3 Best Practices For Communicating Job Rejection To A Candidate

After going through the tedious process of reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates and shortlisting the best candidates, you finally fill the vacant position with the one who is a perfect fit. You feel that the hiring process is over and it is back to some other job, isn’t it?

Not quite. Even if you have hired the right candidate for the position, there are other candidates waiting eagerly for your feedback.

If you want to preserve your employer brand and create an everlasting impression in the minds of the candidate, never forget the rejected candidates. Instead, let them know they did not make the cut. This is much easier said than done. Today, hiring managers are guilty of disregarding this very important step. By ignoring these candidates you are making them irate, which can ruin your image as an employer. In this technologically advanced age, these candidates can make or break your employer brand on social media sites, if they are not heard.

There are certain HR professionals who do reply to the rejected candidates, but with a generic one or two liner email through their recruitment software thinking that it is the most efficient way to do so. Through a single button it is possible to send emails to multiple candidates in one go. But the emails sent by the recruitment software hurt your employer brand, instead of enhancing the reputation. If you think from the perspective of the candidates, they put in hours in creating a perfect resume and cover letter. They deserve more than a “thank you” note for applying to your organization.

Best Practices for Communicating Job Rejection

It is high time that the rejection email templates created through your recruitment software are reframed after considering the following three things.

1. Give a brief explanation for the rejection

It is important to explain the reasons for the rejection in the email, including:

1. The role was filed.
2. The applicant is underqualified for the role.
3. The applicant is overqualified for the role.
4. The applicant is not the right fit for the culture of the organization.
5. The role was found to be unnecessary and thus closed.

Always be transparent about the reason for which the applicant was not selected. You can also include vital statistics to back your reason. For example; include the number of applications received for the vacant position. Simplify the process by sitting with the recruitment team and zeroing on the exact reasons for the rejection of the candidate. Create an email template based on the reasons found.

Explain the reasons to the applicant through the email. Also, tell them due to high volume you will not be able to respond to everyone on an individual basis. The candidate will appreciate your transparency and sincerity and will understand it in the end.

2. Tell them if suitable openings as per their qualifications are coming up soon

As a hiring manager, you might be aware of the openings that are going to come up in various departments. To build a candidate pipeline, it is extremely important to let the rejected candidates know the upcoming vacancies in the near future. If the rejected candidate was the right fit, but did not get the job due to any other reason, it is important to keep them in the loop for future openings. Create a template for the message by including the following details:

1. List of departments that will be hiring soon.
2. In your rejection email, inform the rejected candidate, “Even though you were not selected for the opening this time, there are several openings coming up in departments x, y and z. Check out the details for the open roles.”
3. Choose the message type that will encourage the rejected candidate to apply for the vacant position in the future.

The candidates who are really keen to work in your organization will appreciate this gesture from you. The other benefit is that you will be able to build a consistent pipeline of candidates easily.

3. Tell them where they need to improve while applying for the position in near future

For top performers the job search process can be a very tiring process. It can take them months of searching for a good organization and then receiving a call from them. If you want the rejected candidates to re-apply for roles in your organization in the near future, take the initiative and make a world-class career website and include the following.

Best practices and tips to apply for a job in your organization. For example; look at Google’s How We Hire pageCreate a list of common mistakes and reasons for which candidates can be rejected.

Write encouraging statements in the email to make the rejected candidates feel better so that they can look forward to a bright career ahead. Remember, if you can give them even little bit of guidance that is positive and helpful in enhancing their career, candidates will give their valuable time once again to re-apply for the vacant jobs in your organization.

Conclusion

With a few subtle improvements in your rejection emails through a recruitment software, you can create a great list of candidate pool for future openings:

1. Just make sure that you are sincere, positive and helpful when you are writing the emails to the rejected candidates.
2. Customize your existing email templates by making appropriate changes even if you are time-strapped.

Keep the applicants happy and increase your candidate pipeline drastically in the near future. This way even if you turn down the candidates, it can create an everlasting impression in their minds about your organization. To sum it up, effective communication during the rejection process is the key to enhance your employer brand.