Rejecting candidates gracefully is not just something to do, but it's also a method to build your company's recruitment brand. The rejection rate for candidates is quite high, so don't miss out on this opportunity to turn them into your recruitment brand ambassadors!

Why should you reconsider how you reject candidates?

How many applications did you receive for the most recent position at your company? And how many of them did you reject?

Surprised?

All of them were drawn to your recruitment brand and eager to work for your company. When they're rejected, at the very least, they're just slightly disappointed and neutral towards your recruitment brand.

Will these candidates leave positive reviews on any company review website or group, talking about the best interview they've ever had and maybe even write a social media post about this experience?

Yes, this is entirely possible. And it's a worthwhile effort for you to invest in.

The importance of turning rejected candidates into brand ambassadors for employers

Consider the numbers and statistics below.

What will happen if you leave rejected candidates feeling disappointed and unhappy? Here's what you can expect:

1. Losing candidates (to competitors) permanently!

According to Talentegy's 2019 Candidate Experience Report, 69% of candidates with negative experiences will not reapply to that company.

2. They will tell everyone about it.

According to a survey by CareerArc, 72% of candidates with a bad experience share it with others, either online or directly.

3. You will lose money.

64% of candidates state that a poor candidate experience could make them less likely to purchase goods and services from that employer, according to a report by CareerArc.

What will happen if you treat rejected candidates with respect?

Certainly, you will reap more benefits than you think:

1. Reapplications!

According to the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute, rejected candidates are more than 80% likely to reapply if they have a positive experience.

2. Referrals of outstanding candidates.
   

   

   
   

   The Talent Board study has shown that 81% of candidates will share their positive experiences with family, friends, and colleagues, encouraging them to apply for open positions at your company.
   
   

   3. Promote the recruitment brand for free!
      

   The Talent Board research has also found that 51% of candidates with positive experiences will share their impressions on company review sites like Glassdoor, and social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
   
   

   4. The company will make money.
      

   According to the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute, candidates satisfied with their experience are twice as likely to become customers of the recruiting organization compared to unsatisfied candidates.

   Let's see how Hireforce shares strategies for turning rejected candidates into enthusiastic brand ambassadors.

   
   

   How to turn rejected candidates into brand ambassadors for recruiters?
   

   When rejected, candidates may feel a bit disappointed. However, their journey to your company is not necessarily closed.

   Try to maintain close contact with rejected candidates. Who knows, they might be perfect for one of the job positions in your company in the future!

   So, no time to waste, here's how to build continuous relationships with rejected candidates and turn them into enthusiastic brand ambassadors in just 6 simple steps:
   
   

   

Step 1: Notify Carefully

Rejecting candidates is never easy, but it can still be done carefully and respectfully.

First and foremost, ensure you communicate the decision promptly. Reach out to candidates who didn't make it to the next round of your hiring process immediately. The best time to contact candidates is within 48 hours after the interview.

If possible, communicate the decision over the phone. The latest Candidate Experience (CandE) research by Talent Board found that candidate experience improves by 29% if you reject candidates over the phone instead of via email or text message.

If you have many candidates and can't call everyone, make sure to send them a well-prepared, personalized rejection email.

Step 2: Provide Feedback

Most candidates truly appreciate receiving feedback after an interview. According to LinkedIn's research, 94% of candidates want to hear feedback after an interview.

Moreover, rejected candidates are over 4 times more likely to consider future opportunities at the company when provided with constructive feedback.

However, you can never be too cautious, so make sure to ask rejected candidates if they would like feedback before you provide it. 90% of candidates will agree, but if they decline, don't push.

Firstly, ensure your feedback is honest. Don't try to sugarcoat things as you'll come off as insincere. Strive to maintain authenticity by providing a balance of praise and criticism, as too much criticism breeds defensiveness and too much praise may sound insincere.

Be straightforward. Don't beat around the bush with vague feedback like "other candidates had more experience." Be specific about the particular areas where the successful candidate had more experience and knowledge.

💡 TIP: Make sure to provide rejected candidates with actionable advice to help them in future interviews. If appropriate, you could even suggest certifications or courses they may consider to enhance their knowledge and expertise.

Step 3: Feedback from Candidates

In addition to providing feedback to rejected candidates, you should also ask them for feedback on your hiring process. This will convey the message that the company genuinely cares about their opinions and is making efforts to provide an excellent candidate experience.

The reality is that most recruiters do not ask candidates to provide feedback on their candidate experience. According to the latest Candidate Experience report by Talentegy, 75% of candidates say they have never or rarely been asked for feedback.

Among the companies that do ask for feedback, most make mistakes by requesting candidates to rate their overall experience on a quantitative scale. Or they use a net promoter score (NPS) (1-10 or 1-5) to assess the candidate experience, asking candidates one of the following questions:

"Would you consider applying for a job at [Company Name] again?"

"Would you recommend someone else to apply for a job at [Company Name]?"

While these questions may serve as indicators of the candidate experience, unfortunately, they won't provide any specific insights into what needs improvement or what works well in the interview process. By asking these questions, you'll only know whether you're doing things right or not, but you won't get any actionable guidance afterward.

This is why freeC recommends creating a more comprehensive candidate experience survey. However, it doesn't have to be overly detailed. You can simply add one more open-ended question asking candidates to suggest specific areas they think you could improve.

💡 TIP: In addition to inviting candidates to participate in the company's candidate experience survey, you can also ask them to leave reviews on company review sites. These are all good ways to pinpoint exactly what areas the company needs to improve.

Step 4: Connect on Social Media

Connecting with rejected candidates on social media is a simple way to make a positive impression and show that you care about maintaining contact with your candidates, even when they're not hired.

While many companies invite candidates to follow them on social media, from freeC's perspective, this might not be the best approach during the candidate rejection process, as it can appear impersonal and "robotic."

Additionally, rejected candidates may not be interested in following the company on social media after being rejected because it means the company's posts will continually appear in front of them and remind them of their rejection.

Instead, you should connect with rejected candidates on a personal level.

💡 TIP: Recruiters, hiring managers, or anyone who directly interacts with rejected candidates should extend LinkedIn connection invitations, in particular.

Step 5: Send Your Company's Recruitment Newsletter

Hopefully, your company already has a recruitment newsletter that you regularly send out to your talent pool. If so, make sure to add all rejected candidates to your mailing list.

This is a simple, quick, and practical way to maintain a connection with rejected candidates. After all, they may be the perfect choice for one of your future job positions. Or they may know someone who is a good fit.

If you don't have the time or resources to create and send out recruitment newsletters regularly to your talent pool, at least send them a regular email campaign. Even if you can only send out one email per quarter, it can still be very helpful.

By staying in touch with your rejected candidates through email campaigns, you can keep yourself "top of mind," maintain interaction, and inform them of new positions that may be suitable for them.

Make sure not to "spam" your candidates with emails solely about these new job positions. Instead, provide diverse, interesting, and useful content. For example, let them know about recent company achievements and exciting new projects that your employees are working on.

You can also introduce the company culture by sharing employee reviews and images of annual team-building activities. Use real photos and videos of employees and events.

Step 6: Invite to Company Events

Another way to maintain contact with rejected candidates is to invite them to company events. And of course, these events are not just job fairs or recruitment events.

Does your company organize internal events like workshops or hackathons? Consider inviting some of the candidates who made it to the second position in previous interviews to participate. It doesn't cost much, just a few extra seats and some food and drinks, but it can leave a lasting impression on your recruitment brand.

An effective way to build a talent community for your company is to invite candidates who made it to the second position in interviews to participate in your events.

💡 EXPERT TIP: If you don't have the time or space to accommodate all your second-place candidates, consider hosting online events, such as webinars, which can be cost-effective yet equally impactful.

ADDITIONAL IDEA: Delight rejected candidates with a small gift

If you truly want to make your recruitment brand stand out from competitors and ensure rejected candidates feel satisfied, you'll need to go the extra mile.

However, this doesn't necessarily entail a significant cost or time investment! Even a small gesture can be meaningful if executed thoughtfully.

For example, you could give candidates a small gift, such as a lunch or coffee gift card. This way, they can enjoy a cup of coffee and/or lunch at a nearby restaurant after their interview at your office.

Another idea is to send a bag of coffee or candy to the candidate's home address. For a personal and special touch, include a handwritten thank-you note expressing gratitude for their time and stating how pleased you were to meet them.

If this seems like too much effort, you can always offer candidates a discount voucher for your products or services. Another idea is to gift candidates with company promotional items you already have available, such as logo-printed t-shirts or hoodies, notebooks, water bottles, bags, etc.

💡 TIP: Depending on your budget, this could be something you reserve for the most important candidates, such as exceptional runner-up candidates, senior-level managers, and candidates skilled for hard-to-fill positions.

In summary, here are four tips to quickly and effectively turn rejected candidates into enthusiastic brand ambassadors for your company:

Tip 1: Notify results politely and promptly

The sooner you inform candidates about the interview results, the better. Call or at least email them to communicate the outcome. Personalize your feedback. Be sincere in delivering the results.

Tip 2: Feedback is key

Provide and request feedback from candidates. Let them know how they can improve. Ask them how you can enhance your recruitment process.

Tip 3: Stay connected

Connect with rejected candidates on social media. Invite them to company events if possible. Send them personalized email campaigns. Inform them about new job openings.

Tip 4: "Give to receive"

Make outstanding runner-up candidates feel special. Send them a handwritten letter or a small gift.

These tips don't require much time or expense to implement. In return, you'll have enthusiastic brand ambassadors for your company!