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Your company’s hiring process is now complete; you offered the top candidate a job, and they thankfully accepted. Before you start onboarding your new employee, what about the other candidates who didn’t make the grade? Of course, letting them know about your final decision is the professional thing to do, but how do you go about informing them of the bad news?

Here are a few “best practices” for notifying the candidates who didn’t get the job. Follow these ideas to ensure your company’s reputation stays intact, especially if another job opening is expected to become available soon.

Timeliness is Important

After your chosen candidate accepts the job offer, don’t waste any time before informing the other candidates about the news. They are probably in the middle of their own job searches, and this information helps them with that process. A timely notification is a must.

Send an Email or Make a Phone Call?

If you interviewed many candidates, an individual email to each person is probably sufficient as a notification. For open positions where only two or three candidates made it through the final interview sessions, a phone call informing them of the reasons you went in another direction is the professional way.

Offer Meaningful Feedback to the Candidate

Whether you are using an email or a phone call to notify the candidate, make sure you offer them some tangible feedback on why the company made its choice. This only helps them better prepare for their own future job opportunities. Your organization also gains a measure of respect.

You May Reconsider a Candidate in the Future

Remember, you may consider some of these same candidates for a future job opening, so don’t burn any bridges. Additionally, if you approach this situation in a less than professional manner, word may get around on social media. Don’t forget about your company’s reputation when handling those candidates who didn’t get selected.

Standardize This Part of Your HR Process

The notification of rejected candidates needs to be a standardized part of your company’s HR process. Consider documenting these ideas so every hiring process is managed in a similar fashion. Consistency plays a big role in building the kind of office culture that attracts the most talented professionals.

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