Rejected candidate

12 Comments

1. AnonymousDecember 13,2024 at 3:39PM UTC

   This is something you should run by your HR or legal department. Laws are different in every country and state (within the US), so this would best be answered by your internal counsel. I state this because it sounds like you are possibly a hiring manager and not an HR professional, as they would know. If neither is the case, why are you asking?

2. MandieDecember 13,2024 at 3:49PM UTC

   We always send a follow up with we have decided to pursue other candidates, or we have selected another candidate. We appreciate your time and interest in our company and wish you the best of luck in your career search. I could be wrong but would think this is safe enough.

3. AnonymousDecember 13,2024 at 5:23PM UTC

   Here is a link to some examples of rejection correspondence. https://www.homerun.co/hiring-email-templates/candidate-rejection-email#:~:text=Dear%20%5BCandidate's%20First%20Name%5D%2C,your%20application%20at%20this%20time.

4. AnonymousDecember 13,2024 at 10:07PM UTC

   Former recruiter here. That was the worst part of the job, but always begin with the good things they did if you can draft a personalized email. There are tons of things out there to use online, but I always made it more personal, and I was able to stay in touch for future opportunities. These days everything is so automated, there's a lack of personal connections. If you feel this person would fit future roles, encourage them to apply. Otherwise, send the note, thank you for interviewing, and though we found your skill set impressive, we have decided to go with another candidate. These notes are the worst and anyone on here that's been rejected knows it stings. BUT, and here's the clincher, follow up is imperative to your brand, your company's brand and it leaves a better impression.

5. GirlBossanova934974December 14,2024 at 1:52PM UTC

   It all depends! You better check the job spec first. Did your job spec mirror what was being asked during the interview and/or wanted by the hiring manager? If it all checks out, you can always say we were looking for more experience with XYZ skillset. BUT the problem today is that many job specs are BASIC JUNK! Bunch of boiler plate thrown together by some AI program and foisted on the job market. Then you have a problem and have to stick with a very generic rejection letter. PS: I just got done with a 4 stage interview process. In stage 4, the company brought out all the muck-di-muck senior managers who started looking for stuff not even in the job spec and NEVER mentioned before. The Hiring manager came with a new list of requirements after his initial interview just 3 weeks ago. Who was in charge? I haven't the slightest idea. A rejection letter for that? Better be darn generic. DO YOUR WORK UP FRONT and you won't be worried about what happens at the end!

6. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachDecember 14,2024 at 2:09PM UTC

   I had a policy of calling anyone who conducted an in-person interview-- they took the time take us seriously, and I want to respect that. I would call and just clearly state that we enjoyed meeting them however..... Usually they are disappointed and want to get off the line asap so immediately don't press on the "why." If they don't answer, I do leave a voicemail and send an email to ensure they received the update. It's a horrible task to do this, but it is infinitely superior to ghosting candidates or sending impersonal email alone.

   For phone interviews, I generally used email. If it was applicants that didn't get past a resume screen, HR handled that as there may have been several hundred applicants.

   In general, whether voice or email, keep it simple with a thanks, it was a tough decision, and that you've selected another candidate. Wish them the best and as another poster said, if you would like to hire them in the future, encourage future application.

7. AnonymousDecember 14,2024 at 5:33PM UTC

   We had a lot of excellent candidates to choose from including you, and the choice was very difficult. When it was finally made the hiring team decided to go with another equally qualified person that fit our needs best at this time.

   End of story.

   If they ask for more details let them know that it was a tough decision, they did well in the meetings but you cannot provide any more information. Wish them the best.

8. AnonymousDecember 15,2024 at 1:31PM UTC

   As someone who has been searching for a new job for 5 months , I appreciate that you care enough to ask .

9. AnonymousDecember 15,2024 at 2:04PM UTC

   In all honesty, a basic acknowledgement that this person isn't being hired and thanks for their interest in working for the company is about the best you can do if your highest priority is avoiding legal liability.

   But if you put that person through a prolonged interview process that involved essentially retyping their resume into your ATS system along with multiple callback interviews, assessments, and other criteria, then, also in all honesty, limiting yourself to whatever helps you avoid legal liability also comes off as jerking them around too much because it's too curt. You're in a no-win situation.

   Two things that don't help in any circumstances:

   1) Smarming. Don't go overboard in mentioning what a great candidate the applicant was, how qualified they are or how hard your hiring decision was. None of that resulted in a job offer from your company, so it comes off as insincere.

   2) Wishing them future success. You already delayed if not denied that by not extending them an offer, so expressing this doesn't come off well.

10. AnonymousDecember 16,2024 at 3:02PM UTC

    We are not pursuing your candidacy and are moving toward in our search.

11. Heather SmartDecember 16,2024 at 7:14PM UTC

    Something like the text below. Avoid the word "fit" as there some movement to use this word as proof of discrimination. If it is a quick decline take out the part about careful consideration.

    "Dear [Candidate's Name],

    Thank you for taking the time to interview with us for the [Job Title] position. We truly appreciate the effort you put into the process and the interest you showed in our organization.

    After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we have decided to move forward with another candidate whose experience and qualifications more closely align with the needs of the role at this time.

    We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and success in your job search. Thank you again for your time and interest in [Company Name].

    Best regards,"

12. AnonymousDecember 18,2024 at 7:26PM UTC

    If the job candidate was rejected for reasons unrelated to any protected status that the person may be apart of, then you shouldn’t need to worry about incurring legal ramifications. Odd question, really. It almost makes me think that the rejected candidate might’ve dodged a bullet when you rejected their application.