How Should You Respond to a Job Rejection Email?
The fear of looking for a job is quite painful. Also, there’s the agonizing process of constantly checking your inbox, finally going through an email from a potential employer , trying and failing to hold back your hopes, only to open it and read: ” We’re sorry to inform you… ” or the dreaded ” You were great .” candidate. Unfortunately … ” That “unfortunately” always stings.
Aside from bouncing back and moving on to other potential clients , what do you do with a job rejection email? Do all job denials require a personal response? If yes, what is included in your answer? I spoke with career experts Dan Schaubel and Jenny Foss . Here are their tips on how to be comfortable with turning down a job and maybe even turn that “unfortunately” into an opportunity.
First of all: Yes, you must send a reply
Both experts agree that sending a response to your opt-out is a good idea. “The answer is strategically beneficial,” Foss says, “depending on how you do it. She explains that “Courtesy and a good sport can stand out to a recruiter or hiring manager who can keep you in mind for future vacancies.” As Schaubel says, “Even if you never get a response to your answer, you have nothing to lose.” The only caveat is if you received an apparently automated rejection form before you even got to the interview stage.
Turn rejection into opportunity
Both Foss and Schaubel emphasize that rejection is a great opportunity to get important feedback. Even if you are convinced that you failed the interview – and perhaps you did! We all have white spots. Your interviewers can share the information you need to improve your interviewing techniques and find your next job. Here’s how to write a job cancellation response so you can get that feedback.
Email writing
The most important elements of your email are: (1) thank the team (or recruiter) for their time and attention and (2) ask if they are willing to provide specific feedback that might help you solidify your candidacy in the future. roles. Avoid repeating yourself and talking about how you feel at the moment; Schaubel recommends that the answer be short and sweet.
Foss says if it seems appropriate, ask if you can keep in touch and/or connect through LinkedIn. Foss also recommends asking your contact person if they have any suggestions for where you might fit in better in the organization: “Who knows? There may be another hiring manager or team that would like to meet with you.” Below is an example email provided by Foss:
Hi,
Thank you for sharing this news with me. As you can imagine, I’m disappointed that I’m not the candidate your team has chosen for this role, but I wish you all the best in your work on [blank].
I will continue to strive to join the team while exploring opportunities with other employers.
On that note, if you have any specific feedback that you could share that I could use to improve my interviewing skills or better clarify if I am a good fit for the position, I would really appreciate your contribution.
Thanks again, [blank], and feel free to contact us if you’d like to revisit the conversation in the future.
Here are a few more examples of how to correctly handle job abandonment.
Takeaway
While you may be experiencing a major disappointment, it’s a good idea to respond to job rejections with gratitude and a desire for feedback.
No matter how you feel at the moment, Foss points out the importance of staying cool and choosing a path: “Unless the potential employer is really rude or disgusting in the way they handle the interview process and rejection (and you feel like burn that bridge is the right decision), stay professional… Wish them the best and if you want to work for this company or team in the future, make sure they know about it.”
You never know – maybe the candidate they chose won’t work. When they leave, you will be the center of attention.