Rejecting Candidates: How to Say No Nicely

What do you do with unsuccessful candidates? If you’re the kind of recruiter or employer who ghosts unsuccessful candidates, letting time reveal they were unsuccessful, then you could be doing your brand serious damage.

In a climate where skilled talent is in short supply, especially in the construction industry, you want to continue attracting talent and filling roles. Learn the art of turning candidates away, and keep those applicants coming in the future.

Why rejections are important

Studies have shown that candidates will avoid applying to companies with bad reputations. This is why all of your interactions with the outside world—even with unsuccessful candidates—are so important. You want to leave even the unsuccessful candidates impressed with your company, contributing to a positive employer brand.

Leaving unsuccessful candidates with a positive impression does indeed pay off. According to Talent Board, over 80% of candidates share their positive recruiting experiences with their friends. And as they say, there’s no better advertising than word of mouth.

Responding

Almost 50% of jobseekers say that waiting on a response to an application is their number one pain point. Imagine the benefit to your brand if you could make the waiting game less stressful and more positive for candidates.

Make candidates feel that they’re important to you, even if they weren’t successful. There could be untapped talent hiding in your pool of applicants—talent that you want to consider applying again.

Always reply to unsuccessful applicants with a courteous email. Here’s where you show your appreciation for the time and effort they took to apply, and offer well-wishes for their future endeavours. End your message with a note that encourages them to apply again.

Giving feedback

For candidates that you interviewed, a more personalised approach is in order. As well as the above, these candidates are looking for reasons why they were unsuccessful. In giving them feedback, you’re not only helping them out in their job hunt – you’d also be helping yourself by helping candidates become the kind of talent you want to fill future roles.

Tell candidates why they weren’t successful in a constructive way. Which skills do they need to build on and what other types of experience do they need? Give examples of ways in which they can reasonably upskill to land the type of job you’re offering. 

In the case of candidates you wanted to hire but simply couldn’t due to limited resources, offer to keep their resumes on file. You’ll call them in the future when similar roles arise.

Need help filling roles? We have extensive networks of top talent. Contact us today.