Selecting the best candidate for a position means turning down dozens of other applicants that you interviewed or spoke to about the job. What, if anything, do you owe the ones you don’t select? Should you offer an explanation? What if they ask? How much feedback should you give?
Declining an applicant can have implications for your brand image and your business. Learning how to turn down applicants tactfully can maintain your brand image, keep valuable doors open, and avoid costly litigation.
Decline the Rejected Candidate(s) Quickly
One of the worst things for an interviewee is not hearing back after an interview. Not only is it unprofessional to leave someone waiting and wondering, but it makes your company look bad.
Angela Copeland
For the past decade, Angela Copeland, author of Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job, has provided job coaching for many professionals. As a former hiring manager, Copeland agrees that it’s important to at least tell your candidate that he/she didn’t get the job.
“I talk to people everyday who hear nothing back from hiring managers after they have put in hours of work interviewing for a position. The most important thing is that the company let the candidate know they were not selected. So many candidates never hear anything back and wonder for weeks what happened.”
At bare minimum, send them an email thanking them for interviewing and telling them that the position has already been filled.
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