We’ve all applied to jobs and been declined. Even the most delicately phrased, respectful rejections can sting — especially when you really wanted the position. As an employer, you want to make sure that you are fostering a positive, respectful work environment. To do that, it all begins with the hiring process. Of course, it’s awesome telling a new employee that they’re hired. However, that’s the easy part of the process. Being responsible for telling people that they have not been selected for a position can be much more difficult. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help soften the potential blow.
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Sending Out Rejections
During the recruitment process, you will inevitably end up rejecting more candidates than you hire. How you reject candidates communicates a lot about your company and your culture. A rude or inappropriate rejection can easily damage the reputation of your company and your brand. That’s why National Recruiting has compiled some of the most important tips to keep in mind when sending out rejections.
Be Honest
We’ve all heard something like this when receiving a job denial: “Though we think you are skilled and could do the job, there were so many great candidates and we unfortunately must tell you that you have not been selected.” Such a phrase is fine — as long as it’s true. Candidates know when you are being dishonest, and it will put a bad taste in their mouth. If you tell them that you were genuinely interested in them, all you are going to do is get their hopes up unreasonably. Honest feedback is what will help them in the long run become more competitive for future jobs.
Act Promptly
Applicants often spend over an hour writing cover letters, modifying their resumes, and preparing for interviews. They deserve to be treated with respect. When you have made your decision, let the candidate know. There’s rarely any benefit from drawing the process out or creating false hope.
Don’t Overpromise
Don’t get carried away when you are looking through all the resumes you receive and start telling candidates that you think they are at the top of the list. You may inadvertently be getting their hopes up, when, at closer inspection, you may come to realize that there are more suitable candidates for the position. When a candidate feels this false sense of hope, they may feel blindsided when they get a rejection — especially if it is an impersonal one. This could lead qualified candidates from not wanting to work with your company in the future, because they no longer feel like they can trust you.
Be Brief
Don’t write a three-paragraph essay about how close they came and what all their faults are. Explain in a sentence or a paragraph why you are declining them. For example, “Although we were impressed by your background in marketing, we decided to hire an applicant who has experience working in HR as well.” However, being brief doesn’t mean you have to be terse. Though you don’t want to sugarcoat the message, you also don’t want to come off as solely negative. Be firm, but fair.
Keep It Personal
Sending out blanket rejections is one way to communicate to all the rejected applicants that you don’t care about them. Make sure to always include the person’s name in an email or phone call when you deny them a position. Remember that you are likely dashing a person’s hopes that they would get the job, so you should at least be respectful and considerate. It’s that age-old slogan put into action: treat others how you want to be treated.
Consider the Benefits of Email versus Phone Rejections
When it’s time to reject applicants, is it better to reject over the phone or through email? It depends on the circumstances. While a phone call may be more personal, email may be a more desirable way to hear the bad news. Generally, if the candidate doesn’t reach the interview phase, an email is going to be the most appropriate way of sending a rejection. However, if a candidate has been interviewed but doesn’t end up getting the job, telling them the results over the phone can make them feel valued and that you respect them and their time.
Ask for Feedback
You don’t want candidates to feel like the communication between you is a one-way street. Giving them the chance to contact you about any questions or concerns they have will not only make them understand that you value and respect them, but you also might get some useful feedback that you can take into account to improve your hiring process.
Maintain Communications Going Forward
There will be more jobs in the future, and it’s a bad idea to needlessly burn bridges between your company and previous potential employees. If you have candidates who you sincerely want to encourage to apply more in the future, there are a number of ways to help them get involved. You can:
- Invite them to events, like job fairs
- Send them follow-up emails down the road
- Encourage them to follow you on social media, and interact with them there
Don’t Burn Your Bridges
The hiring process can be a challenge, especially when it comes to sending out courteous, respectful rejections. The National Recruiting helps you easily keep track of all your applicants. Say farewell to paper applications and an inbox full of random PDF files. When you use our posting portal, you can quickly and easily compare candidates, expediting the process of finding the right candidate for your position. Check out our candidate listing portal today! Being able to find the right candidate for your business quickly will also help you prevent getting the hopes of denied candidates up. Our job hiring website will help you make the process better for everyone involved!
