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Candidate Rejection Email Template

A candidate rejection email tells an applicant, kindly and clearly, that they will not move forward. Sending one to every candidate who applied or interviewed protects your employer brand and respects their time. This free set covers rejections after an application, after an interview, and for candidates worth keeping in touch with - each warm, concise, and professional.

Send a rejection as soon as you know a candidate is out of the running - silence is the number one candidate-experience complaint. A good rejection email is brief, warm, and honest without over-explaining. Match the effort to the stage: a short note is fine after an application, while someone who interviewed deserves a more personal message.

Copy & adapt — replace every [placeholder]

After application review (not selected for interview)

Subject: Update on your application for [JOB TITLE]

Hi [CANDIDATE FIRST NAME],

Thank you for applying for the [JOB TITLE] role at [COMPANY NAME] and for the time you put into your application.

After careful review, we have decided to move forward with other candidates whose experience more closely matches what the role needs right now.

We were glad to learn about your background, and we will keep your details on file for future openings unless you tell us otherwise.

We wish you the very best in your search.

Kind regards, [YOUR NAME], [COMPANY NAME] Recruiting

After an interview

Subject: Update on your [JOB TITLE] interview at [COMPANY NAME]

Hi [CANDIDATE FIRST NAME],

Thank you for taking the time to interview for the [JOB TITLE] role and for speaking with [INTERVIEWER NAME(S)].

This was a difficult decision. After the interviews, we have chosen to move forward with another candidate whose experience in [SPECIFIC AREA] was the closest fit for this particular role.

It was a genuine pleasure learning about your work, especially [SPECIFIC STRENGTH YOU NOTICED]. We would welcome an application from you for a future role that fits your strengths.

Thank you again for your interest in [COMPANY NAME] - we wish you every success.

Warm regards, [YOUR NAME]

Rejection with brief feedback (on request)

Subject: Your [JOB TITLE] interview - feedback

Hi [CANDIDATE FIRST NAME],

Thanks again for interviewing for the [JOB TITLE] role. As promised, here is some brief feedback.

What stood out: [A GENUINE STRENGTH]

Where the fit was closer for another candidate: [SPECIFIC, JOB-RELATED REASON]

This reflects the needs of this specific role, not the quality of your experience overall.

I hope this is useful, and I wish you the best in your search.

Best, [YOUR NAME]

Silver medalist (keep warm for future roles)

Subject: We would love to stay in touch, [CANDIDATE FIRST NAME]

Hi [CANDIDATE FIRST NAME],

We will not be moving forward for the [JOB TITLE] role, and it was a close call - you were a strong candidate.

We expect to open similar roles in the coming months and would genuinely like to consider you. May we keep your details and reach out when something suitable opens?

Either way, thank you for your time and interest in [COMPANY NAME].

Best, [YOUR NAME]

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How to use this template

  1. 1 Choose the version that matches how far the candidate got - application, interview, or close-but-not-this-time.
  2. 2 Personalize at least one line; a named interviewer or a specific strength turns a form letter into a respectful note.
  3. 3 Keep the reason honest but high-level; you do not owe a detailed critique, and vague-but-kind beats brutally specific.
  4. 4 Send interview rejections before you post the role as filled, so candidates do not find out from a job board.
  5. 5 Only offer feedback you can give consistently and factually to every candidate at that stage.

Tips

  • ▸Send it promptly - waiting weeks to be sure is what damages your reputation, not the rejection itself.
  • ▸Never ghost interviewed candidates; a two-line no is far kinder than silence.
  • ▸Avoid comments on age, gender, family, health, or anything unrelated to the job - keep every reason role-based.
  • ▸If you say you will keep someone on file or send feedback, actually do it - broken promises spread on review sites.
  • ▸Reuse a tested template for speed, but personalize the greeting and one detail so it never reads as automated.

Turn templates into a real hiring workflow

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FAQ

Candidate Rejection Email Template — FAQs

How do you write a polite rejection email? +
Thank the candidate, tell them clearly they were not selected, give a brief and honest high-level reason, and end warmly. Keep it short, personal where you can, and free of false hope. Kindness and clarity matter more than length.
Should you give candidates a reason for rejection? +
A brief, honest, job-related reason is good practice, but you do not owe a detailed critique. Keep it high-level - for example, another candidate's experience was a closer fit - and make sure any reason you give is factual and non-discriminatory.
When should you send a rejection email? +
As soon as the decision is final. For applicants not selected for interview, send within a week or two of the closing date; for interviewed candidates, tell them before you announce the hire so they never learn the role is filled from somewhere else.
Should you give feedback to rejected candidates? +
You can, especially to those who interviewed, but only offer what you can deliver consistently and factually. Keep feedback specific to the role, framed constructively, and free of personal remarks - and if you promise it, follow through.
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