MightyRecruiterHaving to turn a candidate down for a job they were eager to get is no one’s idea of a party. But of course, not everyone can get the job you need to fill, which is where candidate rejection letters come into play. Candidate rejection letters must be sent to all candidates who are no longer being considered for the job for which they’ve applied or interviewed.
It sounds like a daunting task, but it isn’t. And that’s because detailed information or excessive explanations have no place in a rejection letter. Your main goal is to deliver final word that you’ve made a decision so that the candidate understands that their chances of employment have ended.
The following candidate rejection letter sample provides a good overview of all the basics you should capture when writing your candidate rejection letter.
candidate rejection letter.
Sansome Street Theater
1347 Sansome Street
Philadelphia, PA 19019
3.1.17
Rachel Gunderson
336 Richland Park
Ardmore, PA 19003
Dear Rachel,
Thank you so much for the interest you’ve expressed in the Box Office Manager role at Sansome Street Theater, and for your patience during the application and interview process.
Your skills and qualifications have been carefully reviewed and considered, but we have decided to pursue another candidate for the position. Know that we had many highly qualified candidates in our pipeline, and the decision we reached was not an easy one.
Thank you again so much for your interest in the position, and your interest in the Sansome Street Theater. We wish you the absolute best of luck as you move forward.
Sincerely,
Richard Elson
General Manager
Sansome Street Theater
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Conclusion
Note the no-nonsense tone of this candidate rejection letter sample. Your goal should always be brevity in these letters, and you want to cut straight to the news. The candidate is likely eager for it, and your job at hand is to deliver closure so they can continue their job search.
The letter’s tone is direct yet thankful. This voice is important to capture because you’re letting someone down who has likely expended a lot of energy trying to secure the job. You want them to continue on their job search with no negative feelings toward the company, and with no inclination to speak ill of the company to friends, or on social media.
Take note, also, of what’s missing in the candidate rejection letter sample. There is no indication of who got the job, or of who else applied or interviewed. You never want to include this information in a candidate rejection letter, because frankly, it’s none of the rejected candidate’s business.
Here’s what else is missing: there is no mention of filing the candidate’s resume for future possibilities, or of directing them to another open or upcoming position. You want to avoid offering false hope to the candidate. As far as this candidate rejection letter sample is concerned, this is the end of the line for this person in regard to employment at your company.
Have your legal department vet your letter to make sure it contains no discriminatory language. You need one-hundred percent assurance that the messaging is acceptable. If you or someone else use the sample as a template for a rejection letter, and it contains language that could be deemed offensive, your company could find itself in a lot of trouble.
This candidate rejection letter sample is just a starting-off point. Say for instance there’s a candidate who you hit it off with in an interview, and you talked about a shared personal interest or hobby. You could make mention of that in the rejection letter if you’re looking to personalize further. A touch like this might be appreciated and could cushion the blow of losing the job. In rare case, if there’s a candidate who you honestly feel would be a perfect fit for another open job, consider noting it in the letter, along with directions on how to act on the opportunity.