TL;DR
- A rejection letter after an interview tells a candidate they were not chosen, thanks them for their time, and closes the process respectfully. Send it within a few days of the decision, address it to the person by name, say plainly that they were not successful, and keep the door open where that is true. Acas advises telling candidates at interview when and how they will hear; the letter is you keeping that promise.
- Acas says employers do not have to explain their reasons for rejecting job applications, but that applicants can ask, and that job applicants are protected by the Equality Act 2010. So give feedback where you can do it well, tie it to the job description and person specification, and never give a reason that touches a protected characteristic.
- Four templates cover the four moments: after a first interview, after a final interview, when the candidate was strong but another was stronger, and when you want to keep them for a future role. Record the decision and the reasons securely, as Acas advises, so that the letter and the notes tell the same story.
Every candidate you interview and do not hire will remember two things: how long you took to tell them, and how you said it. The interview rejection letter is therefore not admin. It is the last impression of your organisation for a person who may apply again, buy from you, review you online or tell their friends.
This article explains when to send the letter, what to include and what to leave out, how to handle the request for feedback, and gives four email templates for the four moments a rejection happens. It draws on the Acas guidance for employers in Great Britain on interviewing and on rejected applications; the principles apply anywhere, but employment law differs by country and this is general information, not legal advice.
The rejection is one stage in a hiring process that should be the same for everyone. See how New Dynamics workflows let you define the stages, forms and sign-offs of your own process, so nobody is left waiting because a step was forgotten.
For the emails that come the other way, from employees to HR, see our guide to writing an HR email, with templates and the two cases where the law sets the contents.
At the other end of employment, our post on the resignation letter covers what one must contain and the notice rules underneath it.
What Acas says you must and need not do
Two pages of Acas guidance set the frame for employers in Great Britain.
You need not give reasons. Acas is plain: “Employers do not have to explain their reasons for rejecting job applications.” Feedback after interview is good practice, not a legal duty.
You must decide fairly, and the same way for everyone. Acas advises employers to “treat everyone the same when deciding who should get the job”, to ask “the same questions where possible”, and to “check your decisions are based on how each applicant met each point in the job description and person specification”. It also reminds employers that “job applicants are protected by discrimination law (Equality Act 2010)”, so a rejected applicant who believes they were discriminated against can ask the employer to reconsider and, ultimately, take a claim to an employment tribunal.
You should tell people what to expect. At interview, Acas advises, “tell them when and how you will let them know whether they got the job or not” and “tell them what sort of feedback to expect”. The rejection letter is you keeping that promise.
You must handle the records properly. Interview notes and decisions should be stored “securely and confidentially”, following data protection rules.
The practical consequence: write a letter that is kind and prompt, give feedback only where you can tie it to the person specification, and keep notes that match what you wrote.
When to send it
Send the rejection as soon as the decision is made, and always by the date you promised at interview. If the decision is delayed because a preferred candidate has not yet accepted, tell the others that the decision is delayed rather than leaving them in silence; a candidate kept as a back-up without being told is a candidate you have already lost. Rejections after a first interview can go the same day the shortlist is agreed. After a final interview, a phone call from the hiring manager followed by a short email is the courteous route for anyone who reached the last two or three.
What to include
- Thanks, specific to them. Their name, the role and the date, and one thing you appreciated: the preparation, the presentation, a question they asked.
- The decision, stated plainly. “We will not be taking your application further” or “we have offered the role to another candidate”. Do not bury it in the third paragraph.
- Feedback, or an honest line about it. See the next section. If you offer feedback, say how to get it. If you do not, do not pretend you might.
- The close. Good wishes, and, where it is true, an invitation to apply again or a note that you will keep their details for a stated period with their consent.
Sign it from a person, not “The Recruitment Team”. The hiring manager for final-stage candidates, the recruiter for earlier stages.
What to leave out
- Reasons that touch protected characteristics. Anything about age, health, family plans, accent, nationality, religion, disability or the other characteristics the Equality Act protects. If a reason cannot be tied to the person specification, it should not be in your notes and cannot be in the letter.
- Comparisons with the successful candidate. “They had more experience” invites a debate you cannot have and a data protection problem you do not want.
- Praise that contradicts the decision. “You were an outstanding candidate” followed by no explanation reads as insincere. Praise one specific thing and move on.
- Promises you will not keep. “We will keep you in mind” only if you will, with a process for doing so.
- Templates with the wrong name or role. Read it before you send it.
The feedback question
Acas says employers do not have to give reasons but candidates can ask, and that good practice is to say at interview what feedback to expect. A workable policy:
- Application and first-interview rejections: a courteous letter with no individual feedback, and say so. Volume makes anything else impossible to do well.
- Final-stage rejections: offer a short call or two or three sentences of written feedback, tied to the person specification: “The role needed experience of leading a team through a system change, and the panel felt your examples were of contributing rather than leading.”
- Every case: feedback describes what the panel saw against the criteria. It does not diagnose the person.
Feedback given well turns a rejected candidate into a future applicant. Feedback given badly, or promised and not delivered, does the opposite.
Four rejection email templates
Adapt the wording to your organisation. Each is short on purpose; a rejection is not the place for a long letter.
1. After a first interview
Subject: Your application for [role] at [organisation]
Dear [name],
Thank you for meeting [interviewer] on [date] to discuss the [role] position. We appreciated the time you took to prepare, and your questions about [topic].
After careful consideration we will not be taking your application further on this occasion. We interviewed a strong group of candidates and have chosen to progress those whose experience most closely matched the requirements of the role.
Because of the number of applications, we are not able to offer individual feedback at this stage. We wish you every success in your search.
Kind regards, [name, job title]
2. After a final interview
Subject: Your final interview for [role]
Dear [name],
Thank you for your time at the final interview on [date], and for the presentation you prepared on [topic]. The panel found it thoughtful and well argued.
I am sorry to tell you that we have offered the role to another candidate. This was a close decision between people we would have been glad to hire.
I would be happy to give you feedback on the panel's assessment against the role's requirements. If you would like that, reply to this email or call me on [number] and we will arrange a short conversation.
Thank you again for your interest in [organisation], and I wish you well.
Kind regards, [name, job title]
3. A strong candidate, another stronger
Subject: Your application for [role]
Dear [name],
Thank you for interviewing for the [role] position on [date]. Your experience in [area] and the way you described [example] impressed the panel.
We have decided to offer the role to a candidate whose background in [criterion from the person specification] more closely matched what this particular role needs. That is not a reflection on the quality of your application.
If you would like a short call to discuss the panel's assessment against the role requirements, let me know and I will arrange it.
With best wishes for your search, [name, job title]
4. Not this role, but keep in touch
Subject: Your application for [role], and future roles at [organisation]
Dear [name],
Thank you for meeting us on [date]. We were not able to offer you the [role] position, but the panel would like to stay in touch: we expect to recruit for [type of role] in [period], and we think your experience would be relevant.
With your permission we would keep your details for [period] and contact you when a suitable role opens. Please reply to confirm whether you are happy for us to do so; if we do not hear from you, we will delete your application in line with our privacy notice.
Thank you again, and good luck with your search.
Kind regards, [name, job title]
If you are the candidate declining an offer
The same courtesies apply the other way. Reply promptly, thank them for the offer and the time spent, decline plainly, and give a brief reason only if you want to: another offer, the salary, the commute. Keep the relationship; the recruiter will move jobs too.
Records
Acas advises storing interview notes and decisions securely and confidentially and following data protection rules. Keep the panel's scores and evidence against the person specification, and the letter you sent, for the period your privacy notice states. If a candidate asks why they were rejected, or alleges discrimination, the notes and the letter should tell the same story: a decision made on the criteria, the same way for everyone. Our recruitment and selection guide covers the fair process from advert to offer.
Frequently asked questions
Do employers have to give a reason for rejecting a candidate?
Not in Great Britain. Acas says employers do not have to explain their reasons for rejecting job applications. Candidates can ask, and giving feedback tied to the person specification is good practice. Job applicants are protected by the Equality Act 2010, so any reason given must not relate to a protected characteristic. Rules differ in other countries.
How soon should you send a rejection letter after an interview?
As soon as the decision is made, and by the date promised at interview. First-interview rejections can go the day the shortlist is agreed; final-stage candidates deserve a call followed by a short email. If a decision is delayed, tell candidates it is delayed rather than leaving them in silence.
What should a rejection email say?
Thank the candidate for their time with one specific detail, state the decision plainly, either offer feedback or say honestly that you cannot, and close with good wishes or an invitation to apply again. Sign it from a named person.
Should you give feedback to rejected candidates?
Where you can do it well. A sentence or two tied to the person specification helps final-stage candidates and keeps them warm for future roles. Do not promise feedback you will not deliver, and never give reasons that touch age, health, family, nationality, religion, disability or another protected characteristic.
Can a rejected candidate challenge the decision?
Acas says a candidate can ask the employer to explain the decision, share its recruitment policy and reconsider if they believe there was discrimination or the policy was not applied consistently, and can take a discrimination claim to an employment tribunal. Consistent questions, decisions against the person specification and secure records are the employer's protection.
Your next step: promise a date and keep it
- At every interview, tell candidates when and how they will hear, and what feedback to expect.
- Decide the feedback policy by stage before you need it.
- Adapt the four templates and store them where every hiring manager can find them.
- Keep the panel's evidence and the letter together, securely.
For the fair process from advert to offer, read and download our recruitment and selection guide. The guide is free to read, and the PDF uses our short download form.
Want every hiring stage, including the letter nobody wants to write, to run to the same process for every candidate? Book a New Dynamics demo and bring your current workflow. You can also email contact@new-dynamics.com.
