Best practices for informing unsuccessful candidates

While looking for the ideal candidate is the main task that usually demands all the attention from recruiters during recruitment processes, there are some other responsibilities we cannot overlook. One of these is notifying the candidates who didn’t get the position. In a world where candidate experience is getting increasingly important, this is a simple action that can set you apart from your competitors. 

Do you usually notify all candidates once your processes are over? Do you know how to do it correctly? At T2W we have an extensive experience in recruitment processes, so we have a deep understanding of this topic. In this article we explain why this is such an important action and the best practices for informing unsuccessful candidates the process is over. 

Candidate rejection email 

One of the most troublesome stages in the professional life is looking for a job. We all have at least once applied for a company. Being in a recruitment process can take a long time. Naturally, the uncertainty of not knowing if you got the position or not can be very unpleasing. Therefore, it’s important to notify all applicants once the process is over and thank them for their effort. 

Why informing unsuccessful candidates after interview?

While notifying unsuccessful candidates is a gesture of appreciation and empathy towards the people in the process, it also proves to be beneficial for the company. Keep in mind that the perception people have about your is made by your actions. Then, if a candidate has a bad experience applying to your company, that will be a person who will probably talk negatively about your organization. 

That is part of word-of-mouth marketing and definitely affects your employer branding. Wouldn’t it be better to skip all that problem and turn applicants into brand ambassadors? That can be easily achieved by offering a good candidate experience. In this respect, notifying and thanking all candidates is one of the most effective and simple ways to create a good impression on professionals applying to your organization. 

How to write an email for unsuccessful candidates? 

In general, a thank you message for unsuccessful candidates is usually made of four sections: notification, acknowledgement, the positive side and feedback. Each of these sections should take just a very short paragraph. The complete message doesn’t extend for more than a page. 

1. Notification 

The first step is notifying the candidate that the recruitment process is over. Then, in a short but empathetic way, express that the position has already been filled and that the applicant didn’t get the position this time. That way you are subtly suggesting that there will always be a next time, which is absolutely true and important to point out. 

2. Acknowledgement 

The next step is thanking the candidate for the time and effort invested in the selection process. It’s important making the message as personal as possible. For that reason, in this section of the message or in another you need to include the candidate’s name. You have to transmit appreciation and respect for the applicant. The last thing you want is making them feel like just another number in a list. 

3. The positive side 

It’s important ending this message with a positive tone. You can do that by expressing that the candidate’s performance was good and the profile was attractive for the organization, which is why that person is being added to the company’s database for future processes. That is also completely true. As you know, the best candidates usually go to a talent pool for next processes. 

4. Feedback 

At this point, you should ask for feedback regarding the candidate’s experience in the recruitment process. Candidate surveys are a great way to constantly improve your processes. For that purpose, you can add a link at the end of the message, which can lead them to a virtual survey. 

The format of the message 

There are many different ways to notify the end of the recruitment process. This can change depending on the way the organization handles its processes. For example, today is increasingly common for candidates to apply for a job by registering in a platform with their personal email, which allows them to know in real time the evolution of the process. 

This way, once the process is over, the candidates who didn’t get the position are notified in this platform. In general, this is managed by having a series of internal templates, which are shown individually for each candidate applying to the organization. 

In other cases, some companies prefer notifying candidates with emails. This entails a more serious and formal process. The form the notification takes depends on the vacant position and the nature of the organization. In both formats, the message must have the four sections previously specified.  

These are the main aspects you need to consider when notifying the candidates the recruitment process is over. Keep in mind that this is an important task all recruiters must complete. This will reflect positively in the company image. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.