Candidate rejection email templates for every stage of the process
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A candidate rejection email after an interview should do four things in a few sentences: thank the candidate for the specific conversation, give the decision clearly in the first two lines, say what happens next, and arrive within a few business days of the decision. Keep any reason short, job-related and consistent with what you recorded, or leave it out. Anyone who reached a final round should hear it on a call first.
Below are ten templates by stage, including the two that agency recruiters send most often: the candidate the client did not select from the resume, and the one the client passed on after meeting. After the templates you will find the phrases to take out, how to answer a request for feedback, and how to pass on client feedback without repeating something you should not.
What every rejection email needs
| Element | Why | Example line |
|---|---|---|
| Their name and the role | Proves this is not a mass email sent to the wrong person | "Thanks for meeting Dana on Tuesday about the Payroll Lead role." |
| The decision, early | A candidate scanning on a phone should not have to read three paragraphs to find it | "We've decided not to move forward with your application." |
| A reason, only if it is safe | Job-related and documented, or absent | "We're progressing candidates with hands-on NetSuite close experience." |
| What happens next | Closes the loop, or keeps a real door open | "If a role on the AP team opens, may I contact you?" |
| A human sender | Replies go to someone who reads them | Your name and direct email, not a no-reply address |
Leave out apologies that sound like the decision is still open ("unfortunately, at this time"), promises you will not keep ("we'll keep your resume on file"), and anything about the other candidates.
Ten rejection email templates by stage
Replace the brackets. Delete any line you cannot fill honestly, including the reason line.
1. After a phone screen (in-house recruiter)
Subject: Your application for [Role] at [Company]
Hi [First name],
Thank you for speaking with me on [day] about the [Role] position.
I enjoyed hearing about [one specific thing they told you].
We've decided not to move your application forward for this role.
We're progressing candidates whose experience is closer to [must-have
from the job description, stated neutrally].
I appreciate the time you gave us, and I wish you well with your search.
[Your name]
[Title], [Company]The reason sentence is optional. Keep it only if it is the reason you recorded in your applicant tracking system (ATS) and it names a requirement from the posting.
2. After a phone screen (agency recruiter, not submitting)
Subject: [Role] with my client: an update
Hi [First name],
Thanks for your time on [day]. I've looked at the [Role] role against
what the client told me they need, and I'm not going to put you forward
for this one. The main reason is [job-related gap, e.g. "they need at
least two years running payroll for multiple states"], and I don't want
to send you into a process where that is the first question.
I have not shared your details with the client, so you are free to
pursue this role another way if you choose.
This isn't a view on your background overall. You're a strong fit for
[type of role], and I'd like to call you when I have one. Is that okay?
[Your name]
[Phone]The second paragraph matters. A candidate who gave you consent to submit may assume they are in the process; telling them you did not submit prevents confusion later if another agency or the company contacts them.
3. After a first interview with the hiring manager
Subject: [Role] at [Company]: our decision
Hi [First name],
Thank you for meeting [interviewer name] on [day] and for the preparation
you put into it.
We've decided not to invite you to the next stage. The team is moving
forward with candidates who showed more depth in [must-have assessed in
the interview].
If you would like brief feedback on the interview, reply to this email
and I'll set up a 10-minute call.
Best,
[Your name]Only offer the feedback call if you, or the hiring manager, will actually make it.
4. After a final round (sent after you have called)
Subject: Following up on our call about [Role]
Hi [First name],
Thank you again for taking my call today. To confirm in writing: we
won't be making you an offer for the [Role] position.
You met [number] people over [number] conversations, and I know that was
a real commitment of your time. As I mentioned, the decision came down to
[the one job-related point you gave on the call].
[If true: I would like to stay in touch about future roles on the team.]
Thank you,
[Your name]The email repeats the call. It adds nothing new, especially no second reason.
5. Silver medalist: a strong finalist you want back
Subject: [Role]: our decision, and staying in touch
Hi [First name],
Thank you for your time throughout the process. You were one of the
final candidates for [Role], and this was a close decision. We've offered
the position to another candidate whose experience in [job-related point]
matched what the team needs right now.
I don't want this to be the last conversation. [Only if true: We expect
to hire for a similar role on this team in the next few months.] May I
contact you directly when a role like this opens?
With thanks,
[Your name]
[Direct email]Write "this was a close decision" only when it was. Tag the candidate as a finalist in your ATS with the date and the role, so the next recruiter on the desk can find them.
6. Internal candidate (after the conversation, never instead of it)
Subject: The [Role] process: next steps for you
Hi [First name],
Thank you for talking with me and [hiring manager] today. As we
discussed, we've selected another candidate for the [Role] position.
I want to make sure the process was useful for you. You'll hear from
[manager or HR contact] by [date] to set up a conversation about
[development area discussed, e.g. "leading a project with budget
ownership"], which was the main gap for this role.
This decision stays between the people involved in the process until
the announcement on [date].
[Your name]Internal candidates should hear the news in person or on video from the hiring manager before any email, and before the announcement. For the rest of that process, see interviewing internal candidates.
7. Agency: the client passed on the resume
Subject: Update on [Role] with [Client or "my client"]
Hi [First name],
I heard back from the client on [Role]. They've decided not to interview
you for this position. Their feedback was that they are prioritizing
candidates with [job-related point from the client].
That's their call on this role, not a judgment on your career. I still
think you're a strong fit for [type of role], and I'll be in touch when
I have one that matches.
Thanks for letting me put you forward.
[Your name]
[Phone]Use the client's name only if your agreement with the client allows it and the candidate already knows it. For confidential searches keep to "my client".
8. Agency: the client passed after the interview (sent after your call)
Subject: [Client] [Role]: confirming our call
Hi [First name],
Thanks for taking my call. To confirm: [Client] has decided not to move
forward with you for the [Role] position.
The feedback I can share is:
- [Job-related point, e.g. "they wanted more examples of leading a
system migration end to end"]
- [Strength they noted, e.g. "they were impressed by your reconciliation
process"]
You handled a demanding interview well, and the feedback on [strength]
will help with the next client. I'll call you when I have the next role.
[Your name]Include the strength only if the client actually named one. The translation from what clients say to what you pass on is covered further down.
9. The role was cancelled or put on hold
Subject: [Role]: the position is on hold
Hi [First name],
I want to let you know that [Company / my client] has [put the hiring for
[Role] on hold / closed the [Role] position]. This is a decision about
the role, not about you, and it applies to every candidate in the process.
[If on hold: I don't have a date for when it might reopen. If it does,
I'll contact you first and check you are still interested.]
Thank you for your time and your patience.
[Your name]Send this only if it is true for every candidate. If the role is still open for others, use a template above.
10. After a take-home assignment or work sample
Subject: Your [assignment name] for [Role]
Hi [First name],
Thank you for completing the [assignment]. We know it took real time,
and the team reviewed it carefully against the criteria we shared.
We've decided not to move you forward to the next stage. The main area
where other submissions were stronger was [criterion from the brief,
e.g. "the prioritization of the backlog items"].
If it would help, I'm happy to share the two or three notes the reviewers
made on your submission. Reply and I'll send them.
Best,
[Your name]Call first or email only
| Stage reached | Channel | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Applied, not screened | Email, often from the ATS | Personalize the role name at least |
| Phone screen | Template 1 or 2 | |
| First interview | Email; call if they met several people | Template 3 |
| Final round | Call, then email the same day | Template 4 or 5 |
| Internal candidate | Conversation with the hiring manager, then email | Template 6 |
| Agency, client passed on resume | Email, or a call if the candidate was very keen | Template 7 |
| Agency, client passed after interview | Call, then email | Template 8 |
On the call, say the decision in the first sentence: "I'm calling with news on the Payroll Lead role, and it isn't the outcome you wanted. They've decided not to make an offer." Then stop and let them respond before you give the reason. Candidates remember a recruiter who took two minutes of small talk before the bad news far less kindly than one who was direct.
The reason line: what to say and what to leave out
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Anti-discrimination rules differ by country, state, city and employer size. Confirm what applies to your situation with your employment counsel.
Under US federal law, as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) summarizes it, hiring decisions may not be based on race, color, religion, sex (including transgender status, sexual orientation and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. The rejection email does not make the decision, but it is a written record of how the decision was explained. Four rules keep that record clean:
- Match the documented reason. The reason in the email should be the one in your ATS disposition and the scorecard. A different, kinder reason in the email creates two stories.
- Name a job requirement. Something from the posting or the intake, assessed the same way for every candidate.
- No proxies. Words that can be read as a comment on a protected characteristic cause the problem even when nobody meant it that way.
- No second reason to soften the first. Extra reasons invite argument and contradict the record.
| Take out | Why | Say instead, if it is the real reason |
|---|---|---|
| "We wanted someone with more energy" or "a digital native" | Reads as a comment on age. The EEOC gives an ad seeking "recent college graduates" as an example that may break the law. | "The role needs two years of hands-on work in [system]." |
| "You're overqualified" | Often heard as an age or pay comment, and it explains nothing | "The role has no people management, which you told me you want" or "Your expectation is above the approved range of [range]." |
| "Not the right culture fit" | Unexplained, so the candidate fills in the reason | The specific requirement, or no reason |
| "We were worried about the hours with your family commitments" | Family status and sex stereotypes | Nothing. The schedule question should have been asked of every candidate in the same words. |
| Anything about accent, health, a medical gap, religion or where someone is from | National origin, disability and religion | Leave it out entirely |
| "The successful candidate is a local person with young kids like the team" | Describes another candidate's characteristics | "We offered the role to another finalist." |
If the candidate complained about discrimination during the process, have HR or counsel read the email before it goes. The EEOC page linked above also lists retaliation against someone who complained about discrimination as illegal, and a rejection sent the day after a complaint needs a clear, documented job-related basis. For the notes behind the decision, see what not to write in interview notes.
When the candidate asks for feedback
Decide the policy before anyone asks. A common one: short feedback for candidates who reached an interview, none for applications. Take the feedback from the scorecard, not from memory, and keep it to one or two points the candidate could act on.
Hi [First name],
Thanks for asking. The main point from the interview team was
[job-related point, e.g. "your examples of stakeholder management were
from projects where someone else owned the budget, and this role owns
a $2M budget from day one"].
[Optional strength: They also noted [specific strength].]
I hope that's useful. It doesn't change the decision on this role,
but it may help in your next process.
[Your name]If the feedback cannot be made specific and job-related, the honest reply is short: "The team chose a candidate whose experience in [requirement] was closer to what they need. I don't have more detailed feedback I can share." That is better than inventing detail.
Agency recruiters: passing client feedback on
Client feedback arrives unfiltered and often in shorthand. Your job is to turn it into something accurate, job-related and useful before it reaches the candidate.
| The client said | Ask the client | You tell the candidate |
|---|---|---|
| "Not senior enough." | "Senior in what: team size, budget, the scope of decisions?" | "They wanted examples of owning the budget, not supporting it." |
| "Didn't gel with the team." | "What did you see in the interview that led there?" | The specific behavior, if it is job-related, or "they chose another finalist" |
| "Too expensive." | "Against the approved range, or against what you expected?" | "Your expectation was above what they can pay for this role." |
| "Weak technically." | "Which question or task?" | "The system design question: they wanted more on how you'd handle failover." |
When client feedback crosses a line
Sometimes a client says what they should not: "she's just had a baby, she won't stay", "we need someone younger for this team", "his accent will be a problem with customers". Do not pass it on, do not act on it, and do not repeat it in any email to the candidate. The EEOC's page on coverage of employment agencies states that an employment agency may not honor discriminatory employer preferences.
- Tell the client plainly that you can only work with feedback about the job requirements, and ask for that.
- Write a factual internal note of what was said, when and by whom, and tell your manager the same day.
- Keep submitting candidates on the job requirements, including candidates like the one the comment was about.
Timing, tracking and records
- Keep the promise you made at the end of the interview. If you said "by Friday" and there is no decision, email on Friday to say so and give a new date.
- Reject in the order people were seen. Candidates who were screened out early should not wait for the final round to finish.
- Use a disposition reason in your ATS that matches the email, so reporting on why candidates drop out is possible. Agency desks can track the same field for client rejections, which is where the recruiting agency metrics on submittals and interviews start.
- Keep the records. The federal regulation at 29 CFR 1602.14 requires covered employers to keep application forms and other hiring records for one year from the record or the decision, whichever is later, and longer once a discrimination charge has been filed. State rules and contracts can add to this.
Before you press send
- The name, role and company are right, and the merge fields filled.
- One candidate per email. Never a group email with visible addresses.
- The decision is in the first two lines.
- The reason, if any, matches the ATS record and names a job requirement.
- Nothing promises a future role you are not planning to call them about.
- Final-round, internal and pre-closed agency candidates heard it on a call first.
Questions people ask
Should I tell a candidate why they were rejected?
A short, job-related reason that matches what you recorded is usually fine and candidates value it. If you cannot state the reason in terms of a requirement from the job description, leave the reason out rather than improvising one.
How soon after an interview should a rejection go out?
Within the timeframe you gave the candidate at the end of the interview, and ideally within two business days of the decision. If the decision is not made yet, send a short update saying so instead of going quiet.
Is it better to reject by phone or by email?
Email is fine after an application or a phone screen. Anyone who reached a final round, an internal candidate, or an agency candidate you pre-closed deserves a call first, followed by a short email the same day so the decision is in writing.
What if a rejected candidate asks to be reconsidered?
Thank them, say the decision for this role stands, and do not reopen it by email. If they add information that changes a knockout, such as a license you did not know about, take it back to the hiring manager and tell the candidate you have done so and when you will reply.