You probably have seen a few rejection letters but never written one.
This week we will look at how to break bad news to job applicants.
After finding the right candidates for the position, you should inform other unsuccessful
candidates as soon as possible. Make your rejection clear. Give your reasons, but do not say
anything negative.
Here is an example:
Dear Mr. Jones,
Thank you for applying for the Research Assistant post in the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine.
I regret to inform you that after careful consideration we will not be taking your application further for this post.
I would like to thank you for the interest you have shown in the post at Imperial College London.
May I take this opportunity to wish you every success in your career.
Sincerely yours,
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First of all, you might want to thank the candidate for their interest in the post,
their application, their coming in for an interview, etc.:
Thank you for meeting with our human resource team to discuss your
qualifications for the position of senior consultant.
Thank you for your interest in the post of assistant office manager. We enjoyed
meeting you.
Thank you for you application letter, dated January 15, 2004.
Then you want to state your rejection clearly:
I regret to inform you that your application is not successful at this point.
Unfortunately, the vacancy has been filled.
After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that your application has not been successful.
Due to a large number of candidates, you have not been shortlisted.
Here are some 'safe' explanations you can give:
We were fortunate to have several qualified candidates apply for this position. We
talked with each of the top candidates and after careful consideration, we have
determined that the credentials of another candidate are a better fit to the needs
of the department.
Our choice in no way reflects upon your excellent skills and abilities
Finally, you can thank the candidate again and express your good wishes.
Please accept our best wishes and thank you for your interest in ABC Company.
We sincerely wish you the best in your job search and appreciate your interest in
employment at ABC.
I would like to thank you for the interest you have shown in the post at Imperial
College London.
May I take this opportunity to wish you every success in your career.
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