How to Issue a Job Rejection Letter

Rejection is difficult for most people.

The downside of conducting a job search is sharing the bad news with those you did not choose for the position. Rejection stings, no matter who delivers it. That's why it's important that the rejection letter you send is professionally and thoughtfully written. The idea is to leave the applicant well-disposed toward your company, even in the face of rejection.

Instructions

1. Make it professional. Depending upon how you have been communicating with job applicants, you can choose to send a rejection letter via regular mail or email. Use company letterhead, if possible. Make sure that the letter is neatly typed and grammatically correct.

2. Personalize the letter. Don't add insult to injury by referring to someone as "applicant." Each applicant went to the trouble of applying for a position with your company, and of coming in for an interview. Respect their effort by treating them as individuals as you give them the bad news.

3. Avoid trite phrases. The old standby, "Thank you for your interest," reads just like every other rejection letter a job candidate will receive. A more compassionate introduction to the letter may be, "We appreciate the fact that you allowed us to investigate how well you might match this position. You were among several excellent applicants, which made the selection process especially difficult. I am sorry to tell you that in spite of your stellar credentials, we have opted to offer the job to another candidate." While the end message is the same, it's important to let candidates know that you appreciate their unique talents.

4. Use the singular whenever possible. Writing, "I enjoyed getting to know you," rather than "We enjoyed getting to know you," instantly gives the letter a personal touch and tells the applicant that on a personal level, you can empathize with what he's going through.

5. Avoid giving too much detail. While it may be tempting to tell the girl who chewed gum throughout the entire interview that it was distracting, or to suggest that someone go back to school for further training, a rejection letter is not the time to do it. Making suggestions to someone who is not destined to become an employee of your company is not a good idea.

6. Keep it positive. Avoid writing anything like, "If the financial climate were better, we would consider hiring more than one person," or, "Due to financial constraints we were unable to hire someone with your experience." While those things may be true, they won't make the applicant feel better about being rejected.

References

• Karlonia; How To Write A Job Applicant Rejection Letter; November 2007
• How To Write a Business Letter: Interview Rejection Letters: How to Take the Sting Out
• Scribendi: How to Write a Candidate Rejection Letter