No more ghosting: How companies reject their applicants fairly

Unfortunately, ghosting when applications are rejected is not uncommon. It doesn’t have to be. With these tips, you are fair in rejecting candidates.

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The application has been sent, there may already have been an interview – and then nothing more will come up; no answer, absolute radio silence, just nothing. They do not find out why it didn’t work out, what applicants may have done wrong, what they can do better next time.

We all know that very late or even no feedback is not uncommon. There are enough experience reports from friends and acquaintances. If you do get a written rejection, it is usually not very helpful because of empty phrases.

Many responsible persons are also unsure about the wording, because they do not want to make themselves vulnerable for a lawsuit with reference to the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). Of course, rejections are unpleasant (who likes to bring bad news?), But they are part of the daily HR business. And they often make up a large part of applicant communication.

Despite all the circumstances and concerns, we must not forget one thing: we HR managers are the first and often enough also the last faces that the candidates see from our companies. In other words: How we behave has an impact on how outsiders see and evaluate the company – especially in such an emotional situation as the application process.
So how can we recruiters communicate rejections fairly?

1. Take time = give time

Every application is associated with effort, time and energy. And yet, unfortunately, it is sometimes clear at first glance that the candidate and the advertised position do not go together. A large number of applications, the AGGs and a lack of time make it impossible to explain in detail in each case why it did not work out. In these cases, the method of choice is unfortunately the nicely worded short rejection, which is so important as feedback for applicants.

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With increasing experience, it quickly becomes clear when such short rejections will be used. But it is also clear when you should not use it under any circumstances. A good rule of thumb for this is: If an application catches the eye because a lot of effort has been made, this should also be reflected in the rejection – regardless of which step of the recruiting process the applicants are in. The further the candidate is in the process, the more detailed the rejection should be.

2. Reconsider your recruiting process

Speaking of time … even before the recruiting process is started, HR managers should clearly define it. What documents do we need? Which steps are useful? Is there anything in the previous process that is superfluous and can be left out? Do you need a cover letter for a developer position or is it more helpful, for example, to ask for links to GitHub repos? This gives us the opportunity to apply objective criteria to which we can also refer the rejections if necessary.

3. No unsolicited feedback

Now there is a case in which we want to and can give feedback. I have had the best experiences with not giving this right away, but first offering it in the refusal. This gives applicants the chance to digest the rejection first. In the subsequent communication, it is explained with a sure instinct and at eye level why it did not fit. On the one hand, this shows our appreciation and the applicants have the chance to improve.

We should be careful that the reasons are not contradicting each other; after all, we don’t want to cause confusion. From a company perspective, it is of course also important that no potentially discriminatory reasons such as age or gender are given. Such aspects should rightly not have played a role in the decision – and if they did, this suggests completely different problems than unqualified applicants.

4. See each other at least twice in a lifetime

One question that HR managers should always keep in mind is: What could it look like in a year’s time? Because the circumstances in the company can change, we have changed jobs ourselves or it is pure coincidence that the paths cross again – and at the latest then good communication pays off.

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I have often seen applicants thanking them for the very good process and the feedback despite being rejected. Or they contacted you again after a while because they saw a new advertisement – and then it worked. If the cancellation is fair and respectful, the company will be fondly remembered.

5. If it takes longer again …

Even if companies want a quick selection process out of self-interest, it can sometimes take a little longer. But we should consider the different perceptions of time. As a HR manager with a full desk, four weeks can go by in a flash. As an applicant for whom a new phase of life coincides with a new job, four weeks of radio silence is an eternity. And in case of doubt, another employer was even quicker. Therefore, in the event of delays, a short intermediate result with the request for more patience is a useful gesture.

Sending rejections is no fun, but it is part of every application process. Sometimes, as the person in charge, you have to jump beyond your own shadow and have unpleasant conversations. Every application is always a mutual matter – just as we get an impression of the applicants, they also get an impression of us and our company – and then pass this impression on to their circle of friends and social networks. The adage that you will see each other at least twice in a lifetime also often comes true. Today’s rejected applicant may well be tomorrow’s perfect cast.

Beatrice Kahl is Head of HR at Xayn, the secure European search engine. She previously worked for Deloitte & Touche, Deutsche Telekom and CrossEngage.

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