Turn down a candidate: an annotated email example
Share the decision tactfully.
The situation
Mike had two interviews for the Communications Officer role. You chose another candidate with more media relations experience. You'd like to keep his CV for a future role.
Motivated, he put a lot into the process. He deserves a clear and respectful answer.
The winning structure
A good email for this situation includes these elements, in this order:
- A greeting with the recipient's first name.
- A thank-you
- A clear decision
- The reason (media experience)
- Keeping the CV
- A clear ask at the end: a question or an action with a deadline.
- A short sign-off, then your name.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out a thank-you : « Not even a thank-you for my time? »
- Leaving out a clear decision : « So… is that a no? I'm not sure I follow. »
- Leaving out the reason (media experience) : « What was I missing? »
- Leaving out keeping the CV : « So it's final, then? »
- A refusal or follow-up so polite it becomes vague: the reader doesn't know how to answer.
- Over-explaining instead of proposing a next step.
Write your own version: the recipient reacts and you get a score out of 100.
The annotated example
Try it yourself first: you'll remember more. Click to show the example.
Hi Mike,
- Greeting by first name: the reader knows it's for them.
Thank you for the time you gave to our two interviews.
- Includes: a thank-you.
We've decided to go with another candidate who has more media relations experience, so we won't be moving forward with your application.
- Includes: a clear decision.
- Includes: the reason (media experience).
We really liked your profile. May we keep your CV for a future role?
- Includes: keeping the CV.
- Clear ask: the reader knows what to do.
Kind regards,
Alex
- Short sign-off, then the name.
Why it works : 52 words against a target of 85, 7 words per sentence on average, no filler phrases.