A rejection letter is written to let the candidates know he/she was not selected. Such a letter should be polite and professional at the same time so that it does not shatter the candidate’s confidence. The following samples will serve as a guideline to draft your own letter.
Hordes of hopeful candidates apply for a single post in an organization. With a lot of effort and scrutinizing each candidate, one finds the right future employee from many qualified individuals. Those who are not successful in getting the job, need to be sent a job rejection letter. This letter needs to be drafted very carefully with a tone of politeness to turn a candidate down. You should draft your general letter, such that is retains the interest of the candidates in your company for a future opportunity. The letter of rejection after interview should help build a positive reputation for your company. The candidate should feel it was worth applying and investing time in your company and his efforts were not a waste.
Helpful Tips
- The reason that is generally given for rejection is that other chosen candidate is more qualified and experienced for the job.
- If you find the candidate may be suitable for another position then you can encourage him to apply again for that post or in the future.
- The letter should have a personal touch, although you may be using a template. It should contain the name of the employee, the position applied for and may be the time of interview.
- Get to the point immediately. This does not mean you sound rude, but look professional and gracious.
- If you feel the employee is not right for your organization, do not encourage him to apply in the future.
Sample # 1
| [Applicant’s name] [Applicant’s address] [Date] Dear [name of applicant] This is regarding your application for the post of [post title]. Thank you for attending the interview on [date]. The applicants for this post were of a very high standard and on this occasion, we will not require you to attend a further interview. We are very sorry that we will not be able to take your application further. We wish you well in your future career. Yours sincerely, Name of Authorized Person, |
Sample # 2
| [Applicant’s name] [Applicant’s address] [Date] Dear [name of applicant] The interview and selection process for the position of (POSITION) has been completed. I regret to inform you that we have selected a candidate whose background is more appropriate to our needs for this particular position. To ensure consideration for future openings, I would encourage you to monitor our positions on our recruitment website, www.abcdemployment.com. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews and Andrews Ltd. Please accept our best wishes as you pursue your career goals. Sincerely, Name of Authorized Person, |
Sample # 3
| [Applicant’s name] [Applicant’s address] [Date] Dear [name of applicant] We were very glad to have the opportunity of meeting you on [Interview Date]. We were very impressed with your capabilities and agree you have a great deal to offer. However, after much discussion and deliberation, we finally concluded that there does not seem to be a close enough match between your strengths and abilities and our particular requirements. Therefore, we believe it would not be right from our point of view – or probably in your longer term interests – to progress your application any further. We appreciate your interest in Andrews and Andrews Ltd. and for all the time you’ve given us. We’ll keep your resume on file for 3 months for review should we have an opening that matches your skills. Again, thank you for your interest and best wishes to your future endeavors. Sincerely, Name of Authorized Person, |
A candidate may have tried to put his best foot forward and failed to impress you. Sending out a cold and impolite candidate rejection letter adds insult to injury. Write such a letter that the candidate does not lose confidence in his abilities, and so that you can maintain your reputation as a well-known organization.