From a legal perspective, there is nothing wrong with recruiters writing a run-of-the-mill rejection letter. But they’re missing out on a great opportunity to make a positive impression in the minds of potential employees. We’ll tell you what you should keep in mind for the perfect rejection letter.
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Don’t skip the feedback
Are you still considering whether to send a rejection letter at all? Of course you don’t have to respond to applications, and you certainly don’t have to provide reasons when you send a rejection.
No, you don’t have to do anything, unless… you want to lastingly strengthen your employer brand. After all, job applications are a highly emotional issue that is much discussed by applicants – offline with friends and family, and increasingly online on platforms such as kununu, which provides specific options for reviewing the application process.
By these standards, you have a winning rejection letter if you manage to turn an unsuccessful candidate into a brand ambassador for your company. Let’s get started!
Determine the right sender
The art of the perfect rejection letter starts with its author. The text always concludes with the name of the author who worked on the application and is also available for possible inquiries. While that is usually an HR employee at larger companies, at smaller enterprises this is often taken care of by a management assistant.
The perfect timing
Timing is everything: all applicants deserve to get a response to their application within an appropriate time. But be careful – don’t fall into the trap of replying to unpromising candidates immediately. Everything hinges on showing respect, which also means taking enough time with the rejection for the candidates to be sure that their application was reviewed in detail.
The right length
Do you think that two lines are enough for a rejection? Not even close! Here as well, courtesy demands that you provide a detailed response to a candidate who might have invested several hours in preparing the application materials. Not to mention that the following things you should consider wouldn’t fit into two lines anyway.
Respond to the applicant personally
The candidate will notice it immediately if you use text blocks to assemble your rejection letter. Sentences like “After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that…” or even worse, “For the sake of convenience, we are returning your documents to you” definitely don’t belong in the letter.
Instead, it’s better to use natural expressions and address the candidate very individually. This will show that you have taken a close look at the person and the application and are treating him or her with the utmost respect. Of course your wording also depends on the company itself: a startup can use a more colloquial tone than a well-established financial company.
Use a thoughtful structure for the rejection
When you lay out the rejection letter, you should proceed as follows: first, thank the applicant for the effort that he or she invested in the application and, where appropriate, for the nice interview. Then you should write what you particularly liked about the candidate. Remember: everyone has positive sides.
Next, you should write why you decided against the applicant. This is not only a matter of respect, it also prevents the candidate from picking up the phone and asking for the reasons in a call. It is wise to mention any missing qualification that is absolutely required by the position.
Be careful – when you address the reasons, it is imperative that you proceed with the highest sensitivity to avoid a legal pitfall. Reasons such as age or gender, for example, which violate the General Equal Treatment Act (“AGG”), can quickly have legal consequences.
If the applicant really is a promising candidate, you can finish by asking him or her for permission to store the information in your talent pool, so you can contact them again if any suitable jobs arise. This makes both sides happy and opens up new opportunities.
Make a call
For candidates who have made it all the way to an interview, it can be particularly worthwhile to deliver the rejection “personally” on the phone. And that isn’t hard: just apply the same rules as for the written communication.
