Many paint the business world as the land of milk and honey?a land that promises an abundance of opportunities. But wait until you grab one and it will dawn on you that you’ve entered a cutthroat industry that doesn’t think twice about rejection. Even if you are already aware that rejection is an inevitable part of life in general, you can never be ready when it finally comes. And just like how difficult it is to be on the receiving end, it can also be as difficult when you’re the one doing the act of rejecting such as writing rejection letters.
Being the bearer of bad news to countless hopeful applicants and aspiring entrepreneurs is not a joke. However, learning the right steps in writing rejection letters that people can comprehend and accept goes a long way. Learn more about rejection letters as we discuss its basic concepts in this article and we have also included rejection letter samples for your conveniece.
Rejection letters are sent to inform someone that he or she is being turned down, be it from a job interview, college application, prospective landlord, business funding, or a service provider. Writing and sending rejection letters is a courteous act that does not only help in making improvements on your company’s job hiring practices but is also instrumental in creating impressive brand goodwill and reputation. Rejection letters also give the closure they need so they can proceed to explore other possibilities and opportunities.
The language used in writing rejection letters is business-like and direct to the point. It leaves no room for personal inputs, jokes, apologies, and so on that might translate differently and distastefully by the recipients.
A rejection letter should not exceed more than three paragraphs. The first paragraph is the introductory paragraph. The writer states the primary purpose of the letter in this paragraph. Make it a point to acknowledge the efforts of the candidate or applicant within this part of your letter. It is then followed by the second paragraph or the supporting paragraph, where the writer further explains the details of the rejection, the reasons behind it, and what led to the writer’s decision to turn down the request. One should not incorporate details that can insult the recipient and do more harm in the process. Then last, the third paragraph or the concluding paragraph is the part of the rejection letter where the writer expresses gratitude and well wishes. This part should be short and straightforward since otherwise, it will only make your intentions superficial.
Like that of other formal letters, writing a rejection letter is not rocket science. However, if you lack the basic knowledge of the things that should and should not be included in a rejection letter, writing one will surely be a challenge. That said, do take some notes of what elements to include in your rejection letter and the things that you should not even dare add to its contents.
When you think of rejection letters, you would often associate it with job applications. While this is true, other circumstances warrant a rejection letter. Get to know more about other types of rejection letters below.
Writing rejection letters for some may be a taxing job for most people, especially those from the Human Resources department who deals with a mountain of job applications on the daily. But even with that fact, sending rejection letters is as important as sending acceptance letters. Sending one is not just a matter of “respect begets respect,” but the reasons can be more crucial than that.
As mentioned, writing rejection letters is not some rocket science that will rack one’s brains out. But if writing a rejection letter is part of your job, it is your responsibility to successfully write a letter that successfully relays your intended message to your intended audience. Receiving rejection letters is already tricky. Do not make it even more difficult by writing a letter with poorly written content. Thus, you can make use of the following simple guidelines that will help you come up with a well-written rejection letter that recipients won’t find difficult reading and understanding.
Do you know that rejection letters can be a form of good news, too? It is good news, which means the recipient is being redirected to a path they were meant to be in (but you don’t have to say this to them explicitly). That is why it crucial to be straightforward when it comes to writing a rejection letter. You don’t have to bother with composing too many long and rambling sentences that will only give the impression that you are defensive with your decision. A good rejection letter should straight up say that you have considered things, but unfortunately, you didn’t see it working out for you. Otherwise, you are only giving the person a chance to make an argument with your decisions.
While it is highly encouraged to write directly to the point, a rejection letter that starts with gratitude will liven up the inherently heavy and overwhelming nature of rejection letters. Expressing gratitude should be your priority upon writing a rejection letter. When you express your gratitude, you may say thank you for making an effort to know your company or even in the act of taking an interest in them. You are already rejecting them, and the last thing you can do is to discourage them and deny them of gratitude and acknowledgment. Even if you are not writing a friendly letter, expressing gratitude in your rejection letter will make recipients feel less frustrated.
A simple statement that represents your sympathy regarding the situation at hand can already suffice to appease the letter recipients. You don’t have to say sorry profusely throughout the content of your letter, as this could induce self-pity feelings at the end of the recipient. Sure, no one is really at fault, but it’s common courtesy to apologize to someone, especially after denying them something.
No one wants a rejection letter, but even if rejection letters are both difficult to receive and write, it is an important communication effort that many can benefit from. When tasked to write one, do your best to be as tact as possible. You may also make use of the ready-made rejection letter templates and examples uploaded in this article to help you to start writing a rejection letter if you still find it challenging to write one.
Donation request letters and forms are crucial tools used by organizations to seek financial or in-kind support from individuals, businesses, and philanthropic entities. These documents convey a compelling need,…
continue reading
40% of resumes and job applications have listed inflated salaries (source: verifirst). This can be quite a challenge for you as an employer especially during the event when you…
continue reading