What is a post-interview rejection letter?

An interview rejection letter informs job candidates they’re not moving forward in the hiring process. A rejection letter after an interview is generally sent after candidates have been interviewed and as soon as you know they’re not the right fit for the role. The standard format typically consists of one to two concise paragraphs.

Reasons to send a rejection letter after an interview

Letting candidates know they didn’t get the job isn’t easy, but sending a rejection email after an interview can have positive effects on you and your candidates. Reasons to send a rejection letter may include:

• Relationship building for future positions: A candidate may have strong skills but not be the best fit for the role you’re filling. In this situation, a rejection letter is an excellent opportunity to let them know you’re impressed with their background and would like them to apply in the future.
• Better candidate experience: A post-interview rejection letter helps candidates feel valued and know when to focus their job search efforts elsewhere. Maintaining a positive candidate experience can help your reputation and encourage job seekers to apply for future positions.
• Efficiency: If you don’t follow up with candidates, they may contact you about the job status. By sending rejection emails after interviews, you handle the follow-up in a timely, efficient manner.

Tips on how to write a job rejection letter after an interview

Receiving a rejection letter after an interview isn’t easy for candidates, but you can make the correspondence positive with these tips.

1. Personalize your interview rejection letter

Starting with a standard template for rejection emails after interviews helps streamline the process. However, you should tailor it to each candidate to show you value their time and effort. Include their name, the position and a detail from your conversations.

Another way to personalize a rejection letter is to offer constructive feedback about their interview performance. This can help build a strong employer brand and make the experience worthwhile for candidates.

2. Keep the interview rejection letter concise

A concise post-interview rejection letter is a professional way to handle the situation. To respect their time, deliver the news that they weren’t selected early on in the letter.

3. Be professional and considerate in your rejection letter after the interview

While the applicant is likely to feel disappointed regardless of how the interview rejection letter is framed, maintaining professionalism and consideration can help reduce any negativity they may feel toward you or the company.

Tell them you’ve chosen to move in a different direction, whether you plan to move forward with another candidate or no longer have the role available. Include feedback to provide value in the letter. Finish by thanking them for their time and wishing them success in their future endeavors.

4. Send the interview rejection letter as soon as possible

Send interview rejection letters promptly after making your decision to create a more positive experience for candidates. Applicants are likely waiting to hear from you, especially if they had an interview.

By quickly offering your response, you can end the waiting period and stand out as an organization that cares about the applicant experience. Often, a rejection letter gives an applicant the information needed to redirect their focus to better-suited opportunities.

5. Consider giving interview feedback

When sending an interview rejection email or letter, consider including feedback to show each candidate you took their interview seriously. Providing positive feedback can help create a better impression in an interview rejection letter.

Feedback that includes gentle constructive criticism helps the candidate improve for future interviews. You can provide good interview feedback by taking notes during the interview, focusing on an applicant’s strengths and avoiding comparison with other applicants.

Sample interview rejection letters

Here are some sample rejection letters following the tips mentioned above.

Standard sample of rejection letter after interview

August 1, 20XX
Carl Jones

1234 Main Street
Seattle, WA 98101

Dear Carl,

Thank you so much for your interest in the Marketing Manager role at Creighton Logistics. While we were all impressed with your skill set and knowledge, we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate who has more leadership experience. However, we feel you’re an excellent culture add and encourage you to apply for other positions that will be available in the marketing department in the coming months.

We appreciate you taking the time to meet with our team last week.

Thank you for the time you invested in applying and interviewing for this role. We wish you the best of luck in your job search and all future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Swathi Banerjee
HR Director

Rejection email after interview sample

Interview rejection emails generally follow the same format as interview rejection letters. However, they’re usually shorter and more concise. Here’s a good example of a rejection email sent following an interview:

Dear Carl,

Thank you for taking the time to meet with our team about the Marketing Manager position at Creighton Logistics. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate for this role.

This decision was not easy, as we were impressed with your skills and qualifications. We truly appreciate your interest in joining Creighton Logistics and the effort you put into the interview process.

We’ll keep your information on file for future opportunities that may align with your skills and experience. If you’d like specific feedback about your interview, feel free to contact me directly. Thanks again for your interest in Creighton Logistics, and I wish you good luck in all future endeavors.

Regards,

Swathi Banerjee

Interview rejection letter with interview feedback

Including interview feedback with a rejection letter isn’t a requirement, but it can be helpful to the applicant. Here’s a good example of an interview rejection letter with the addition of interview feedback.

August 1, 20XX
Carl Jones

1234 Main Street
Seattle, WA 98101

Dear Carl,

As mentioned during your initial interview, Creighton Logistics interviewed multiple candidates for the Marketing Manager position. After carefully reviewing your resume and consulting with our team, we have decided to offer the position to another candidate.

Please know that while we chose a different candidate for the Marketing Manager position, we were very impressed by your resume and interview. Creighton Logistics has several departments, so we will keep your information on file in the event that another position opens up that matches your skills.

While we won’t be moving forward with your application at this time, I wanted to offer some feedback that might be helpful for your continued job search:

• Strengths: [Provide specific positive feedback, e.g., “You demonstrated a strong understanding of our industry and offered insightful ideas during the technical assessment.”]
• Opportunities for growth: [Provide constructive feedback, e.g., “We encourage you to gain more experience with [specific tool/skill] to strengthen your ability to excel in similar roles in the future.”]

Thank you again for your time, and I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,
Swathi Banerjee

A good rejection letter informs candidates that they will not proceed to the next phase of the hiring process while maintaining a positive impression of your company. By keeping the letter or email personal and considerate and sending it as quickly as possible, the candidate may have a more positive experience.

Rejection Letter After an Interview Templates for PDF & Word

Use these rejection letter templates to respectfully let candidates know they weren’t selected to continue the interview process.

*Indeed provides these examples as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your HR or legal adviser, and none of these documents reflect current labor or employment regulations.

Frequently asked questions about interview rejections

Should I reject job candidates by phone?

You might provide rejections over the phone for candidates who went through a long or complex interview process. This shows that you respect them and appreciate the time they took to attend interviews on multiple occasions.

When a job only requires a single interview or the candidate has been advised that multiple people are up for the position, an interview rejection letter or email is a suitable choice. You can add a line stating the candidate may contact you directly for interview feedback.

What do you say when you are rejecting an internal candidate?

When you don’t choose an internal candidate, consider meeting them in person or scheduling a phone conference. While it may feel uncomfortable to reject a candidate in person, this can create a more positive experience.

Inform the candidate about potential areas for improvement in their current role and encourage them to apply for the next internal opening. Also, consider providing feedback on positive aspects of the interview.

How long should an interview rejection letter be?

An interview rejection letter should be concise and no longer than a single page. When writing the first paragraph, let the candidate know they weren’t chosen for the position. While it may seem nice to start off with positive feedback, this can give false hope as the applicant scans the letter. A few paragraphs explaining that your company decided to go another way and that you appreciate their time is sufficient.