12 Ways Your Talent Acquisition Team Can Nail the Candidate Application Process (Part 6 of 9)

Rejecting Your Candidates’ Applications

The problem with many rejection notifications is they read like formulaic templates. Replete with the kind of recycled language candidates have frequently seen and heard before.

Thank you for applying to Role X. We reviewed your résumé and carefully considered your qualifications. While your credentials and experience are impressive, we have selected a candidate whose skills are better aligned with the needs of the role. We will keep your application on file. We encourage you to visit our Career Page for future opportunities. We wish you success in your job search.

Sound familiar? When read from the lens of a job seeker, the tone of the communication can come across as insincere, cold, and even dismissive. The six tips described below can help you employ a more candidate-centric approach to constructing your rejection communication.

Tip #1: Recalibrate the tone of your messaging with positive language.

There’s no way around it -- you need to deliver disappointing news. The challenge is how to package your message in a way that is honest and helpful. To do that, choose language which strikes the perfect balance of being both direct and optimistic.

Example: Thank you for your interest in the Business Development and Contracts Manager position. While this one wasn’t a perfect match, we’ve got exciting plans for our growth, and it takes outstanding people like you from every background to achieve our goals. We will maintain personal information related to your application as described in our Applicant Privacy Notice. Keep checking our Career Site for more opportunities – we’d love to help you find your dream job.

Here's another example:

Example: Thank you for applying to the Director of Operations position with Saturn Universe Group. We know there are a lot of companies out there and we are truly grateful you chose to apply. A great number of candidates applied for this role, and we wanted to inform you that the Director of Operations position has been filled. We regret that we could not learn more about you during the interview process for this role. Your interest means a lot to us, and we hope to see your application again in the future.

Breaking down the components of this example, notice what the writer did well:

• Thanked the candidate for applying to the position (appreciation)

• Stated that there was a high volume of applications (explanation)

• Stated the position had been filled (notification)

• Expressed regret over not being able to learn more about the candidate in an interview (consolation)

• Stated the candidate’s interest meant a lot (affirmation)

• Encouraged the candidate to apply for future opportunities with the company (motivation)

Tip #2: Demonstrate empathy.

Psychologist and bestselling author Daniel Goleman defines cognitive empathy as understanding another person’s perspective and what they might be thinking. As highlighted in the Introduction, the employment outlook for job seekers is challenging. On average, it takes someone six months to find a job. Therefore, it’s probable that by the time your candidate’s application reaches your desk, they’ve already been turned down for numerous positions.

Imagine being in your candidate’s situation. How would you feel? Perhaps frustrated, embarrassed, worried, or even defeated. And what might you be thinking? Wondering if you will ever find a job. Questioning the strength of your experience and qualifications. Maybe contemplating a career change because you’ve been unable to find a job in your field.

The examples below illustrate how to express empathy in your rejection notification.

• Example #1: Please rest assured that our decision does not reflect upon your qualifications or potential, and we encourage you to continue exploring opportunities with us in the future.

  
  

• Example #2: After reviewing 1,000+ applications, we faced the incredibly tough task of selecting fewer than 1% of candidates to move forward. While we won’t be progressing your application at this time, we fully recognize how disappointing this news may be. We share this statistic because we want to emphasize this decision doesn’t reflect your value to the Talent Management community, but rather the sheer volume of applicants made this process fiercely competitive.

Check back next week for Tips 3 and 4 on rejecting your candidate's applications.

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