How to Handle the Dreaded Candidate Rejection Call

The candidate's experience throughout the hiring process holds immense importance, and every interaction, from the initial application to the final decision, contributes to the organisation's image. Employers should conduct the hiring process with empathy, transparency, and feedback in mind. Mishandling the hiring process, particularly when it ends in rejection, can tarnish a company's reputation.

Explore the challenges associated with rejection in the hiring process and strategies recruiters can employ to provide rejection feedback effectively. By analysing and enhancing the communication surrounding rejection, organisations can transform what may seem like a negative experience into an opportunity for growth, benefiting both the company and the candidate.

Challenges in the Rejection Process

Rejecting candidates is a delicate aspect of talent acquisition, demanding transparency and empathy. However, this process is not without its challenges:

Recognising Discomfort

Recruiters and hiring managers should understand the emotional rollercoaster candidates go through and adopt appropriate strategies. Candidates invest significant time and energy into the application and interview process, making it essential to recognise their emotional investment.

Addressing Bias and Discrimination

Ensuring rejection decisions are based only on a candidate's qualifications, skills, and suitability is challenging, as we all carry unconscious biases at the very least. Hiring Managers must examine and address any biases related to age, gender, race, or other factors.

Balancing Transparency and Empathy

Providing candidates with clear reasons for rejection can aid their personal growth and help them better understand the company's stance. However, over-sharing or providing overly vague feedback can lead to negative emotions.

By acknowledging and addressing these challenges in the rejection process, recruiters and hiring managers can identify areas for improvement and work towards creating a more positive experience for both candidates and organisations.

Offering constructive rejection feedback yields benefits for both recruiters and applicants:

Promoting Understanding

A positive hiring process enhances understanding between the candidate and the company. Candidates with favourable experiences are more likely to recommend the company or consider reapplying. This positive perception elevates the company's reputation for treating candidates and employees well.

Providing Feedback for Self-Improvement

Candidates value specific and actionable feedback on areas where they can improve. However, while 94 per cent of candidates value feedback, less than 45 per cent receive it. Feedback empowers candidates with a clearer understanding of their strengths and areas for growth, enabling them to become valuable assets to the company upon reapplication.

Building a Talent Pool

Just because a candidate may not be an immediate fit for a particular role does not mean they cannot contribute in the future, either in the same role or another within the organisation. Recruiters can nurture this positive relationship by handling the rejection process thoughtfully. Additionally, this proactive approach can reduce recruitment costs and time, as it taps into a pool of candidates already familiar with the organisation.

The rejection process need not be a dreaded experience. Constructive feedback, delivered with transparency and empathy, fosters a positive relationship between the candidate and the organisation, offering mutual benefits.

Five Key Strategies for Delivering Rejection Feedback

Timeliness

Acknowledging candidates' significant time and effort in the application and interview process, recruiters should provide feedback promptly, allowing candidates to proceed in their job search with clarity and closure.

Personalisation

Generic rejections lack respect and compassion, potentially impacting the company's reputation if a candidate posts a negative review. Recruiters should take the time to personalise feedback by addressing specific areas for improvement. 

Clarity

Frustration during the hiring process often stems from a need for more clarity. Providing candidates with a clear understanding of the reasons for rejection is essential.

Empathy

Effective recruiters exhibit high emotional intelligence. Candidates may experience negative feelings when rejected, and expressing empathy for their emotions is warranted.

Appreciation

Gratitude is a powerful tool. Always thank candidates for their interest and effort in the process.

Incorporating these five strategies into the rejection feedback process can transform it into a more positive experience, emphasising growth and connection rather than mere rejection.

Sample Rejection Feedback Scenarios

Lack of Experience

"Unfortunately, your experience does not match our requirements. We’ve selected another candidate for the position."

This response lacks empathy and specific feedback, leaving the candidate with a sense of disappointment and uncertainty.

“I appreciate your interest in the [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. We were impressed by your [specific skill or experience]. After careful consideration, we have decided to move forward with a candidate whose experience closely aligns with the role's demands. We genuinely appreciate your time in our process and encourage you to explore future opportunities with us."

This response expresses gratitude and acknowledgment of the candidate’s interest, provides more context, and fosters a positive relationship by encouraging the candidate to consider future opportunities.

Cultural Fit

“We don’t think you’re the right cultural fit for the company.”

This response is brief and direct, lacking specificity. It does not provide feedback that the candidate can use for future applications.

“Thank you for your time and effort in pursuing the [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. We appreciate the insights you shared during our interactions. After careful consideration, we’ve determined that while your skills are impressive, a unique blend of values and team dynamics contributes to our company’s culture. We encourage you to keep exploring opportunities that align with your talents and aspirations.”

This response shows appreciation, explains the exact reason for the rejection, demonstrates empathy, and leaves the door open for future opportunities.

When delivering rejection feedback, it is imperative to treat the candidate with respect, recognise their effort and qualities, and aim to foster a positive relationship between the candidate and the organization.

Collecting Feedback From Candidates

The hiring process allows recruiters to improve and grow by gathering valuable insights from candidates. Candidates’ feedback is instrumental in understanding what worked well, what could be enhanced, and any pain points they encountered. Recruiters and hiring managers can utilise this feedback to enhance the process for future candidates, showcasing the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement.

Gather feedback shortly after the process to capture fresh insights. Pose open-ended questions to encourage detailed responses. Offer anonymity to ensure candid feedback - segment feedback to identify specific areas for improvement. Take action on the feedback received to drive meaningful change. Collecting and acting on feedback is a data-driven, proactive strategy that fosters organisational growth.

Fortunately, numerous productivity tools are available to recruiters and hiring managers to streamline the feedback collection process. Tools like Google Forms are user-friendly and customisable, catering to specific needs. Some even offer advanced analytics for in-depth data analysis.

Rejection presents an opportunity for personal and professional development. Regardless of the industry or the role being hired for, recruiters and hiring managers should approach rejection with respect, care, and a commitment to growth. Every candidate interaction holds the potential to identify areas for improvement and further develop the hiring process.