Rejection email template for job applicants

A candidate who gets a proper rejection speaks well of you. One who never hears back does not. Here is a rejection email template you can copy and a guide to when and how to send it.

Four rules for a good rejection

1. Send it fast. Reply within the deadline you promised in the ad. If you promised none, within two weeks of the application deadline.
2. Be short and kind. Thank them, say clearly that the answer is no, and wish them luck. No long explanations.
3. Write to the person. Use their name and the job title. A standard letter is fine if it does not read like one.
4. Say what happens to their data. State how long you keep the application and that the candidate can ask for deletion.

Template to copy

Subject: Your application as [job title] at [company]

Hi [first name],

Thank you for applying for the [job title] role at [company].
We had [number] applicants and have decided to move
forward with another candidate.

This does not mean your application was weak.
[Optional: one specific, positive sentence about it.]

We keep your application for [6] months and then delete it.
Write to [email] if you want it deleted sooner, or if we
may contact you about other jobs.

Good luck with your search.

Kind regards
[name], [company]

Three situations

• Rejection without an interview: use the template. This is the most common case.
• Rejection after an interview: add a sentence saying it was a pleasure to meet them, and offer short feedback if you have time. The candidate expects a personal reply here, ideally by phone or a personal email.
• Rejection where you want to remember the person: ask in the email whether you may keep the application longer than 6 months. The candidate must say yes. Without a yes, you delete.

Avoid discrimination

Do not write anything that can be read as a reason based on age, gender, origin, religion or disability ("you are probably overqualified given your age"). Stick to facts about the work: experience, skills, timing. The decision to reject should be made by a person on your team, not by a system alone.

How jah.dk does it

In jah.dk you move a candidate to "Rejected" in the pipeline, and a rule can send the rejection from a template you wrote and switched on. Templates exist in Danish, English and Ukrainian with variables such as first name, job title and company name. The AI never rejects anyone: a rejection is sent by a person or by a rule you wrote yourself, and such a rule waits at least 60 minutes so it can be cancelled (see Automation). Retention is 6 months by default, and when you delete a candidate the files and notes go with them (see GDPR, retention and deletion). Read about the flow in Pipeline.

Try the live demo without signing up, or create a free account. The Free plan costs 0 kr. with no time limit.