You’ve just hired a new employee, and you tell the others you interviewed they didn’t get the job. One of them wants to know why. What’s the best response?

Here are some keys to keep in mind when communicating with rejected candidates:

• Say something, if you have time (depending on the volume of applicants), either through a letter, e-mail or phone call. Often, you won’t be able to get back to everyone who sent a resume, but it’s worth getting back to quality candidates you interviewed — you may have something open down the line that they’d be interested in.
• If someone asks why they didn’t get the job, keep it simple — for example, just say another candidate was more qualified.
• Don’t comment on the rejected applicant — make it about the person you did hire. For example, instead of something like, “We felt you didn’t have enough experience,” say, “The candidate we chose had the most experience.”
• Don’t go into details if the unsuccessful applicant presses. You’ll most likely just get dragged into a conversation in which he or she tries to change your mind.

How do you handle communication with unsuccessful job applicants? Share your advice in the comments section below.

Tags: rejection letter, unsuccessful applicants