How to write a job rejection email

To write a job rejection email, you need to use empathy, thank them for their time in the interview process, and personalize the rejection. Knowing how to properly and professionally reject a job candidate is essential to your company's reputation and brand. It can be a hard task, but there are many ways to make it easier.

Here are the steps on how to write a job rejection email:

• Be direct in the opening line of the email. You should ensure you are clear and to the point with your opening sentence. After the candidate reads the first sentence, they should fully understand that they did not get the job.

  It is important to be blunt at first, just to avoid confusion. However, you can soften the blow of your opening sentence by starting it with phrases like:

  • I am sorry to have to tell you...

  • I regret to inform you that...

  • Thank you for your effort in the interview process, but...

  You should not be condescending or mean, just very direct in delivering news the candidate did not get the job.

• Use empathy. Empathy is very important in this action. Most people can relate to a job rejection because most of us have gone through it. Use your personal experience, if applicable, to help craft how you deliver this news.

  Keeping the job candidate's feelings and perspective top of mind will help you gracefully deliver the news.

• Thank them. Job hunting is time-consuming, and when an applicant advances in an interview process, it makes it that much harder for them to hear that they didn't get the position.

  This is why you should always thank them for their time interviewing and any other activities you might have requested them to do.

• Personalize the rejection. You should always try to personalize your delivery of this news. Automated email rejections often feel cold and impersonal. If you can, you should try to list some of the candidate's good qualities.

  This isn't hard; just refer to why you were considering them in the first place.

• Give constructive feedback. Most applicants you will reject have areas where they need to improve and skills they need to develop or hone. Try to keep all feedback constructive. This should not be viewed as a hostile or combative action

  While you don't have to do this, it can brighten this bad news for a candidate and help your company's brand.

• Touch on the strengths of others. This falls into the constructive feedback area as well. When you mention the strengths of the other candidates, you are helping the candidate you are not going with to understand how they need to improve.

  This can be as simple as saying you went with someone with more experience. Or you can detail your reasoning a bit further.