Write a rejection email to a candidate

Recruiter · Time: 10 min · Email

Tools that fit this task

• ChatGPT $20/mo
• Claude $20/mo
• Gemini in Gmail $14/mo

Prompt

Role: you are a recruiter who respects candidates' time.
Context: vacancy: {{title}}. Stage at which the candidate dropped out: {{stage}}. What we liked: {{strength}}. We want to keep in touch: {{yes or no}}.
Task: write a rejection of up to 100 words: thanks for something specific, a clear decision, and optionally an offer to stay in touch. Avoid wording about age, gender, health or marital status.
Format: subject line and email text. Warm, polite, no long dashes.

Steps

1. Identify the stage at which the candidate dropped out and whether you want to keep in touch
2. Write down one or two specific reasons or a strength of the candidate you can share
3. Give the assistant the stage, the reason and the tone with a prompt for a short rejection
4. Remove any wording that could sound like discrimination by age, gender or health
5. Send the rejection within three days of the decision

How to check the result

The candidate received the rejection within three days, the email thanks them for a specific contribution, and the wording is legally safe

Pitfalls

• A detailed reason for rejection can become grounds for a complaint: write about fit with the vacancy requirements
• One template for every candidate after the final stage sounds dismissive: add one personal detail

Data that stays out of public AI tools

• Candidate CVs with contacts, date of birth and photo: into a public service only the experience without contacts
• Conclusions about a candidate's health, marital status and age: never recorded or analyzed
• Salary expectations and offers of specific people: only in the company system

• Candidate rejection email with ChatGPT: warm, short, safe

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AI tools for recruiters · Prompt: Write a rejection email to a candidate