THE ART OF REJECTION, PART II - FOR CANDIDATES: HANDLING REJECTION GRACEFULLY

Cross-post from Gray Scalable's Blog

Just because I’m a recruiter, doesn’t mean I haven’t been on the other end of the rejection conversation.  I’ve left interviews pumped up and sure I had it in the bag, only to hear the thunderous sound of silence that followed.  Here’s how to handle rejection gracefully:

Follow Up
Having done a lot of high-volume recruiting, I actually really appreciate it when a candidate follows up with me – even if I’m going to reject them for that job, I’m more likely to consider that person again the next time around if their follow up is that right mix of persistent, but not too persistent. 

Reject Them Well Too
It’s not just the company interviewing that’s doing the potential rejecting here.  Remember, as a candidate, you are interviewing the company as a prospective employer as much as they are interviewing you as a possible employee.  So, if the match just isn’t there for you, make sure to handle that with as much sensitivity as you’d hope they would with you.  Accepting a competing offer is the easiest way to bow out of the process. But if you haven’t landed yet, it’s still important that you close the loop right.  They’ll respect that you’re not just looking for any old job – and will respect your honesty if you let them know the objective reasons you don’t want to pursue the job anymore.   That leads to the next point….

Stay Classy
Remember that this is a very, very small world. Social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have connected us globally and have made it even smaller.   Your reputation will follow you, so the way you react to rejection will too. 

Take the Hint
Sometimes, companies are just plain bad at closing the loop.  Or, sometimes, they string candidates along forever because they can’t deliver a tough message (think about Milton from Office Space never quite getting fired).  Maybe they’ve intentionally gone dark – or maybe they just got too busy.   Either way, if a hiring manager or recruiter has stopped replying to your follow-up emails or calls – it’s probably time to move on.  

Don’t Take to the Airwaves
Even if you don’t like the outcome – or the way the company managed the message to you – it’s best to keep your feedback about that off of social media.  You won’t change the outcome, and you run the risk of damaging your own reputation. 

Remember that candidates and companies alike struggle with rejecting.  Best thing to do is not to take it personally, to learn from whatever feedback you do receive, and to use that information to shape what it is you’re really looking for in the next career move. 

THE ART OF REJECTION - PART I: FOR COMPANIES

Cross-post from Gray Scalable

I have a confession: rejecting candidates is the worst part of my job as a recruiter. I feel like a dream-killer, that messenger bearing bad news waiting to be shot.  But over the years, I’ve found that the way I reject candidates makes a huge difference, and makes it less painful to do. When done right, rejecting candidates can go a long way to cultivate long-term relationships and build employer brands.  Too much of a lemon into lemonade, you say?  Read on.

For companies doing the rejecting, it’s a delicate dance.  You need to be true to your hiring plan and maintain a high bar. But even the least qualified and most unlikeable candidates need to have a great experience as they interact with you and your company’s brand. And the candidates you really loved but couldn’t hire for whatever reason?  You definitely need to give them the white glove treatment.  Here are a few guidelines for how to reject people the right way:

Be Timely
Once you’ve made the decision, figure out the best timing for delivering your message.  There’s a degree of subjectivity here, but most of the time, you probably don’t want to reject someone too quickly after meeting them for the first time. That can give the impression that they never stood a chance in the first place – or that you rejected them without giving it enough thought.  And you pretty much never should reject them on the spot.  But don’t let it fester too long either – don’t let candidates find out by default when they see you take down a job posting, for example.  If possible, set expectations at the outset about when you’ll get back to them – say, after a round of interviews is complete, or after a week’s time.   Set reminders in your calendar and follow through on your commitment.

Be Honest
There’s a tendency either to give way too much information, or to give none at all.  Some companies are so risk-averse that they have policies prohibiting giving a reason for rejecting a candidate.  My advice is to keep it human, keep it brief, and be as honest as you can be. In most cases, you can honestly say that you had to make a tough decision, and ultimately had to go with someone whose experience was a closer match to the job description.  It’s better if you can give more details (were they missing some key skill?) – but it’s best to keep the topic of your feedback to objective measures like their skills and ability to do the job, and not their personality or culture fit.  While a lot of companies leave the rejecting to HR or Recruiting precisely because it can be a sticky area, if you are the hiring manager, it’s important to be prepared with an honest answer to a follow-up call or email from a candidate who was rejected.     

Be Nice
It’s hard to interview.  It’s uncomfortable and emotional, and many times, there’s a lot riding on the interviews for the candidate.  So, just be nice, but not overly so.  Keep the feedback brief and objective, and don’t shy away from saying you enjoyed meeting the candidate – who knows, you may consider them again in the future, or you may end up working with them elsewhere in the future. 

At the end of the day, you’re basically following The Golden Rule.  Treat candidates as you’d like to be treated, and always keep your employment brand in mind.  Everyone’s ultimately a potential customer!