How to respond to a job rejection email? What to do after that?

It is hard to go through a failure, but it is needless to mourn failures as they usually lead to new beginnings. Finding a dream job is one of the most common and highly prioritized culmination that people struggle for, for a long period in their lives. And, indeed, it is never too easy to surpass in one go, as it seldom happens with a few people. Almost a large proportion of people quit when they face a job rejection. But  Ashley Tisdale instructs: “ Don’t let anyone or any rejection keep you from what you want.” 

Dealing with the failures is an art, and the failures in the pursuit of a dream job must be tackled with utter intelligence. So, what is the appropriate way of handling a job rejection email adequately without becoming fearful and anxious? Well, we will try to dig into the answer in this article.

How to respond to a job rejection email?

When you receive a job rejection email, you must control your emotions and find the most appropriate way of responding to it. It may look slightly awkward, and at times you do not know how to respond to the job rejection email aptly. But before going into writing a response email, these are the things that you need to remember in mind when responding to the email:

1.   Be proactive instead of Reactive: 

When it comes to responding to tough situations, it is essential not to let emotions overshadow your intelligence. Human nature coerces outrage and reactive responses at hard times. Such responses are not only useless but close the doors for opportunities in the future.

Remember, the immediate reaction is always disastrous. Therefore a while of calm and composure will make you proactive. So what exactly does proactive mean? By being proactive, it means controlling a situation rather than immediately reacting to it. Stephen R. Covey says that “the proactive approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it instantly, correct and learn from it.” You should use rejection to make you stronger and let it propel you toward intelligence.

It means that you must control your emotions and respond rationally. By responding to job rejection, literally means to reply to the email and take the necessary actions for improvement.

2.    Reflect on your interview:

Once you have found a way to become proactive instead of reactive, it is time to reflect on your interview. The rejection can be the outcome of any reason; therefore, you must identify the reason behind the rejection. When reflecting on the interview, you must ask yourself a few questions:

  • Was I fit for the job? 

First of all, you need to ask yourself if you are fit for the job. Mostly, people apply for jobs that may not be relevant to their field or areas of expertise. In such cases, your applications are rejected. Make sure to highlight if the job was right for you or according to your skills and abilities.

  • Was I fully prepared?

There are many candidates who are confident in their abilities to ace an interview; that is why they go unprepared. No matter how brilliant you are with communication, you need at least some preparation related to the job specifics. Reflect if you were adequately prepared for the interview or not.

  • What were my responses to their questions?

Now, reflect on the responses that you gave to the questions asked. Jot down your answers and do a critical analysis.

 Also Read: Answering the question- “What can you bring to the company?”

  • What could be better responses?

By doing critical analysis, you will realize the mistakes or the modifications the responses required. Ask yourself, what could be a better answer to the question? In this way, you will be able to create the best responses that may help in future interviews.

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Writing the response email: 

When writing a response email to a job rejection email, you have to mention five things:

  • A thank you for your time and consideration
  • Disappointment for not getting selected
  • A request to get considered for future opportunities
  • Reminding the hiring manager of skills and roles he is interested in
  • A request for feedback
  1. Be thankful for the opportunity:

Now, it is time to write an email in response to the job rejection email. You will begin it the way an email normally starts: with salutation and greetings. Introduce your email by expressing gratitude for offering you the opportunity for the interview. Be thankful for providing you with the opportunity to interview for their time and consideration. Tell them you appreciate the opportunity to learn about the company and job role. It is the most professional way of responding to their email that shows your courtesy.

2. Briefly mention your disappointment of rejection:

Move ahead with briefly mentioning your disappointment for not making it to the job. Briefly mention you were interested in the job and the organization, and the rejection left you disappointed. Be as concise and precise as possible to express the feeling of disappointment. Keeping it brief is essential to keep a positive tone. Never begin your email by expressing your disappointment; keep it in the middle. Also, do not vent whists showing your disappointment.

3. Show that you will be looking forward to their future job opportunities:

You will carry on the email by mentioning that you are interested in the job roles open in the company and the future opportunities. It will tell the hiring managers that you are interested and will require job-related information in the future. In this way, you will be among the first people to receive alerts of the jobs in the respective company.

4. Remind the hiring manager of your skills:

While it is essential to tell the recruiter that you are interested in future job openings, you must also mention the skills and roles you are interested in to help the recruiter what he should consider you for. Rather than just asking to consider you for future opportunities, you can mention the top two, three skills. It helps you mention your skills and interests and enables the hiring manager to understand the role you fit.

5. Request feedback on your application or interview:

In the end, ask for feedback for your application or interview. It will be highly beneficial as you will get critical analysis from the recruiter’s point of view, which you can use to make future improvements. Asking for feedback will also present you as a passionate, hardworking, and optimistic person in front of the recruiters. 

Also Read: Can I wear Jeans for a neutralization interview?

Example of job rejection email response:

Subject: Job Title – Your Name

Dear___________(Hiring manager),

Thank you for informing me regarding your hiring decision. I am grateful for the opportunity of the job interview provided to me to interact with your company and learn about it and the job role. While I am disappointed that my experience is not enough for the job position, I understand your decision and would like to apply for future jobs in your company. I would love to be considered for any future job openings available. I am interested in roles similar to A, B, and C(mention the names)

If suitable, I would love to get feedback about my application and interview. I am sure that your valuable feedback will help me for future job searches.

Thank you for your valuable time and consideration.

Sincerely,

XYZ

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Is it necessary to respond to a job rejection email?

 Many recipients read the first line of the rejection email that goes, “ We are sorry to inform you…..” and immediately discard the mail or close it. They do not even think that they must respond to the mail whilst employing a rational approach. Replying to the rejection mail is highly essential as long as the mail does not specify: Do not reply to the mail directly. Some of the reasons for replying to the job rejection email are:

  • It shows your professionalism:

Responding to a rejection email shows how courteous, polite, and optimistic you are. Thanking them for consideration even after not getting selected attests to your professionalism. The companies know that people who hide from their rejections never become successful. And facing them with courage and asking for improvement is a positive character that may impress the hiring managers.

  • Help you reflect on your interview:

The feedback they may offer on your demand will help you reflect on your interview or application. It can help you identify the mistakes that need to be corrected in the future.

  • Open new opportunities in the future: 

The professional behaviour towards the company and managers through your response may increase your chances of being considered for another suitable job. If they do not offer you another opportunity in their company and only provide you feedback, you can learn from your mistakes and prepare for other jobs. In this way, it can open up new opportunities for you.

Bottom line: 

Writing a response email to a job rejection email is the most professional and thoughtful way of following up the email. A response to the job rejection email contains a thank you for consideration and their time, disappointment for not qualifying, request for consideration for other jobs, and feedback on the application and interview. Writing a response email is essential as it shows your professionalism, helps you reflect on your interview, and may open new opportunities in the future.