Keeping PEOPLE top of mind when rejecting candidates
Every candidate who makes it to any level of interview phase with your company should exit that experience feeling seen, heard and treated like a real person. Period. End of story.
For most people, the process of searching for and applying to jobs is a very long, draining process, so to receive an interview opportunity is a big deal. I understand that some job posts receive thousands of applicants, and you can't possibly individually respond to each one. That is completely fine. It would be a big waste of time and resources to even attempt. But - if you or your talent team actually has an interview with a candidate -- from a simple phone screen down to the final round interview, that candidate should receive some kind of acknowledgement or communication from you at the point at which you choose to no longer move forward with their application. And even when there's no interview, you should still send an email informing candidates who applied but didn't move through the hiring process that the job has closed while also thanking them for their application.
It's quite simple especially if you use an applicant tracking system. And even if you don’t it, it still can and should be done. You can create templates for just about any imaginable situation. Here's a simple list for you.
Email templates for recruiting
Thank you for applying - confirming receipt of application
Not selected for interview
Not moving forward after 1st interview
Not moving forward after 2nd interview
Not moving forward after final interview
These templates don’t have to be long emails. They give a level of finality to the candidate and let them know that you as employer value and appreciate the time they spent with you in the process. And who knows, maybe they were number two on your list and will be available when you have a role open in the future. As you can probably tell, I love and recommend a good template, however, the further you move down the line, the more you should think about a customized email. Use your template as a base, but build on it. If someone goes through multiple rounds of interviews, meeting multiple team members, it feels very cold to send a rejection email with no direct details of that experience.
There are opinions on each side as to whether you should actually call candidates who make it to the final interview but don't get hired. I personally feel like that puts the candidate in a very tough place, if they do indeed answer your call. You never know the emotions that have gone into the experience, and everyone who sees an interview through to the final round wants the job. So to receive a call and have to react in the moment is hard. I suggest we leave that an action of the past — but, if you are open to a conversation (tread lightly and know what you can and cannot say), offer that in email. It's a better situation for everyone.
Need help crafting templates or just building out your hiring process? Contact me!