How to Let Someone Know They Didn't Get the Job

Not every candidate who interviews can get the job.

There was a time when all job candidates who applied for an open position received a letter acknowledging the receipt of their resumes and application materials, as well as a rejection letter when they weren't chosen for the job. With the invention of email, it became much easier to apply for a job, and hiring managers found themselves bombarded with resumes. While this system has its positive traits, it makes it much harder to respond to each candidate personally. Still, there are certain candidates that deserve a personal response when not chosen for a job.

Instructions

1. Decide which job applicants you plan to tell didn't get the job. Odds are, you don't have time to let every applicant who sent a resume know they didn't get the job. You could've received thousands. Limit the people you contact to those who spoke with someone for a phone interview or an in-person interview.

2. Avoid sending a letter or email to tell someone he didn't get a job. If an applicant took time to speak with someone in the company, he deserves a verbal response from you.

3. Create a script for letting applicants know they didn't get a job. The main purpose for this is to get it approved by the legal department of your company. The script should have a format, but leave room to customize it a little for each candidate, such as adding something positive about her to soften the blow.

4. Call candidates to let them know they weren't chosen for a job with your company. This shows that you value the candidate's time and are willing to show him respect. How you treat the applicants is a reflection of your company's policies.

References

• Boston.com: "You're (not) hired!"