No hiring manager wants to be the bearer of bad news, but following up with candidates who didn’t get the job is just as important as following up with the one you hire. How you reject applicants can greatly influence your organization’s reputation as an employer. Here are just a few reasons why it’s important to follow-up and how to properly do so.
Why do you need to follow-up with every candidate?
It’s good professional etiquette. At BOS Staffing we interview multiple candidates on a daily basis and it’s no secret that today’s applicants expect the hiring process to be a two-way communication. They expect employers to be open about their hiring process and where they stand in that process. If you don’t follow up with an applicant, it can be perceived as though you don’t respect or care about them. You risk winding up with a disgusted job candidate that tells all of their peers about their terrible experience with your company. You’ve lost that person not only as a job candidate, but as a potential customer as well.
On the other hand, when you reject a candidate promptly and appropriately, they will respect your honesty and have only good things to say about your recruitment process.
How Do You Tell a Candidate They Didn’t Get a Job?
Say something polite.
Every candidate that’s vetted through your interview process has something that stood out and made you want to interview them. Tell the candidate what that special quality was. For example, “Your experience as an account manager at XYZ Company was very impressive. Doing so shows you actually considered the candidate for the position.
Tell them why they weren’t chosen.
Candidates spend a lot of time and energy on the application process, and they deserve to receive honest feedback. Explaining why the particular candidate did not get chosen, though sometimes hard to hear, can help them grow as a job seeker. Avoid cliché phrases like, “We’ve decided to go with a candidate that’s a better fit for the position.” Instead provide useful information like, “We decided to offer the position to a candidate with more experience in the real estate industry. By pointing out areas they need more experience in or can improve on, you give candidate feedback they can turn into motivation.
Ask them to reapply.
If you liked the candidate, but they didn’t quite fit the criteria for the job, or you think they would be the perfect fit for a role that isn’t open at the time—tell them. If it’s just a course or certification that they are lacking, ask them to reapply after they’ve completed the necessary training. Show you mean it by connecting with him or her on LinkedIn or inviting them to a networking event. Then, let the candidate know when there’s another opening they should apply for.
If you need more help with the hiring process, let the experienced recruiters at BOS Staffing help. For more than 35 years we have helped clients throughout Northeast Georgia and nationwide complete work cost-effectively, hire smarter, and manage their workforces more efficiently. Contact us today to talk about customized staffing solutions for your organization.
