Job Rejection Email Response: Best Approaches (Plus Samples)
As you go through the interview process, you are bound to receive a job rejection email, or two. Most of these emails say the same thing, “…there were a lot of strong applicants and some fit the position better.” Etc etc. Always the same message and the same feeling of disappointment. In this article, we are going to discuss when you should send a follow up email after receiving the job rejection email, when you should not, and some sample emails you can use. Let’s dive in.
Cases
Job-hunting is a tough game and one at which you must be persistent. It is also a skill that must be honed. Don’t just think that dropping your resume in a few applications and a few quick calls will lead you to a dream job. It just isn’t likely. One thing to keep in mind is the amount of people you are probably competing with for the position. The economic scenario can also aggravate this and make it even more competitive and difficult to land a job.
Another logical reason that you didn’t get called up for an interview is that the other candidates beat you to it. Recruiters receive thousands of resumes for positions and this makes it very difficult for them to review each one. Candidates who sent in their resumes early on will have a higher chance of getting their resumes viewed. As if this were not the only problem, many companies these days also use an applicant tracking system (ATS). This tool basically reads over your resume and determines whether it should be viewed by a recruiter or not. In most cases, only 25% give or take make it through to be viewed by the interviewer. There is a lot working against you.
As you apply for many positions, there will be some positions that you do not get selected for even if you are a strong candidate. That’s just the luck of the draw. Job rejection email responses vary, but they all say pretty much the same thing. Here are a few below:
Rejection 1
Hi (Name),
We wanted to take a moment to thank you for taking the time to consider (Company). We know there are a lot of companies out there that are hiring, and we are humbled that you want to help us in our mission to democratize education.
While you were not selected for the current opening, we hope you don’t mind if we keep your profile on file and reach out if there is a better fit.
We wish you the best in your job search!
Best regards,
The (Company) Recruiting Team
Rejection 2
Hi Philip,
A friend recently referred you for the Marketing Analyst role in New York. We carefully reviewed your background and experience and decided not to proceed with your application at this time.
Although this role didn’t work out, we may contact you if we come across another opening that we think could interest you and may be a good match for your skills and experience. If you applied for any other roles with us recently, look out for an update on them soon. Thanks again for your interest in opportunities at (Company). We wish you the best of luck in your search.
(Name)
Yeah, these emails really suck to get. But let’s see how you can try to get some feedback to improve your future interviews and increase your chances of landing a job.
When to Send a Response to a Job Rejection Email
There are times when you should consider sending a response to a job rejection email. Suppose that you had a series of good interviews with a company, but in the end the position did not work out. Consider sending the recruiter and other hiring managers an email. Thank them for their consideration and mention that you enjoyed learning more about the company etc. This email demonstrates your professionalism but also keeps your profile on the managers’/employers’ minds. The reason to do this is, since you had several interviews, you are most likely a good candidate and a good fit at the company. There may be other jobs at the company that could be better suited for your expertise.
When Not to Send a Job Rejection Email Response
As we saw in the previous example, you should send an email when you had several interviews and had a good experience with the company. On the flipside, if you had a terrible interview process and would not consider working at the company in the future, don’t send an email. It is not worth your time and the interviewers will more than likely not respond to your email. Also think, if it was a lousy interview, what kind of valuable feedback could they actually give you?
Real Job Rejection Email Samples
Here are a few samples that you can use to respond to the job rejection email.
Sample 1
Hi (Name),
Thanks for the follow up. Although this was not the news I had hoped for, I did enjoy my interviews with both you and (Name) and felt that the candidate touch-points were strong.
If I may ask, did (Name) provide any feedback on the interview? I know that in most cases recruiters don’t provide feedback and want to avoid a never-ending thread of emails, but I am just trying to ascertain what I can improve for future interviews.
Thanks again.
(Name)
Sample 2
Hi (Name),
Thank you for getting back to me. Although this was not the answer I had hoped for, I very much enjoyed interviewing with you and your team and learning more about the organization. As I continue my job search with other companies, would you be willing to send me some honest feedback on areas that I can improve for future interviews?
Kind regards,
(Name)
Emotional Effects
Constantly receiving rejection emails does not help overall motivation and morale. Every job rejection email you get hurts a bit especially if you felt that you were a strong candidate for the job and the job description was a real match for your profile. The one thing I can say is, you must be persistent in applying to new jobs. You need to constantly fill your pipeline with new job leads. You do not want the tide in and out effect. You want constant waves of new interviews coming in. Therefore, even if you are interviewing at a few companies now, you should still be dedicating time to applying to other companies in case the other positions don’t work out.
Search for jobs that you are qualified for and that fit your profile. Staying focused, continuing to be self-critical and always looking to improve in your interviews is going to be the recipe for success.
Wrap Up
Interviewing at multiple companies and receiving job rejection emails are a part of the interview game. You will get used to them. The most important thing is that you are constantly learning and self-improving. Every interview that you have should be better than the last. If you established rapport in your last set of interviews, send one of these sample emails and try to get a response. Learn from your mistakes, also from the recruiter’s feedback, and think about what you can do better in future interviews.
A job rejection email is part of the game, but it is up to you to know how to leverage it! If you have had a recent experience, share it with the community in the comments section below.
For more interview tips, check out the CareerPrep blog and CareerPrep and EnglishInterviews Youtube channels. Don’t forget to share the tips with your other friends and colleagues on the job-hunt.
