When is the best time to let a candidate know that they have been rejected?
Legal Requirements There really aren’t any legal requirements or strict protocol regarding job rejection correspondence. As a result, candidates can be left in limbo as they do not know why they didn’t hear back from the company. A Best Practice A best practice is to follow up within 24 to 48 hours and let the […]
Legal Requirements
There really aren’t any legal requirements or strict protocol regarding job rejection correspondence. As a result, candidates can be left in limbo as they do not know why they didn’t hear back from the company.
A Best Practice
A best practice is to follow up within 24 to 48 hours and let the candidate know where you are in the decision-making process. At times, you may need longer than that, so setting realistic expectations on timelines up front is recommended.
Final Notes
The golden rule we learned as kids: to treat people the way we would want to be treated, can be applied to Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Usually, individuals want to hear why they are rejected from something. So, if appropriate, share feedback with the candidate at the time of rejection. How else will someone know what they might need to improve on?
One rule of thumb before rejecting candidates: always ensure the selected one has accepted first!
