PostThe nicest rejection letter a hiring manager could write to make a job seeker's day
At some point in time, we all got to experience the dread of rejection in our careers – whether it was a job application, request for promotion, or asking for better working conditions. Perhaps, because of these past experiences, some of us are looking for a better way to reject a great (but not the best) candidate and not to discourage them in their job search.
One nifty strategy is giving feedback that doesn't sound like a generic rejection letter from the '90s. Take a moment to pinpoint what impressed you about the candidate and where they could tweak things a bit. It is definitely more time-consuming than copy-pasting "Thank you for your application, but...", however, at the end of it it's all worth it.
Do not be afraid to dish out the good stuff—let them know where they nailed it. It's like saying, "Hey, you're awesome, just not our exact flavor of awesome right now." You'd be surprised how much a little positive reinforcement can turn a rejection into a somewhat pleasant experience.
Here is a rejection letter one Recruiter successfully crafted and made their job seeker’s day.
“Dear [Candidate’s Name], Wouldn’t it be nice to receive such a sweet rejection letter at least once in a lifetime?
I apologize for my delayed response, but wanted to close the loop on the position of _____________.
This was a hard decision to make because we had three truly awesome candidates and you were one of them. Unfortunately, the team has decided to move forward with another candidate. The deciding factor was industry experience (specifically, [name the industry] expertise).
I wanted to let you know how much we all enjoyed the interview with you and whatever company hires you will be very lucky to have a true professional on their team. Some feedback from our team members:
“Gave great answers to all the questions and is very passionate about [Industry]”
“Would be a fantastic teammate.”
“Checks all the boxes in terms of [Industry] skills.”
Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope that you find a full time role with a great company, because you deserve it!”
But wait, there is more. Ever thought about offering constructive feedback and guidance to candidates who have been rejected? The feedback should be useful to them with a sprinkle of advice on how they can level up for their next shot. It's like saying, "You're cool, but here's how you can be even cooler." It's not just a rejection; it's a roadmap for improvement.
Plus, keep those communication channels wide open. Most folks appreciate a little honesty about why they didn't make the cut.Let them in on the behind-the-scenes decision-making, and if they're up for it, offer a debrief session.
Now, consider this. Why not turn rejection into a two-way street of feedback? Provide a survey for rejected candidates. What did they think about the process? Do they have any suggestions for improvement? It's like crowdsourcing ideas to make your hiring game better.
In the grand scheme of things, rejecting a good candidate doesn't have to be unpleasant. It's an opportunity to be decent human beings in the professional jungle. Treat folks with respect, offer some constructive feedback, and keep evolving your rejection game. Because, the job search journey can be tough, but a little kindness and transparency can make it a little less soul-crushing for everyone involved.
Yours Sincerely,
The Wow HR Team
