many recruiters. They have to find a way to break bad news to candidates in a positive and professional way. If you’re a recruiter who shares this struggle, check out our five tips on how to write the perfect job rejection email.

5 Tips for Writing Job Rejection Emails That Candidates Won’t Hate

1. Be personal

Every candidates biggest pet peeve is putting time and effort into an application and getting a generic rejection back that is addressed, “Dear Applicant”. It makes them feel like you may not have even given their application the time of day.

By addressing the rejection email with their name, they no longer feel like an anonymous applicant. And it's even possible to do this via an email automation tool that allows you to send personalized mass emails to multiple candidates at a time.

Screenshot: Email automation tool in the Talention software

2. Thank them for their time

Even if they are being rejected, candidates still want to feel valued. They invested time into preparing an application and they want this to be recognized. Make sure you include a line thanking them for their time and interest in your company, just a short show of appreciation can go a long way.

3. Give them a reason, when possible

Most candidates want to know why they have been rejected, particularly the farther they are in the application process. It helps them to understand why they weren’t selected and what they can do to improve for future positions.

It doesn’t need to be a detailed answer, a short sentence addressing the reason will do. For example, let them know you selected a more experienced applicant or that they weren't the right cultural fit for the company.

4. Offer them the chance to stay connected

If a candidate is truly interested in your company, they are likely to be disappointed by the fact that they didn’t get selected for this position, yet still want to stay in touch.

By including a link to your talent pool in your email, you offer them the possibility to stay in contact and receive updates on future positions. This also gives you the opportunity to fill your talent pool with qualified candidates who may not be ready yet for a position at your company, but could be a great fit in the future.

Screenshot: Talention's talent pool sign-up form

5. End things on a positive note

Ultimately you should end your job rejection email on a positive note. You want to leave the candidate feeling like they had an overall positive experience with your company, although they were not selected.

Why does this matter? If they were a qualified candidate, you want to leave the possibility open that they would apply to a future position. Additionally, in the age of sites like Glassdoor, you should be aware that the candidate may leave a review about their experience.

Check out our page "The Ultimate Guide to Job Rejection Emails" to find further resources on the topic of job rejections.

Would you like to learn more about how to write job rejection emails? We would like to show you best practice examples and concrete implementation in the Talention software. Just ask for a free demo here and someone will get in touch with you shortly. Request a demo now.