The application rejection email is an essential stage in your recruitment process, It is sent when a candidate does not meet the expectations of the position or thecompany. This job rejection email, if it is well written improves the candidate experience and gives a positive image of your company.

While writing a negative response to an application is never pleasant pleasant and time-consuming, However, it is important to provide a response to every candidate who has recruitment process (response to an advert, interview, unsolicited application), interview, unsolicited application).

Would you like to know everything about the letter of application rejection? Intuition Software explains everything you need to know about when and how to write a rejection and gives you several examples of rejection emails:

The rejection email in a nutshell

• The application rejection email is sent to when the candidate profile does not correspond to the position or the company;
• The job rejection letter may come before or after the interview, depending on the recruitment process;
• Refusal of an application must include thanks, explanations for the refusal and encouragement .

Why write a rejection email?

Sendingan email or letter rejecting an application notifies a candidate that their profile has been rejected. This is an essential stage in recruitment , enabling you toimprove the candidate experience and maintain a positive image of your company. the experience of candidates and maintain a positive image of your company.

According to a RégionsJob study carried out in 2018, 64% of applications went unanswered. Writing an email rejecting an application therefore allows you, as recruiters, to stand out in a positive way. For example whether the candidate is uns uitable for the position or thatan internal factor is blocking the procedure, they deserve to know about it.

Writing a negative response to an application or interview allows the applicant to move on and continue their search, without focusing on the lack of an answer.

Legitimate reasons for sending a letter refusing an application

There are a number of legitimate reasons why you should send a letter refusing your application:

• The candidate does not have the hard skills or soft skills required for the job;
• The candidate ‘s profile is not sufficiently experienced for the responsibilities required;
• The candidate does not correspond to the company’ s values;
• The position in question has already been filled;
• Candidates moresuited to the position have sent you their CVs;
• The applicant ‘s requests donot correspond to the company’ s capabilities;
• Feedback on the candidate from other companies is mixed or negative;
• You don’t have a vacancy to fill or you don’t have the financial resources to make an unsolicited application.

Illegitimate reasons for a message refusing an application

However, under French law you cannot refuse an application for personal or discriminatory reasons. It is therefore forbidden to send a message refusing an application for :

• Personal reasons: such as an external dispute with the candidate in the context of your intimate life. You cannot refuse the application ofsomeone who has refused your advances in a personal context, for example.

• Discriminatory reasons: relating to the applicant ‘s religion, gender or skin colour. Under no circumstances should these reasons guide your choice, because they do not represent any legitimate grounds for refusal.

If you send an e-mail refusing an application on these grounds you risk potential legal action.

When should I send a letter rejecting a job application?

The rejection letter or email can be sent following an interview or on receipt of the CV. It all depends on the candidate ‘s profile and their suitability for the position in question.

It is important to send the rejection letter as soon as you know that the applicant ‘s profile will not be suitable for the job. know that the candidate ‘s profile will not be suitable for the job. Responding to a job description requires a certain investment, so it ‘s best not to put someone off unnecessarily unnecessarily if you know they don ‘t meet your expectations.

What’s more, sending a negative response to an application also helps you to see more clearly how your recruitment is progressing. You can remove from your pile the profiles that don’t match your requirements and start looking for profiles that are more interesting for the job and the company, with sourcing , for example.

So, a letter rejecting an application allows both the applicant and the company to turn the page and move forward on their own to find a person or a position that matches their respective expectations. To speed up the process, you can automate your rejection letters, consider using recruitment software.

How do I say no to a job application?

Any negative response to an application must contain a certain amount of information and wording to justify your refusal, such as thanks for the interest shown in the job, an expression of rejection of the application and the reasons why, and encouragement for the future.

Wording to include in your rejection email

Whether or not you have interviewed the person, your response to an unsuccessful application must include the following information:

• Acknowledgements: expressing your respect for the candidate ‘ s interest in your job offer and your company, as well as their profile in your job offer and your company , as well as their profile;
• Expressing your refusal: explaining that the profile has not been retained despite its quality;
• Encouragement: to show your support for the candidate during the rest of the job search process.

However, even though although the elements in the email rejecting an application are similar, the wording may be different if the rejection comes before or after theinterview. For example if you send a rejection message to someone you met at an interview, your content must be complete and explicit enough so that they understand the reasons for your choice.

Honest explanations for refusing an application

It is important to give honest explanations for refusing an application, whether unsolicited or not. This allows candidates to understand the reasons why they were why they weren ‘t chosen, so that they can bounce back with confidence. What’s more, if you don ‘ t specify the reason for your refusal the applicant could accuse you of discrimination in recruitment and try to take you to court.

Honesty is essential, because it allows you to get straight to the point without hurting the candidate ‘s feelings. Your refusal to apply must be clear and careful, so that it is quickly understood where you are coming from, while showing your respect and to the candidate who has taken the time to respond to your job offer.

What’s more, you mustn ‘ t give the applicant false hope. If their profile interests you and you really think that they could be suitable for a future position ( once they have acquired more experience, for example), make this clear. However, if the candidate really isn ‘ t right for the company, don’ t give them the hope ofa return they’ ll never get.

Finally, your tone should be frank, firm and sympathetic. This will not leave the candidate confused, but will allow them to move forward calmly in their job search. What’s more, you should you should humanise the letter of refusal by using ” I” and ” we ” and by signing your name along with a number or email to show your involvement. and signing your name along with a number or an email to show your involvement.

Sample application rejection email

To help you prepare fora negative response to an application, take a look at our examples of rejection emails, to help you understand what is expected.

Here are two responses to a rejected application: an email rejecting the application following an interview and a letter rejecting the job refusal of the position following receipt of the CV and covering letter. You can then adapt the tone and wording to suit your organisation. We have also provided you with a model not to follow, to show you what not to do.

Sample refusal of application after receipt of CV

When the application rejection email is sent after the CV has been received and before the interview, it can be more general:

“Hello Mr or Mrs X,

Thank you for your interest in X and our company. However, despite the qualities of your profile we regret to inform you that your application has not been retained for further consideration.

We hope that you will find a position that suits you. and we wish you every success in your search.

Yours sincerely

Signature “

Example of an e-mail refusing an application following an interview

Sendinga negative response to an application after an interview should be more comprehensive, because the recruitment process is more advanced and has required a certain investment and time on the part of the candidate. To do this, you can prepare a standard e-mail that you can personalise for each person:

“Hello X,

Thank you again for your interest in X and our company, and for the time you gave us during your interview(s). We are delighted to have met you.

Unfortunately, despite the quality of your profile we regret to inform you that we were unable to accept your application. We have opted for a profile with more experience in a similar similar position (or any other reason for your refusal).

However, we are interested in your skills and background. If you don’t mind we will keep your application on file so that we can contact you if a new position matching your profile becomes available.

We wish you every success in your search and hope you find a position that meets your expectations. and hope that you find a position that meets your expectations.

Yours sincerely

Signature “

Example of a job refusal email not to be followed

So that you can appreciate the difference between the do’s and and what not to do when responding to an unsuccessful application, Here is an example of what not to do:

“Good morning,

We have received your application but are unable to proceed.

Yours sincerely

Signature “

The rejection email is an essential part of the recruitment process. It enables the company to sort through the profiles profiles while respecting the different applications and profiles received. Follow our advice and take inspiration from our examples of negative responses to write your next refusals.