Did you realize that one of the top consequences of a poor candidate's experience is simply not getting a response? 

Surprisingly, almost 75% of job seekers receive no response after submitting their applications, and approximately 60% are left in the dark following the interview.

While it may not be the most pleasurable activity, responding to a job application is critical to keeping your company's good reputation. 

Don't worry if this looks difficult; this article will show you how to write a rejection email respectfully.

Ready to start?

Let's go!

Why Should You Send Rejection Email?

Candidates invest significant time and effort in applying and interviewing for a job. Thus, a rejection email is a polite way of acknowledging their efforts.

It demonstrates respect for the time they have committed. Besides that, sending a rejection email is an important and professional practice for two main reasons:

⭐Maintains a positive reputation - Although unpleasant, a professional and courteous rejection email can leave a positive impression. This can influence how the applicant perceives the company and may lead them to share their experience with others.

⭐Building future talent pool -  You can leave the door open for excellent individuals who may not be a good fit for the current position but could be great for future chances. Keeping these applicants motivated is critical for building a strong talent pipeline.

While it may be easier to avoid responding altogether, we do not advise it. In short, sending a rejection email is an excellent practice. It is a simple yet effective technique for keeping professionalism, respect, and a positive brand image during the hiring process.

When Should You Send a Rejection Email?

If you agree to contact a candidate within the following week or two, make sure you stick to that timeline. 

Don’t delay beyond this time frame because it may result in a negative candidate experience. Prolonged uncertainty definitely isn’t a nice feeling, and before you make a promise, think about:

▶️Number of Candidates - If you have a large number of candidates to interview, be realistic about how much time it will take to fully evaluate all of them.

▶️Decision-Making Process - Understand the steps in your organization's decision-making process. This includes time for interviews, internal discussions, and maybe numerous rounds of interviews.

▶️Company policy and procedures - Be aware of any company policies or HR procedures that might affect the timeline. Some organizations might have mandatory waiting periods or additional steps in their hiring process.

▶️Availability of key decision makers - Determine the availability of all decision-makers involved in the hiring process. Their schedules may influence how quickly a final decision may be made.

Remember, it's better to give a slightly longer estimate and respond earlier than to make a promise and fail to meet it. 

If you set a realistic timeline for getting back to candidates, you can manage candidates’ expectations and maintain your company's professionalism.

How to Write a Rejection Email?

Let’s check out 5 steps for writing a rejection email.

Step 1: Include Job Position in The Subject Line

The subject line should clearly state what the email is about. 

Avoid using vague terms that could lead to misconceptions. 

Before opening the email, the candidate should know that it is about their job application. 

Here are some tips for writing the subject line:

👉Write in a neutral tone - The subject line should be neutral and professional. It should neither raise unrealistic expectations nor sound harsh. Avoid using language that comes off as informal or overly formal, as this could be misread.

👉Keep it brief - Go straight to the point and ​​directly address the specific job title the applicant applied for in your subject line.

👉Use clear language - Avoid language that could be perceived as pointing to a positive outcome, such as "Exciting news regarding..." or "Update on your application journey...". This may set the candidate up for disappointment when reading the actual content.

‍

Examples:

1. “Application for UI/UX Designer Position - Decision from [Company Name]”
2. “Accountant Position - Rejection Notice from [Company Name]”
3. “Content Creator Role Outcome at [Company Name]”

Step 2: Personalize The Opening

Personalization can soften the effect of rejection. 

A candidate is likely to appreciate the fact that the company took the time to recognize them individually, resulting in a more pleasant overall experience with the organization. 

Try these three tips for personalizing the opening of your email:

👉Use the candidate's name - Start the email with a greeting followed by the candidate's first name.

👉Mention details - If possible, include a specific detail about their application or interview.

👉Thank the applicant - Recognize the effort they put into the application process and thank them for that.

‍

Examples:

1. "Dear Jim,

Thank you for sharing your insights about using AI in the design field during our discussion…”
2. "Dear Alex,

It was a pleasure to learn about your content creation skills during our recent discussion. Your enthusiasm for storytelling in the Content Creator role at our company was evident and appreciated…"
3. "Dear Cuddy,

We're grateful you applied for the Accountant position at our company and for the insightful conversation we had about your experience in financial management. Your attention to detail and expertise came through clearly in our interactions…”

‍

💡ProTip

TextCortex allows you to easily create a digital persona that matches your writing style! Simply provide background details and a sample of your text, and TextCortex will craft a persona that sounds and writes just like you. 

You can also choose one of the existing personas 👇

Step 3: Deliver The News

As hard as it is, the point of a rejection email is to deliver the bad news, so it is best to be upfront and get to the point early. I know the tricky part is telling a candidate they were not selected.

Follow these tips to that properly:

👉Use Positive Language - Write your sentences in a positive light where possible. For example, instead of saying "Unfortunately, you haven't been selected," you could say, "We had to make some difficult choices due to the exceptional skills of all our candidates."

👉Be direct - Deliver your main point without needless runabout.

‍

Examples:

1. “After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we will not be moving forward with your application. The decision was a challenging one due to the high caliber of applicants.”
2. “Unfortunately, we have chosen to proceed with a candidate whose experience more closely aligns with our current project needs.”
3.”We regret to inform you that we have decided to move forward with another candidate for this role. Your experience in marketing strategy was impressive, and we faced a difficult decision.”

‍

💡ProTip

Need help with your writing tone? TextCortex can assist. 

Write your text, highlight what you want to improve, and choose the tone that suits your needs👇

Step 4: Explain the Decision

Giving a reason for rejection can provide useful feedback to the candidate. 

It assists them in identifying areas for improvement or clarifies why they were not the best fit for this particular role. 

Also, an explanation helps to ensure a transparent hiring process. 

👉Be honest - Provide a true reason for the rejection, but make sure it is delivered in a respectful and polite manner. Avoid making highly critical or personal comments.

👉If possible, be specific - If there is a specific, constructive explanation that can be expressed (such as a requirement for experience in a particular field), it can be beneficial to mention it.

👉Keep it professional  - If you don’t want to talk about details, keep it general and professional. For example, you can say that you chose a candidate whose experience is more relevant to the role's current requirements.

👉Be focused - A long list of details can be overwhelming or confusing. Stick to the main arguments that are most important to the employment needs.

‍

💡ProTip

With TextCortex, writing an entire email is as simple as writing only three key bullet points. How does it work? Craft your main points in bullets and TextCortex will take care of it 😏

‍

Examples:

1. “After careful consideration, we have decided to move forward with a candidate who has more direct experience in the specific type of projects our team is currently handling. We believe this experience will be crucial for our upcoming challenges."
2. “Our decision was particularly tough due to the high standard of entries, but we have chosen a candidate whose style and experience more closely align with our current branding direction. Your approach was highly creative, and we were truly impressed by your work."
3. “We ultimately selected a candidate who possesses more extensive experience in cloud infrastructure, which is a key focus for this role given our current organizational needs. Your skills in network management and security were impressive.”

Step 5: Encourage Future Opportunities

Encouraging candidates for future opportunities in your rejection email is beneficial because they may be a good fit for future employment. 

This technique not only helps your firm identify potential employees but it also gives the candidate a good experience.

👉 Acknowledge their skills - Highlight the strengths that impressed you. You can say "Your creative approach to problem-solving is great!”

👉Provide job alerts option - If your company has a job alert system, encourage employees to sign up so they will be notified of new openings.

👉Customize the message - If you've noticed an area where the candidate excels, advise that they search for opportunities in that field.

‍

Examples:

1. “Thank you once again for your interest in the UI UX Designer Role at our company. While we are not moving forward with your application for this position, we were particularly impressed by your problem-solving skills. We see great potential in your profile and would welcome your application for future roles that may better align with your unique talents. We encourage you to stay connected with us through our careers page and consider applying again.”
2. "We truly appreciated getting to know you through this process. Although it’s not the right fit right now, we hope you’ll consider applying to future opportunities with us, as your talents are valuable."

Do’s

✅Be prompt - Send the rejection email as soon as the decision has been made to ensure the candidate isn't left waiting anxiously.

✅Act with empathy - A rejection email may be the end of a candidate's journey with your company for now, but an empathic response can create a favorable lasting impression and influence their view of your company.

✅Be supportive - If possible, provide feedback that could help the applicant with future applications. That can improve the overall candidate’s experience.

✅End your email on a positive note - Make sure your rejection email is professional, respectful, and informative; this could convert a terrible experience into a positive one.

Don’ts

❌Don’t use harsh language - Avoid using words that could be interpreted as a criticism of the candidate's qualifications or personality.

❌Avoid comparisons - Don’t compare the candidate directly to others. Focus on their application in relation to the job requirements.

❌Don't give false hope - Avoid making statements that could be seen as an invitation to apply for the same position in the near future if that is not your intention.

‍

Template

“Subject: Your Application for Social Media Coordinator at [Company Name]


Dear Emily,


Thank you for applying for the Social Media Coordinator position at our company and for the thoughtful ideas you shared during your interview. Your passion for digital marketing clearly came through.


We regret to inform you that we have chosen to move forward with another candidate for this role. The decision was a challenging one, as we had many talented applicants. We were particularly impressed with your creativity and engagement strategies; however, we have selected a candidate whose experience with large-scale digital campaigns more closely matches our current needs.


Your skills and enthusiasm are admirable, and we believe they will serve you well in your career. We encourage you to apply for future openings that align with your expertise. We see great potential in your work and would be keen to consider your application again.


Thank you once again for your interest in joining our team. We wish you the best of luck in your ongoing career journey and look forward to the possibility of working together in the future.


Warm regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]”

How to Write a Rejection Email Using TextCortex?

TextCortex can help you with all your writing tasks, not just writing rejection emails. 

This AI-powered tool offers you numerous features that can help you improve your writing skills.

It allows you to:

🔥Rewrite or paraphrase any text you want without changing its original meaning.

🔥Change the tone of your writing to reflect your preferred style, formal, casual, or professional.

🔥Expand your ideas into long-form articles providing more information.

🔥Summarize long-form text into simple, informative summaries that maintain all important information.

🔥Create a Knowledge Base and quickly organize articles or files and store them in one place.

🔥You may easily translate text into over 25 languages or compose it in numerous languages directly.

TextCortex provides three convenient modes of use: a Chrome extension, a desktop app, and a web application. Plus, newcomers are greeted with 100 creations when they sign up.

‍

Don’t wait any longer and sign up today!