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Keeping in Touch with Rejected Candidates




A job candidate you don't hire today may still be a viable—or even a top—candidate tomorrow. Savvy HR pros know this, but they still may not stay in touch with these candidates who don't get interviews or job offers.

"Today's candidate that you turn down may be tomorrow's candidate or maybe tomorrow's client or some other connection," said Jay Meschke, president of CBIZ Talent & Compensation Solutions, an executive recruiting and consulting firm based in Kansas City, Mo.

Read the rest of the article:
Building Relationships with the People You Don't Hire
SHRM | Oct 2019

Delivering bad news can be a daunting task, said Diane Nicholas, a consultant at WK Advisors, a division of executive search firm Witt/Kieffer, based in Oak Brook, Ill. "When companies fail to provide feedback and close the loop with unsuccessful candidates, they miss out on the opportunity to end the process on a high note and ensure that the candidate walks away with a positive lasting impression."
How You Reject a Job Candidate Defines Your Recruitment Strategy
SHRM | Sep 2016

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More on Keeping in Touch with Rejected Candidates

Companies can't afford to turn off their pipeline to good talent. One candidate source that we so often forget are people who have interviewed with the company before. Not every candidate who is rejected is a terrible fit. Maybe another candidate has more experience. Or the candidate is awesome but the company doesn't have an opening.
5 Steps for Sourcing Candidates You Have Interviewed But Rejected
HR Bartender | Feb 2019

Great recruiters understand the long-term impact candidates have on their company, and they handle rejections thoughtfully. They deliver the bad news politely and with respect. They offer feedback and resources to help the rejected candidate improve their skill set and job search. They put themselves in the candidate's shoes to help turn the rejection into an opportunity for learning and growth.
The Art of Turning Rejected Candidates into Allies
Hire by Google | Oct 2018

Recruiters know the hiring process can be a wild ride full of ups and downs. Keeping strong candidates available and interested even when you didn't hire them will help you stay prepared when you need to fill roles quickly. Not only that, but a great fit will reduce turnover in the future. Keeping in touch may be a little extra work, but in the end it's a certified win-win for you and your future hires.
How to keep in touch with great candidates you didn't hire
Spring Venture Group | Oct 2018

Related Reading

Perhaps going through that discomfort of actually being real and honest about rejection could potentially yield you some referrals or just keep a great line of communication open with a candidate who could be the right fit for a job at your company six months or a year from now.
3 Ways to Reject Candidates Without Making Them Feel Rejected
Recruiting Tools | Jun 2017

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