4 Email Templates for Negative Feedback

Giving feedback to people who were not selected to follow in your process is one of the most important activities in modern recruiting. Informing the reason for the rejection is an act of respect. The lack of return can generate a negative image of the company.

The lack of return can generate a negative image of the company.
It is necessary to emphasize the importance of clear and objective communication.

 

Customize your Email

Although it seems normal to elaborate a standardized message for professionals who will not advance in the process, it is not always the best strategy to take. Personalizing emails for each person, considering something more specific and relevant to their profile, is more suitable.

Prefer to convey the feedback by writing the name of each person, the name of the vacancy for which they applied, and a relevant reason. Many organizations prepare feedback in a subjective and standardized way for all cases, but miss the opportunity to make constructive analysis. In the long term, these strategies attract the best talent and strengthen the Employer Brand.

 

Beware of comments on your feedback

Discriminatory comments can be destructive anywhere, but negative feedback is even more damaging to all parties. Beware of messages like “we are looking for younger people” or “your experience for this role is above what we are looking for”. Watch out for work-related arguments such as “although we are impressed with your skills, we are looking for a person who has experience with software x”.

 

Value for honesty

Explaining why you are rejecting people shows that you recognize the time and effort they put into your application. If, for example, they were qualified professionals but did not have enough experience, they may consider applying again in the future. If you apply at the end of the selection process or were even more qualified for another vacancy, get in touch when an opportunity appears that is more suitable for your profile.

If the person was in the final stages of the process, you can suggest connecting through social networks like LinkedIn, for example, so they can stay in touch. If you're not considering this profile in the future, it's best to cut to the chase and avoid creating false expectations. Just write a simple message, such as “good luck in your search for a market opportunity”, to end on a positive note.

Download the 4 Email Templates for Negative Feedback right now!

We have separated material that will help you to create good communication with professionals who participated in processes conducted by you. In this material, you will find email examples for each stage of the recruitment process; from the delivery of resumes to the rejection of professionals after the interview.

These feedback email templates will help you to communicate in a friendly and efficient way with people who won't move on to the next stages. You can customize your emails to provide more detailed feedback on your decision not to proceed with the application. Oh, don't forget to choose between a formal or casual tone, depending on your company's culture. For more inspiration, check out our negative feedback email templates.