Official skill · Hiring

Candidate rejection email by stage

v1.0.0 · Updated 4 November 2026

Writes respectful rejection emails for each hiring stage, with optional job-related feedback and an honest door line; reasons are flagged for HR. Use it when you need to reject a candidate after the application, an interview, or the final round.

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When to use it

• You need to reject a candidate after the application, an interview, or the final round
• A rejected candidate asks for feedback

What you give it

• Candidate name, role, and stage reached
• Your feedback policy
• Whether a future role is real

What you get

A short rejection email with the decision up front, optional approved feedback, and a true door line.

How it works

1. Pick the stage template After application: short, can be the same for everyone. After interview: personal, names the role and thanks them for specific time given. After final round: our default is a short call first, then this email as the written record. LinkedIn's head of recruiting recommends a short conversation with candidates you've met or spoken with, since they may be strong for a later role.
2. Lead with the decision The first or second sentence says "we won't be moving forward". Don't make them read 3 lines of thanks to find out.
3. Give a reason only if it's safe and approved Keep to job-related skills against the role's stated criteria; ERC's HR guidance adds: only what the candidate can change, stated as fact. Never mention age, health, family, appearance, accent, nationality, religion, or any other protected characteristic. Our default also bans vague proxies such as "culture fit", "energy", or "overqualified": they read as bias even when they aren't. Mark every reason sentence "[check: HR]" before sending.
4. Add feedback only when asked or for finalists LinkedIn's 2018 research found 94% of candidates want feedback after an interview. Our default: offer 1 specific, skill-related point, framed as what would have made the difference. Keep it factual. ERC suggests explaining what set the chosen candidate apart; our default is not to compare them with the person hired.
5. Keep the door open honestly Invite them to apply again only if you mean it, and name what would make sense ("roles in our support team"). If not, end with thanks. SHRM's article advises against suggesting a future opening unless one actually exists.
6. Send on time Our default: within 5 working days of the decision, and before you tell the team the role is filled.

The SKILL.md

The whole file, as your AI reads it. Download it

---
name: rejection-email
description: Writes respectful candidate rejection emails for each stage (after application, after interview, after final round), with optional brief job-related feedback and an honest line about future roles. Flags wording about reasons for HR review. Use when you need to reject a candidate, write a rejection letter, decline an applicant after an interview, tell a finalist they didn't get the job, or answer a request for feedback.
---

# Rejection email

> Not legal advice. Have HR or counsel set your policy on giving reasons; anything about why goes past "[check: HR]".

A good rejection is fast, clear in the first line, and kind without false hope. The further someone got, the more personal it should be. SHRM's article puts the floor plainly: "Even a generic response is better than no response."

## When to use

- After screening applications, after an interview, or after the final round.
- When a rejected candidate asks for feedback.
- Not for withdrawing an offer someone has already received or accepted. That has legal risk; take it to HR or counsel first.

## What you need

- The candidate's first name, the role, and the stage they reached. If the stage is missing, ask; it changes the whole email.
- Whether your company allows feedback, and who approved it. If unknown, write the email without feedback and add the feedback line as an option marked "[check: HR]".
- For final-round candidates: whether you'd genuinely consider them for another role. If not, don't say you would.

## Steps

1. **Pick the stage template.** After application: short, can be the same for everyone. After interview: personal, names the role and thanks them for specific time given. After final round: our default is a short call first, then this email as the written record. LinkedIn's head of recruiting recommends a short conversation with candidates you've met or spoken with, since they may be strong for a later role.
2. **Lead with the decision.** The first or second sentence says "we won't be moving forward". Don't make them read 3 lines of thanks to find out.
3. **Give a reason only if it's safe and approved.** Keep to job-related skills against the role's stated criteria; ERC's HR guidance adds: only what the candidate can change, stated as fact. Never mention age, health, family, appearance, accent, nationality, religion, or any other protected characteristic. Our default also bans vague proxies such as "culture fit", "energy", or "overqualified": they read as bias even when they aren't. Mark every reason sentence "[check: HR]" before sending.
4. **Add feedback only when asked or for finalists.** LinkedIn's 2018 research found 94% of candidates want feedback after an interview. Our default: offer 1 specific, skill-related point, framed as what would have made the difference. Keep it factual. ERC suggests explaining what set the chosen candidate apart; our default is not to compare them with the person hired.
5. **Keep the door open honestly.** Invite them to apply again only if you mean it, and name what would make sense ("roles in our support team"). If not, end with thanks. SHRM's article advises against suggesting a future opening unless one actually exists.
6. **Send on time.** Our default: within 5 working days of the decision, and before you tell the team the role is filled.

## Output format

```markdown
**Subject:** Your application for [role] at [company]

Hi [first name],

[Thanks, one line, specific to the stage.] [Decision: we won't be moving forward with your application.]

[Optional, approved reason or feedback, 1 to 2 sentences, job-related. [check: HR]]

[Door line: an honest invitation, or plain thanks.]

[Sign-off]
[Name, title]
```

Stage variants:
- **After application:** thanks + decision + door line. 3 to 4 sentences.
- **After interview:** names the interviewers or the conversation, decision, optional feedback offer ("If it would help, I'm happy to share one point from the interviews").
- **After final round:** follows a call; recaps the decision, one feedback point if given on the call, and a specific door line.

## Example

**Input:** Final round for a product designer at Juniper Ledger (fictional). Candidate Sofia Reyes, interviewed over 3 weeks; hiring manager Alex Kim, Head of Design. HR approved one feedback point: the role's deciding criterion was user testing before launch, and her portfolio review showed little of it. The team liked her and would consider her for a planned design systems role next year. Alex called her yesterday.

**Output:**

```markdown
**Subject:** Your application for Product designer at Juniper Ledger

Hi Sofia,

Thank you for the time you gave us over the last 3 weeks, and for the call yesterday. As I said then, we won't be moving forward with your application for the product designer role.

The one point from the panel: in the portfolio review, we wanted to see more of how you tested designs with users before launch. That was the deciding criterion for this role, not a judgment on your craft. [check: HR]

We expect to open a design systems role next year, and I'd like to let you know when it does. Would that be welcome?

Best,
Alex Kim
Head of Design, Juniper Ledger
```

## Checks before you send

- [ ] The decision is in the first 2 sentences.
- [ ] Any reason or feedback is job-related, tied to the role's stated criteria, and marked "[check: HR]".
- [ ] No mention of protected characteristics or proxies like "culture fit" or "overqualified".
- [ ] The door line is true: a real future role or plain thanks.
- [ ] Final-round candidates heard by phone first, where your process allows.
- [ ] No comparison with the person who got the job.

## Common mistakes

- "We went with a stronger candidate." It invites "stronger how?" and gives nothing useful.
- Giving 5 points of feedback. One clear point helps; a list reads like a case against them.
- Sending a template to someone who did 4 interviews.

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Changelog

• v1.0.0 · 4 November 2026 · First release.