It is a cold fact that in any recruitment process, you are going to have to reject more candidates than you accept. How you dismiss a candidate after both an application and interview is still a representation of your company and its culture and contributes to your overall employer brand. If you build a negative reputation in your sectorโs labor market for bad treatment of candidates, you may begin to see an impact on your overall brand.
Keeping a line of communication and creating a positive experience for all of your candidates, even those you ultimately reject from the role, has many long-term benefits. If you are rejecting a high-quality candidate, you want to be able to keep them within your candidate pool to reach out to for future job postings and gain a brand advocate who would still recommend your product or services, and even encourage others to apply for job postings within your business.
The power of a rejected candidate
If candidates have a negative experience where they felt ignored or disrespected, it is likely they will talk about that experience. You may see mentions of your company on social media sites which donโt paint you in the best light. Sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed.com now give candidates the power to leave reviews and comments on the interview processes at companies.
If a candidate has a negative experience, they now have a platform where they can candidly share their thoughts and warn away other candidates from applying for roles. Rejected candidates may also talk about their experience during networking. They will discuss what happened with friends, relatives, trusted co-workers, and even those across your sector. No-one wants to work at a company with a bad reputation.
Let the candidate know fast
If a candidate is underqualified or simply a bad fit for the role advertised, and you are absolutely certain you will not be offering them a role, do not wait until the end of the recruitment process to inform them they havenโt won the position. Even if the news is bad, it is best for your candidate to hear it as soon as possible. They may be delaying responding to existing job offers or accepting further calls to interview because they are waiting for your response. A timely rejection will put an end to fretting, refreshing email inboxes, and overthinking interview answers, which your candidate will be thankful for.
Rejecting a candidate via email
If you work for a larger company, you may be using applicant tracking software which can help you create a bulk email that can then be personalized to each candidate. Donโt send an automated email which doesnโt even address the candidate by name. Ensure you spend time to customize your communication to the candidate.
Rejection emails should include:
o A sincere โthank youโ to the candidate for their interest in the role and for any preparation and work they contributed to the application process.
o If possible, a personalized comment based on the communication you have had with the candidate. Maybe mentioning how impressed you were with a certain achievement or wishing luck to the candidate on a project they have mentioned.
o Any feedback on the application and interview relevant to the role they are applying for. A rejected candidate will appreciate any insights you can give to their performance and the suitability of their application and experience to the role.
o End the email with either an invitation to apply for future roles if you believed the candidate would be a good fit for your company, or simply wish them luck with their continued job search.
Rejecting a candidate via email
If you work for a larger company, you may be using applicant tracking software which can help you create a bulk email which can then be personalized to each candidate. Donโt send an automated email which doesnโt even address the candidate by name. Ensure you spend time to customize your communication to the candidate.
Rejection emails should include:
o A sincere โthank youโ to the candidate for their interest in the role and for any preparation and work they contributed to the application process.
o If possible, a personalized comment based on the communication you have had with the candidate. Maybe mentioning how impressed you were with a certain achievement or wishing luck to the candidate on a project they have mentioned.
o Any feedback on the application and interview relevant to the role they are applying for. A rejected candidate will appreciate any insights you can give to their performance.
o End the email with either an invitation to apply for future roles if you believed the candidate would be a good fit for your company, or simply wish them luck with their continued job search.
Rejecting a candidate over the phone
It is better to reject a candidate through the phone when the application process has been long and involved. If they have attended several interviews, gone through a day-long interview process, undertaken a series of tests, or interviewed with a director-level member of staff, it is a good idea to invest some time into the rejection and provide feedback on the phone.
Providing feedback in person will be appreciated at the end of a long application process, as your candidate can inquire further and have a final opportunity to have any answers they are seeking when it comes to how to improve their skills and interview process. Follow your phone call with an email reiterating the information so there is a record of the rejection.
The importance of feedback
Your feedback is the most important part of your communication with a rejected applicant. Good interview feedback needs to be succinct, considerate and honest. It is often the case that there was nothing particularly wrong with the candidate, but there just happened to be another candidate with more relevant experience or stronger skills. Stating this to a candidate should not offend their feelingsโitโs the reality of job hunting in a busy and high-quality labor market.
Request and value feedback
Another way to show respect to a candidate and gain a brand advocate is to ask for feedback on your interviewing and hiring process. You have given your honest and succinct feedback, respect that hiring is a two-way street and request some feedback on their experience. You can do this either in your phone and email correspondence, or set up a feedback survey to collect data from several rejected candidates.
Requesting feedback shows you value and trust the opinions and viewpoints of the candidate, alongside providing you as a hiring manager with useful insights on how you can further optimize and structure your recruitment and candidate search process.
Be honest about future opportunities
In some cases, you may be rejecting a candidate you have a genuine interest in hiring in the future. Maybe they werenโt quite the right fit for the current role, but they may slot into your future growth plans. If this is the case, tell them.
However, do not finish a job rejection on a false promise if you know you have no interest in hiring the candidate now or in the future. Only invite a candidate to apply for future roles if you think they would be a good cultural fit in your company in the future. Inform them if their details will be kept on file within your company for future positions.
Gaining a brand advocate in a rejected candidate
Ending a job rejection on a positive note is no mean feat, but it is the first step in nurturing and maintaining a good relationship with the candidate and gaining a brand advocate. Stay in touch with rejected candidates, either via email or professional social media such as LinkedIn. Follow up on their progress, and congratulate them when you spot they have landed a new job.
You can keep up communication through inviting rejected candidates to events or seminars hosted by your company, a networking opportunity for both you and your candidate. You can also ask to add the candidate to your email newsletter database, or suggest they follow your company on social media so they can stay informed on hiring and growth. Keeping up positive, timely, succinct, and direct communication will gain you a brand advocate and a new addition to your passive talent pool. If you would like assistance for all your talent challenges, donโt hesitate to contact the specialist team at Phaidon International.
