What is a candidate rejection letter?

A candidate rejection letter is a formal document that employers send to job applicants whom they have chosen not to hire for a position. These letters can be sent after a candidate has submitted a job application or following an interview. Rejection letters inform an applicant that they will not be moving forward in the selection process, enabling them to continue their job hunt.

What are the benefits of sending candidate rejection letters?

If your company has not yet adopted the practice of sending candidate rejection letters, you may wish to reconsider. Here are some of the benefits of writing these letters:

• Communicates respect: Applicants have likely put a great deal of thought, time, and effort into applying to work for your company. Providing them with written feedback shows that you value their time, while allowing them to focus on other positions.
• Fosters positive employer brand: While receiving a rejection letter isn’t the result a candidate hoped for, it gives them closure. Providing a courteous rejection letter can also bolster your company’s employer branding and prevent frustrated applicants from sharing negative reviews online.
• Establishes a talent pool: A candidate may not be the right fit for this position, but they could be ideal for a future role. A well-crafted rejection letter invites candidates to apply for other roles, creating a positive relationship and widening your talent pool.
• Saves time and resources: Failing to send out rejection letters can result in phone calls and e-mails from candidates wishing to learn the status of their applications. Responding to these queries takes time and prevents your team from performing other duties.

What can you include when writing a rejection letter?

Crafting polished rejection letters can become second nature with a little practice. Here are some things to consider including when writing a rejection letter:

1. Concise subject line: When sending a rejection letter via e-mail, ensure that your subject line is succinct, including your company’s name and the job title.
2. Contact information: As an official document, it is prudent to use the company letterhead and provide the contact details for the appropriate hiring manager.
3. Personalized greeting: Address the applicant by name, even when using a rejection letter template.
4. Thank you for their time: Include a sincere expression of gratitude for their application and/or job interview.
5. Statement of rejection: Inform the applicant of your decision in an expedient manner. This can prevent the applicant from forming any false hopes.
6. Reason for the rejection: It is helpful to include an explanation for your decision. Try to frame this in a way that focuses on the positive. For example, you could share that there were many strong applicants and that the choice was very difficult.
7. Positive ending: Invite the applicant to apply to future roles within your organization and wish them good luck with their job search.

What are some rejection letter writing tips? 

When penning a professional rejection letter, there are a few helpful tips to follow. Here are some of these dos and don’ts:

• Do not delay. Applicants appreciate learning about your hiring decision as soon as possible, so they can continue their job search. 
• Use a professional tone. A rejection letter is a formal business document. As such, it is imperative to use business-like language.
• Avoid generic phrases. Even if you are using a letter template, steer away from using terms like “to whom it may concern.” Instead, use the candidate’s first name. This small detail can make your rejection letters feel less like a form letter and more personalized.
• Do not be apologetic. Your hiring decision was based solely on the needs of your business; therefore, you have no need to extend an apology. 
• Get to the point. An effective candidate rejection letter is clear and concise, avoiding flowery language, excess details and filler. 
• Abstain from criticism. Avoid offering negative criticism, as this can create an overall poor experience for the candidate and be detrimental to your company’s image. On the other hand, a polite letter can foster positive feelings towards your brand, better enabling you to consistently attract quality candidates.

Does the process differ for internal candidates? 

Writing a rejection letter to an internal candidate differs slightly from an external one. Here are a few of these differences:

• More detailed feedback: As a current employee, this applicant is likely very familiar with your organization’s goals, operations and requirements. Consequently, you can provide more details regarding the reason for your hiring decision, including any skills, knowledge or qualifications that led to the hiring of the suIntroducing an exceptional new hire to your organization can be exciting, but for every candidate selected, numerous others are not chosen. Despite the inherent discomfort in conveying unfavourable news, providing each applicant with a courteous and professional rejection letter is a mark of respect and a strategic practice. In this article, we explore the role of candidate rejection letters, review their advantages and delineate the essential components of a thoughtfully crafted communication.

What is a candidate rejection letter?

A candidate rejection letter is a formal document that employers send to job applicants whom they have chosen not to hire for a position. These letters can be sent after a candidate has submitted a job application or following an interview. Rejection letters inform an applicant that they will not be moving forward in the selection process, enabling them to continue their job hunt.

What are the benefits of sending candidate rejection letters?

If your company has not yet adopted the practice of sending candidate rejection letters, you may wish to reconsider. Here are some of the benefits of writing these letters:

• Communicates respect: Applicants have likely put a great deal of thought, time, and effort into applying to work for your company. Providing them with written feedback shows that you value their time, while allowing them to focus on other positions.
• Fosters positive employer brand: While receiving a rejection letter isn’t the result a candidate hoped for, it gives them closure. Providing a courteous rejection letter can also bolster your company’s employer branding and prevent frustrated applicants from sharing negative reviews online.
• Establishes a talent pool: A candidate may not be the right fit for this position, but they could be ideal for a future role. A well-crafted rejection letter invites candidates to apply for other roles, creating a positive relationship and widening your talent pool.
• Saves time and resources: Failing to send out rejection letters can result in phone calls and e-mails from candidates wishing to learn the status of their applications. Responding to these queries takes time and prevents your team from performing other duties.

What can you include when writing a rejection letter?

Crafting polished rejection letters can become second nature with a little practice. Here are some things to consider including when writing a rejection letter:

1. Concise subject line: When sending a rejection letter via e-mail, ensure that your subject line is succinct, including your company’s name and the job title.
2. Contact information: As an official document, it is prudent to use the company letterhead and provide the contact details for the appropriate hiring manager.
3. Personalized greeting: Address the applicant by name, even when using a rejection letter template.
4. Thank you for their time: Include a sincere expression of gratitude for their application and/or job interview.
5. Statement of rejection: Inform the applicant of your decision in an expedient manner. This can prevent the applicant from forming any false hopes.
6. Reason for the rejection: It is helpful to include an explanation for your decision. Try to frame this in a way that focuses on the positive. For example, you could share that there were many strong applicants and that the choice was very difficult.
7. Positive ending: Invite the applicant to apply to future roles within your organization and wish them good luck with their job search.

What are some rejection letter writing tips? 

When penning a professional rejection letter, there are a few helpful tips to follow. Here are some of these dos and don’ts:

• Do not delay. Applicants appreciate learning about your hiring decision as soon as possible, so they can continue their job search. 
• Use a professional tone. A rejection letter is a formal business document. As such, it is imperative to use business-like language.
• Avoid generic phrases. Even if you are using a letter template, steer away from using terms like “to whom it may concern.” Instead, use the candidate’s first name. This small detail can make your rejection letters feel less like a form letter and more personalized.
• Do not be apologetic. Your hiring decision was based solely on the needs of your business; therefore, you have no need to extend an apology. 
• Get to the point. An effective candidate rejection letter is clear and concise, avoiding flowery language, excess details and filler. 
• Abstain from criticism. Avoid offering negative criticism, as this can create an overall poor experience for the candidate and be detrimental to your company’s image. On the other hand, a polite letter can foster positive feelings towards your brand, better enabling you to consistently attract quality candidates.

Does the process differ for internal candidates? 

Writing a rejection letter to an internal candidate differs slightly from an external one. Here are a few of these differences:

• More detailed feedback: As a current employee, this applicant is likely very familiar with your organization’s goals, operations and requirements. Consequently, you can provide more details regarding the reason for your hiring decision, including any skills, knowledge or qualifications that led to the hiring of the successful candidate. This constructive feedback can prepare the applicant for future roles.
• Offer advice: If the candidate may be suitable for another upcoming role, let them know. You may also provide them with steps to take to secure other positions. You may wish to provide opportunities for skill development, such as training modules, on-the-job shadowing or a mentorship program. 
• Highly personalized: Rejection letters for internal applicants can be personalized from start to finish. While generic messages are inappropriate for external candidates, they can be highly insulting to a long-term employee of your company.
• Multiple communication options: Depending on the size of your organization and the nature of your relationship with the applicant, you may wish to communicate your hiring decision in person, on the phone or via a candidate rejection e-mail.

Giving a job applicant bad news is never easy, but crafting effective candidate rejection letters can be. By following a few simple tips, you can hone the art of communicating rejections in a respectful way that preserves your company’s relationship with its dynamic talent pool and keeps your corporate image fully intact.

FAQs on writing a rejection letter

Do all applicants receive a rejection letter? 

All applicants typically receive a rejection letter regardless of how far they made it through the selection process. While some organizations argue that they do not possess the time or resources to do this, the positive repercussions of making rejection letters a consistent practice make it worthwhile. Sending rejection letters helps your organization overcome candidate ghosting. As a result, this creates more satisfied candidates, fosters a more positive company image and employer brand, preserves your organization’s talent pool and enables applicants to continue their search in a timely manner. Automating this process can help your company achieve this letter-writing goal.

Why do some companies use rejection e-mail templates? 

Depending on the size of your organization and how often you hire, you may wish to consider using rejection letter templates. This business tool can enable your company to send out large volumes of rejection letters, save time, create consistency in messaging and avoid problematic wording. Furthermore, templates can be customized to suit different applicants, positions and situations.