Write a Professional Candidate Rejection Email [+Samples & Template]

Hiring a new employee can involve reviewing, meeting and interviewing masses of candidates, but the job is not done once you make your decision. Rejecting job applications is common in the hiring process, and whether other candidates were not qualified, interviewed poorly or applicants outnumbered the available positions, candidates deserve to know if you’ve rejected their job application. 

However, since there are so many reasons a candidate might be rejected, it can be difficult to figure out how to inform unsuccessful candidates after interviews. This article outlines the steps for writing a job rejection email, as well as candidate rejection email templates and samples.

Although it can make you feel like the bad guy, a job rejection email actually has many positives for both you and the unsuccessful candidates. Job rejection emails help tie up loose ends for job hunters, who can have many applications going at once. As a recruiter, notifying candidates that you have decided to reject their job applications can make the process easier for you. Reasons to send candidates rejection emails include:

✅ Show respect to the applicant

Job searching can be a very emotionally taxing process, especially for new graduates. Candidates spend hours filling in applicants and interviewing, and receiving job rejection emails after interviews is the only feedback they might receive. 

Sending candidates rejection emails shows that you have respect for their time, and can provide closure for the applicant who can now move on to other applications quicker, instead of agonising over waiting for a response. 

✅ Create a positive company image

Sending rejection emails after interviews shows applicants that you are prompt, respectful and transparent throughout the hiring process. Informing unsuccessful candidates after interviews portrays the company as one that can make decisions and is mature about the consequences for the unsuccessful candidates. 

Many companies now send out job rejection emails throughout their hiring process, so maintaining the standard by rejecting job applications respectfully can help the company's image.

✅ Lower the chance of getting follow-up emails

Candidates can become agitated if they’ve not received an update about their applications, and many will reach out on their own asking for a follow-up. Promptly sending a job rejection email can avoid this! 

As mentioned above, many companies now inform candidates that their job application has been rejected, so it is now an expectation of job hunters to receive job rejection emails.

By sending candidates rejection emails, you can avoid ambiguity in the hiring process and avoid being inundated with applicant emails. Likewise, blanket job rejection emails are much easier to send than one replying to every follow-up email!

✅ Help recruit candidates for different positions in the company

Rejection letters for candidates do not have to mean that they didn't meet the criteria for the role they applied for. . Sending a candidate rejection email which redirects them to a role they’re suited for helps both you and the candidate in the hiring process. 

Knowing what to write in a job rejection email is important so that you maintain professionalism without sounding robotic. Job rejection emails need to be clear, concise and professional to avoid ambiguity. Informing unsuccessful candidates after interviews is just another step in the process, so follow these steps to avoid awkwardness and confusion:

💡 Express gratitude

Expressing gratitude to candidates for applying and interviewing for a role is a good way to start a job rejection email. Expressing gratitude can help make it known to the candidate that although you need to reject their job application, it was taken into consideration and their efforts did not go to waste.

💡 Make it personal 

Include the candidate's name in the email and use first-person language to make the job rejection email more personal. Many large companies use automated responses for their candidate rejection emails, which seem cold and distant. If you are using automated candidate rejection emails for large pools of applicants, try to come up with ways to make them more personal. 

💡 Give feedback if possible

Sometimes it's not feasible to provide feedback in every candidate rejection email if you received hundreds of applications;  however, a bit of context about the applicant pool or hiring process would be appreciated in rejection letters to candidates. If you have a smaller applicant pool, or are rejecting job applications after the final-round interviews, providing feedback to candidates in rejection emails after interviews would be greatly appreciated. 

Feedback in job application rejection emails can be brief, simply outlining the skills or requirements the applicant does not meet. If the candidate performed poorly in the interview, or is outright unsuitable for the role, you can use your discretion to decide what to include in their job rejection email.  Many candidates spend their time waiting and interviewing, so giving feedback in candidate rejection emails can help them succeed in future applications.

💡 Encourage them to apply again

If the candidate was not a fit for the role, or they are better suited for a different role, you can include a prompt for them to apply for roles within your company in the future. This is a good way to include feedback in candidate rejection emails subtly, as an invitation to apply again implies that they could be suitable for the role in the future. 

If you have a recruiting database, you can inform candidates in their job rejection email that you’d like to keep their application on the company system. This is optional, and you don’t have to include either in job rejection emails to candidates who are not suitable.

💡 End professionally

Sign off the job rejection email with a professional tone, such as wishing success in candidates’ job hunts, or another expression of gratitude. If you are rejecting a candidate's job application before the interview, a professional sign-off can ensure their rejected job application was at the very least considered. 

Automated job rejection emails often do not include recruiters’ information, which can come across as cold or unprofessional. Include your name and role within the company so that unsuccessful candidates know their application was considered by a real human, instead of an automated process. 

The reason for rejecting job applications can vary, so knowing what to write for each scenario is important to avoid ambiguity. Below are sample candidate rejection emails you could send depending on the situation:

✉️ Sample rejection letter after interviews

✉️ Sample rejection letter after application

✉️ Sample rejection letter for applicants who are not a good fit

✉️ Sample rejection letter for applicants who are a good fit

--- Originally written by Bronte McNamara ---