Email template · Rejection
Candidate rejection email after interview
In short
A rejection email after an interview tells a candidate they will not move forward, thanks them for their time, and closes the loop clearly. Send it within two to five business days of the decision. A good one is short, specific to the role, avoids reasons that create legal risk, and says whether you will consider them again.
When to send it: Send it as soon as the decision is final, ideally within two to five business days of the interview. Don't wait for your preferred candidate to accept an offer before rejecting people you would never hire.
Candidate rejection email after interview: 4 versions
Standard
SubjectYour application for [Job Title] at [Company]
Hi [First Name], Thank you for interviewing for the [Job Title] role and for the time you spent with [Interviewer Name] and the team. After a lot of discussion, we've decided to move forward with another candidate whose experience is a closer match for what this role needs right now. This was a hard decision, and we appreciated how prepared you were. We'd be glad to see your name again for future openings at [Company]. I wish you the best in your search. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
With brief feedback
SubjectUpdate on the [Job Title] role
Hi [First Name], Thanks again for meeting with us about the [Job Title] position. I wanted to let you know personally that we won't be moving forward with your application. You asked for feedback, so here is what stood out. The panel was impressed by [specific strength, e.g. your examples of handling escalations]. Where we needed more depth was [one job-related area, e.g. hands-on experience with workforce scheduling for teams over 50 agents], which is a large part of this role in its first six months. That is a gap that experience closes quickly, and it is not a reflection on your potential. If a role opens that leans more on [strength area], I'd like to reach out. Thank you for your time and interest in [Company]. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Keep on file / silver medalist
Subject[Job Title]: our decision, and a next step
Hi [First Name], Thank you for going through the interview process for [Job Title]. I'll be direct: we've offered the role to another candidate, and it was close. We'd like to keep your resume on file for [Time Period, e.g. the next 12 months] and contact you about similar roles, starting with [Upcoming Role or Team, if any]. If you'd rather we didn't, just reply and let me know. I enjoyed our conversations and hope we get to work together. [Your Name] [Title], [Company] [Phone Number]
High-volume / hourly
SubjectYour [Job Title] interview at [Location]
Hi [First Name], Thanks for interviewing for the [Job Title] position at our [Location] site. We won't be moving forward with your application for this class. We hire for this role often, so you're welcome to apply again after [Reapply Date] at [Careers Page Link]. Thanks for your interest in working with us. [Company] Recruiting Team
Subject line ideas
- Your application for [Job Title] at [Company]
- Update on the [Job Title] role
- Following up on your [Job Title] interview
- [Job Title] at [Company]: our decision
- Thank you for interviewing with [Company]
- An update on your interview with [Company]
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company]. Thanks for interviewing for [Job Title]. We've decided not to move forward this time, but you're welcome to apply again after [Reapply Date]. Wishing you the best. Reply STOP to opt out.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [Company], [Interviewer Name], [Time Period], [Upcoming Role or Team], [Location], [Reapply Date], [Careers Page Link], [Your Name], [Title], [Phone Number]
When to send it
Once someone has interviewed, silence is the worst outcome. A candidate who applied online and never heard back shrugs it off; a candidate who took a morning off work to meet your team and then hears nothing tells people about it.
The practical target is two to five business days after the interview. If your process genuinely needs longer, send a short holding note so they know where things stand. The common mistake is keeping every finalist warm until your first choice signs. Reject the people you already know you won't hire now, and hold only your true backups.
For final-round candidates, a phone call before the email is worth the ten minutes, especially if they met senior leaders. The rejection email after final interview page covers that stage in more detail, including how to handle a candidate who was your close second.
What to include, and what to leave out
Keep it to four short parts:
- Thank them by name for interviewing for the named role.
- State the decision in the first or second sentence. Don't bury it under three lines of praise.
- Add one honest, specific line (what they did well, or that it was close) if it is true.
- Say what happens next: can they reapply, will you keep their details, or is this the end of the line.
Leave out long explanations, comparisons with the hired person, and anything about the candidate's personal circumstances. "We went with someone with more experience" is fine. "We were looking for someone with more energy" or "a better culture fit" invites questions you don't want to answer.
For a candidate who did not reach interview, a shorter note works; see the general candidate rejection email for that stage.
Legal and fairness notes
In the US, employment law does not generally require you to tell a rejected candidate why. What creates risk is giving a reason that touches a protected characteristic under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act or the ADA. Phrases like "overqualified", "not a long-term fit", "too junior for a team this senior" or comments on someone's accent, schedule or family situation can read as proxies for age, national origin, disability or sex.
A few habits keep you safe:
- Base any reason on the job-related criteria in your scorecard, and use the same criteria for everyone interviewed for the role.
- Have the email come from the recruiter, not the hiring manager freelancing in their own words.
- Keep interview notes and the rejection reason in your applicant tracking system. Federal contractors and employers covered by EEOC recordkeeping rules must retain hiring records, typically for at least one year, and longer if a charge is filed.
- If the rejection is based on a background check or consumer report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a pre-adverse action notice first. A standard rejection email is not enough.
Rules vary by state and country (the UK and EU, for example, give candidates rights to access interview notes under data protection law), so check with counsel for your locations.
Should you give feedback?
Our view: offer feedback to final-round and internal candidates, and to anyone who asks, but keep it short and job-related. One strength and one gap, both tied to the role's requirements, is plenty. Don't send a scorecard dump.
Written feedback should be reviewed before it goes out; a phone call is often easier for both sides and leaves less room for misreading. The interview feedback email to candidate has templates for sending fuller feedback when someone asks for it.
In high-volume hiring, personal feedback for every rejected interviewee is not realistic. A clear decision, a reapply date and a link back to open roles is a respectable standard.
Making it work at volume
A contact center interviewing 200 people a month for a 30-seat class is sending around 170 post-interview rejections. Done by hand, those are the emails that slip. Set up two or three approved versions as shared email templates, tie each one to a pipeline stage and reason code, and send in daily batches so nobody waits longer than a few days.
Use a reapply window instead of a flat no for roles you hire constantly. Someone who struggled with a typing test in March may pass in June, and rehiring from your own rejected pool is cheaper than buying new applicants. Track who you tagged as "keep on file" and actually contact them; a keep-on-file line you never follow up on is just a polite brush-off.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rejecting by ghosting. It is the most common complaint candidates make about hiring, and it gets repeated in reviews.
- Sending the wrong template. A generic "thanks for applying" to someone who did three interviews feels careless.
- Over-explaining. Every extra sentence is something to dispute.
- Promising what you won't do. Only say you'll keep their resume on file if someone will look at it.
- Sending late on a Friday. It lands badly over a weekend. Tuesday to Thursday mornings work better.
- Leaving recruiters out. If the hiring manager tells the candidate informally, make sure a written note still follows.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a rejection letter after an interview?
Thank the candidate by name for interviewing for the specific role, state the decision early, add one honest positive line if it is true, and say whether they can apply again. Keep it under 150 words and avoid giving reasons that are not tied to the job requirements.
How long after an interview should you send an unsuccessful interview email?
Aim for two to five business days after the interview. If the decision will take longer, send a short status update so the candidate isn't left waiting without information.
Do I have to give a reason for rejecting a candidate after an interview?
In the US there is generally no legal requirement to give a reason. If you do, keep it to job-related criteria that you applied consistently to every candidate. Rules differ outside the US and in some states, so check local requirements.
What does "we will keep your resume on file" mean in a rejection email?
It should mean you will actually consider the person for future roles for a set period, such as 12 months. Say how long, mention a likely role if there is one, and let them opt out. Under privacy laws such as GDPR, you may need consent to keep their data.
Should I call or email a candidate to reject them after an interview?
Call final-round and internal candidates when you can, then follow up in writing. For earlier-round and high-volume interviews, a clear, prompt email is the accepted standard.
Can I send a rejection email by text message?
For hourly roles where you have been texting the candidate already and they have consented, a short text is acceptable, ideally with an email record as well. For professional roles, use email or a phone call.