You went through the numerous rounds of interviews. You established great rapport (and—dare you say—even a friendly bond) with your potential new boss. You reached the final stages of the hiring process and you knew it. All that was left to do was wait for the decision. But when an email finally appeared in your inbox, you skimmed the first couple lines, and your eyes stopped on that one sentence: “Unfortunately, we decided to move ahead with another candidate.”
Your heart sinks into your shoes, and you want to cry or throw something (or both). But before you send an “I didn’t want this job anyway, so joke’s on you” email, order a glitter bomb, or dissolve into a puddle of self-pity, take a deep breath and try to read the situation for what it is: You got really close. Final-round interviews typically mean you’re competing with only one or two other people. The hiring manager likely remains very impressed with your skills, but for some reason—which may or may not even be related to you—they hired someone else.
And so, to make the best of the situation, you need to find a way to politely respond to that job rejection email.
Why you should respond to a job rejection
I know, it’s tempting to slink off into a dark corner and pretend the whole thing never happened. Getting the old, “Thanks, but no thanks,” is humbling enough, without having to swallow your pride, paste on a smile, and write something friendly and professional in return. But it’s important that you do indeed respond.
For starters, it’s a great way to demonstrate your professionalism and establish the grounds for a continued relationship. Plus—in some circumstances—you can even open the door for future opportunities. Don’t throw away all the effort you’ve put into this company by ghosting now.
Alright, you get it. But now comes the hard part: actually drafting the email…
