The Best Way to Reject Job Candidates
By Brenda Abdilla
Anyone posting a position in the current job market knows that there are some candidates who passionately insist that they are the right person for the job. Personalized feedback to job candidates is not always possible, and it is probably not a great idea anymore. Hiring managers are often too busy, plus there is the liability issue; being honest with people about their shortfalls can backfire. Here are some tips to help appropriately reject job candidates:
1. Manage expectations from the onset. Make the process clear to each candidate. For example, if a candidate makes it the first two steps with our company, we tell them the next step is to review their paperwork with the hiring manager. If the hiring manager selects them for a third interview, they will hear from us within 10 days. If not, they know the process is finished. This reduces the number of passionate pleas we get from good people who were simply not selected for the next round of interviews. When we do follow up, it is a nice touch versus an expectation.
2. When you make contact be vague not specific. As tempting as it is to tell people the truth about their shortfalls, they will almost always beg to differ with you. It seems rejection has become an invitation to try harder, so don’t be direct unless you are prepared to have an argument. Use a broad comment such as, “We’re going in another direction,” or “We’ve made our final selection of candidates and you weren’t selected,” instead of specifics.
3. Eliminate candidates who are overly insistent. There is a 99.9% chance that the role you are hiring for involves some type of customer interaction. So realize that the way the candidate follows up with you will be the way she interacts with your customers if you hire her. If the candidate is leaving intense voice mails or insistent emails, you can assume she will do the same with your customers. Look instead for kindness, consideration and professional persistence in the candidate follow-up process.
Brenda Abdilla is the president of Management Momentum. She founded it to focus on a small number companies and to utilize her passion for improving sales and management performance. Contact her at 303-456-1210 or www.managementmomentum.net.
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