The art of rejection: how to turn down candidates the right way
Rejecting candidates can be one of the most challenging parts of the recruitment process, but there’s a right and a wrong way to let them know they haven’t got the job – or the interview.
The way an organisation treats unsuccessful candidates speaks volumes about its workplace culture. If you leave candidates hanging, you’re telling them that you don’t value their time. If you don’t provide constructive feedback, you’re saying that you aren’t interested in skills development.
No matter the size of your organisation, recruitment is a significant investment of time – you’re likely to turn down more candidates than you hire. We asked two HR leaders for strategies on making the rejection process as positive and productive as it can be.
Building brand advocates
Emily Jaksch, founder of HR consultancy HR Gurus, says every part of the recruitment process should be seen as a branding exercise.
“There’s a marketing adage that if someone has a good experience with your brand, they may tell two people, but if they have a bad experience, they are likely to tell 10 people,” she says.
“The same can be said of a recruitment experience. If a candidate has a good experience and is treated with respect, they are also likely to apply for another role with your organisation down the track.” Emily Jaksch, founder of HR consultancy HR Gurus, says every part of the recruitment process is a branding moment – and a culture test.
“There’s a classic marketing rule: if someone has a great experience, they might tell two people. If it’s a bad one, they’ll tell ten,” she says. “The same applies to recruitment. Candidates remember how they were treated – especially the ones who don’t get the job. If they walk away thinking, ‘I didn’t get the role, but wow, that’s a business I’d love to work for one day,’ then you’re doing it right.”
Jaksch says this is particularly critical when it comes to attracting Gen Z.
“Gen Z cares deeply about values, transparency and how people are treated – even in the rejection process. For them, culture isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a dealbreaker. If your hiring process feels cold, dismissive or bureaucratic, they’ll swipe left – and they’ll tell their friends.”
Her advice? Treat every candidate like a future ambassador.
“How you treat people when you don’t need them says everything about how you treat people when you do.”
Katriina Tahka, CEO of A Human Agency, says the recruitment process is about forging relationships with people that may one day go to represent your organisation.
“There is a still an old-fashioned arrogance among some employers that they are in the seat of power because they are the ones with the job and the salary,” she says.
“However, the balance of power has shifted. Candidate care is something that the best hiring managers are discussing because they know that if they don’t communicate with them in a respectful and timely way, candidates have so many options that they may lose them. A good candidate experience creates a brand advocate.”
Timing is everything
In today’s fast-paced, ‘have it now’ culture – especially for Gen Z – a clunky, drawn-out recruitment process is a major red flag.
“A recruitment process can take time, but there’s no reason to keep candidates hanging,” says Jaksch. “Some employers take weeks to get back to an unsuccessful candidate – even after multiple interviews. I’ve heard of people going through three rounds and then hearing nothing. That’s just lazy and disrespectful.”
She says Gen Z in particular won’t tolerate being left in the dark.
“This generation grew up with instant feedback – they expect communication to be clear, fast and human. If your hiring process feels slow, cold or dismissive, they’ll move on – and they’ll tell their network why.”
Jaksch’s advice? Keep it tight and transparent.
“Aim to get back to candidates within a week of the interview. If it’s going to take longer, say so. Keep them in the loop. It’s simple – and it shows your culture in action.”
Closing the loop
What about the candidates who don’t make it to interview stage? The way you communicate with them will say at lot about your workplace culture.
According to research for SEEK, 71% of candidates say they've been ghosted by a potential employer at some point. And it has a lasting impact with 1 in 3 (34%) say being ghosted makes them feel worse about the company, and over half (53%) say it would make them unlikely to reapply for another role there.
No matter how many applications you receive for a role, there are tools to help you close the loop with unsuccessful candidates.
“You can use SEEK to automate this process,” Jaksch says. “You can select all of the candidates you wish to contact and create a standard bulk email thanking them for their application and letting them know that they have been unsuccessful. It saves you time and ensures your candidates are informed in a prompt and professional manner.”
If a candidate has taken the time to come to for an interview, they deserve more than a rejection letter in their inbox.
“An email is not acceptable in this case,” Jaksch says. “If you’ve met a candidate in person, call them. Let them know where they fell short, and do it with empathy and clarity. People genuinely appreciate knowing their strengths and where the gaps are in their experience.”
And with Gen Z, this matters even more.
“We’re seeing a rise in rejection sensitivity with younger candidates – especially Gen Z. They’re entering the workforce during uncertain times, and many are still building their confidence. A blunt rejection with no context can knock them around. A respectful call, with honest feedback, shows you’re a business that cares about people – not just filling seats.”
Tahka says hiring manager should take time to understand why a candidate was unsuccessful.
“I don’t think a lot of companies are very good at articulating this,” she says. “They often hide behind statements, such as ‘not a good cultural fit’, which can often disguise potentially discriminatory or biased judgements about a person.
“Take the time to gain clarity about why a candidate wasn’t successful and then consider the manner in which you share that information with that person,” Tahka adds.
“Start with something positive. For example, tell them that their communication skills are great and they have strong market knowledge, but they don’t have as much experience in a particular area. By telling them the skills that they can actively improve on, you’re giving them something valuable that they can take from the recruitment experience.”
When in doubt, Tahka suggests putting yourself in the shoes of the candidate.
“If you are looking for qualities such as empathy and emotional intelligence in a candidate, then you need to ensure that you use these skills when you’re communicating with them.”
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 12,000 Australians annually. Published June 2025.