With the employment outlook having been so poor for so long, you are probably used to getting a mountain of resumes any time you announce a vacancy. Even after vetting them all, you might end up interviewing a dozen or more potential hires. Sending rejection letters to the candidates you decline might seem unnecessary, or even unmanageable, but it is more important than you realize.
Protect Your Corporate Reputation
In today’s world of social media, viral content, and the 24-hour news cycle, your corporate reputation can take a major hit at lighting fast speed. Rejected applicants that feel like they were mistreated or unfairly vetted by your company may react in unpredictable ways. A well-written rejection letter is one contingency against this kind of reaction, and sending them out can help to frame your company as a responsible corporate citizen.
Streamline the Recruitment Process
The prospect of writing and sending out a stack of rejection letters can seem like an arduous waste of time. And while it does take some work, it will ultimately benefit your overall recruitment process. If you tell applicants that you will follow up with them, and then do, you will get far fewer calls, emails, and queries from candidates trying to find out about their status.
Turn Candidates Into Customers
Remember that rejected applicants are also potential customers. Just because they didn’t get an opportunity to work for you doesn’t mean they won’t seek out your goods or services. And if they feel offended or wronged, they might tell friends and family, thereby damaging your reputation within a broad network of potential customers. Maintaining goodwill with everyone you interact with is always good for the bottom line.
Dos and Dont’s for Writing Rejection Letters
- Don’t promise to keep resumes on file – It may seem courteous, but making this promise can open you up to legal obligations that can be an unwanted hassle down the road.
- Do personalize the letter – There are a number of tech tools that make it easy to put the right name on the right letter. Avoid starting letters by saying “Dear Applicant.”
- Don’t talk about the chosen applicant – When you write about why someone else was hired, at best you sound patronizing, and at worst you open yourself up to other legal hassles.
- Do time your rejection letters appropriately – No one wants to wait months for a rejection letter, but if it shows up too soon, it can make your employment search seem shallow and predetermined.
Sending out rejection letters is one of those old fashioned principles of human resources management that is just as relevant today. To learn more about managing your recruitment process in a responsible, efficient, and effective way, work with the staffing specialists at Selectek.
