A job rejection can be hugely disappointing, especially if you felt that the interview went well. It’s an emotive experience, and it can be hard to know how to handle it.
These days, most job rejections tend to come via email – and whilst it’s tempting to just delete the email in question and move on, it’s important to send a response.
Not sure what to say? Read on to find out how to respond to a job rejection…
Why should you respond to a job rejection?
However disappointed you might feel, it’s important to dust yourself off and showcase your professionalism by responding to the rejection.
Yes, you might not have got the job this time, but the interviewer may still view you as a strong candidate – you might just not have been right for this particular role.
They could still consider you for positions in the future, so it’s important to leave things on a high and build a positive relationship with the hiring manager.
Plus, if other applicants didn’t bother to send a response, you’ll stand out against those who weren’t selected, which could work in your favour in the future.
Finally, responding to a job rejection email allows you to ask for feedback, so you can find out what you did right, what you did wrong, and how you can improve your technique ready for your next interview.
4 things to include in your job rejection response
Your job rejection response email should be concise and to the point, and as with all thank you notes, it should be sent quickly whilst you’re still front of the interviewer’s mind. Here’s what to say:
1. Show your appreciation
As we said above, just because you weren’t successful this time, if the employer thinking you are a strong candidate, they may consider you for future roles.
As such, it’s important to show them how grateful you are for the opportunity.
Start by thanking them for letting you now their decision and follow up saying how much you enjoyed learning about the company and meeting the interviewers.
Beginning on a positive note will set the tone for the rest of your response!
2. Express your disappointment
Next, make sure they know you’re disappointed that you weren’t chosen. A sentence or two showing your disappointment will suffice – you don’t want to bring the mood down!
It’s important to clearly express that you are disappointed you didn’t get the role as you want to make it clear how eager you were, however, keep the negativity brief and try to maintain a positive tone overall.
3. Ask for feedback
A job rejection response email is also the perfect opportunity to ask for feedback so you can continue to work on yourself for the future.
By finding out what went well and what didn’t, you can learn and improve for your next interview – so when the next time comes around, you can be confident that you’ll smash it!
4. Ask to be considered for future opportunities
Finally, if you’re still keen to work for the company, make sure you let them know.
After all, they might assume you’ve secured a position elsewhere or that you’re no longer interested, so it’s important to confirm you’d like to hear from them in the future.
Doing so could be beneficial for a number of reasons. Firstly, the application who was hired could ultimately decide not to accept the role, or they could accept the position but leave after a short time.
In such a situation, it’s much easier for the hiring manager to choose from recently interviewed applicants rather than to start the entire recruitment process from the beginning – so it’s always worth keeping communication open!
Bonus tip – connect on LinkedIn
One final, last tip from us (you’re welcome!): after you’ve sent your rejection response, request to connect with the hiring manager or interviewer on LinkedIn.
Be sure to include a brief message about how much you enjoy meeting them and how you’d love to keep in touch – it’s all about keeping the relationship strong for the future!
Moving forwards after a rejection
Although it can be hard to pick yourself up and move on after a job rejection, it’s important to continue your job search with the right perspective.
Getting through to interview stage in the first place was a fantastic achievement and shows that you absolutely do have what it takes to work in your chosen industry – so brush yourself off and start again.
Use the feedback to your advantage; perhaps you could improve your CV or cover letter, or maybe you could work on your interview technique for next time.
But most important, take a deep breath and get ready to start over – you’ve got this!
How i2i recruitment can help with your job search
When you register with an expert recruitment agency such as i2i Recruitment, we’ll be able to provide expert advice through every stage of your job search.
From CV advice to top interview tips, there’s nothing our team doesn’t know about recruitment – and they’ll be able to point you in the direction of some truly amazing career opportunities too.
Sound good? Contact us today to find out more!
