Why Candidates Like Rejection Letters (Kind Of)

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The only thing worse than being turned down for a job is never actually being informed that you weren’t chosen. However, many companies leave people in the dark.

A 2013 CareerBuilder survey revealed that 75 percent of applicants didn’t hear back from employers. In total, 60 percent of respondents said they weren’t informed of the hiring manager’s decision after going on an interview and 22 percent reported receipt of their resume submission wasn’t even acknowledged. This behavior made a seriously bad impression as 42 percent said they would never seek employment at the company again, and 22 percent said they would also tell others not to work there.

Bottom line — if you’re not going to hire a candidate, you need to send them a rejection letter.

3 Reasons Why Candidates Appreciate Rejection Letters

At first glance, receiving a rejection letter can be a bit depressing, but people really appreciate the sentiment behind it, as it offers the chance to:

  • Find Out Where They Stand: Waiting by the phone to hear whether or not you’ve been selected for a job can be torture. It’s much easier for candidates when companies have the decency to tell them they’ve chosen someone else, so they don’t have to be on edge wondering if they’ll ever get the call. This allows them to move on, without holding onto hope that they’ll get the job, when they’re actually no longer a contender.
  • Gain Valuable Feedback: All rejection letters don’t offer an explanation for why the candidate wasn’t selected, but those that do can be very helpful. It’s never fun to hear your shortcomings, but when the hiring manager is kind enough to provide specific details, the person can use this feedback to make improvements, so they don’t get passed up again for the same reason.
  • Feel Like Their Efforts Were Respected: Simply put, it’s rude when companies don’t send a rejection letter. People put a great deal of time and effort into applying for jobs and going on interviews, so it’s extremely off-putting when their efforts are returned with crickets. It’s always disappointing to be turned down for a job, but it stings much less when the company respects you enough to send a letter.

Partner with Barrington Staffing to find the top talent your company needs to succeed! As one of the premier staffing services in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, we know that each of our clients has unique, individual needs and expectations — and we’re committed to surpassing them.

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