Polite Rejections

You found your dream candidate and he or she has accepted the position. Now – how about all the other candidates who interviewed for the position? Do you let them know that the position has been filled?

Sending rejection letters to unsuccessful interview candidates will show that your company values human resources, both prospective and current employees. It keeps the relationship between the candidate and your company on positive terms, especially if they were a good candidate and someone you might want to consider for another position in the future.

A simple letter will suffice. It is not necessary to send it as a real letter; in most situations, an e-mail is acceptable. Do not go into specifics of why they didn't get the job. Here is an example:

Dear Mr/Ms X,

Thank you for meeting with us to review your qualifications for a position with (company name).

At this time, we have decided to go forward with other candidates whose backgrounds more closely match the specific requirements of the position.

We appreciate your taking the time to meet us and we wish you all the best in your future career endeavours.

Yours sincerely,

(Signature)
HR Manager

To be sure, it is not necessary to send rejection letters to everyone who applied for the position. However, it is good to implement for candidates who have come in to interview. It's especially recommended for middle- to upper-management positions, as such candidates will eventually be working for other companies in similar capacities, where they will have the power to decide if they want to do business with your company.