The long interview process has ended and you’ve finally chosen your candidate from among the many. Next step, onboarding the new hire and making the transition as seamless as possible–but what about the finalists you didn’t choose? Do you really need to do anything more with them? Yes.
From a candidate’s perspective, they may have sent out numerous resumes and they may have missed out on what they considered to be their dream job. Or maybe they worked incredibly hard, had a great interview, and feel a bit stunned that they weren’t chosen. You could go the route many companies do of not ever contacting them again. However, this sort of non-response doesn’t paint your company in the best professional light, and the limbo of waiting for some sort of response is agonizing and frustrating.
Sending a brief rejection letter to the top candidates who missed out and giving some of your rationale as to why you didn’t choose them gives them incredibly helpful constructive feedback and allows them to improve for the next interview. You may feel you don’t have any obligation to do this, but professionally, it’s the right move. And you never know when another position may open up that a former candidate may be even better suited for–so it’s best to keep a cordial working relationship.
A rejection letter also closes the door on the other candidates continuing to pursue you with follow-up inquiries. It provides a sense of closure for both sides and a resolution to the process and, again, it allows them to consider you favorably. Disgruntled candidates tend to speak up about their experiences, and you never know how your lack of response could come back to you in the future. If you want to give a more detailed response, do so carefully and avoid anything that could be construed as insulting.
You certainly don’t have to write a rejection letter to every candidate who applies for a position (a simple automated response can work for first-round online submissions), but taking a few minutes to respond to candidates who went far in the process gives everyone a sense of closure and demonstrates that you treat people with respect. For help with crafting rejection letters, visit PrideStaff.
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