To respond to a job rejection email, reply within a day or two with three or four sentences: thank them for their time and for telling you, say you are disappointed but glad to have met them, and, if you want to, ask one small thing, such as feedback or to be kept in mind for other roles. Do not argue with the decision or ask them to think again.
You do not have to reply. But a short, gracious answer takes two minutes, and it leaves a better last impression than silence.
When to reply, and when not to
| What you received | Reply? | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| An automatic rejection before any interview | No need | Nothing. If it came from a named person, a one-line thank you is fine. |
| A rejection after one interview | Yes, briefly | Thank them, and say you would like to hear about future roles. |
| A rejection after a final round | Yes | Thank them, name something you valued, and ask for feedback if you want it. |
| A rejection from an agency recruiter | Yes | Thank them and say what kind of role to send you next. |
| A rejection for a role inside your own company | Yes | Thank them and ask what would make you a stronger candidate next time. |
If the email comes from a no-reply address, there is nobody to answer. If you had a contact during the process, you can write to them.
What to put in the reply
- Thanks. For their time and for letting you know. If you can, name one real thing: the conversation with the team, the tour, the clear process.
- An honest line about the result. "I'm disappointed, of course" is fine. One clause.
- Interest in the future, if it is true. Say you would like to be considered for other roles.
- One ask, if you have one. Feedback, or to stay in touch.
- A plain close. Good wishes for the person they hired is a generous touch.
Wait an hour before you write it. A rejection stings, and the reply you would send in the first ten minutes is not the one you want them to keep.
Example replies
The names are invented.
After a final interview
Hi Nicola,
Thank you for letting me know, and for the time you and the team gave me over the last three weeks. I'm disappointed, but I enjoyed the process, especially the afternoon with the product team.
I'd still like to work at Tidewell one day. If a similar role opens up, I'd be glad to hear about it.
I hope the new hire settles in well.
Best wishes,
Arjun Mehta
Short, after a first interview
Dear Mr Oyama,
Thank you for telling me, and for your time last week. I enjoyed hearing about the team's plans, and I'd be glad to be considered if another role comes up.
Kind regards,
Ffion Hughes
Asking for feedback
Hi Laura,
Thank you for the update, and for being so clear throughout. I'm sorry it wasn't me this time.
If you have a moment, I'd be grateful for one thing I could have done better at the interview. I'm applying for similar roles, and even a sentence would help. I understand if that isn't possible.
Thanks again, and all the best with the project.
Mateo Alvarez
To an agency recruiter
Hi Jess,
Thanks for letting me know about the Halden role, and for putting me forward. If they gave any reason, I'd like to hear it.
I'm still looking for finance manager roles within an hour of Cardiff, permanent or a contract of six months or more. Please keep me in mind.
Thanks,
Ruth Bennett
For a role inside your own company
Hi Stefan,
Thank you for telling me in person before the email went out. I'm disappointed, but I understand the decision, and I'm pleased for Wanjiru.
I'd like to be a stronger candidate next time a team lead role comes up. Could we spend twenty minutes in our next one-to-one on what I should work on this year?
Thanks,
Colm
When they send feedback
If they take the trouble to answer, thank them and do not debate it, even if you disagree.
Thank you, Laura. That's useful, and I'll work on giving shorter answers with clearer examples. I appreciate you taking the time.
Asking for feedback
Feedback is a favour, and some companies have a policy of not giving it. Make it easy to grant:
- Ask for one thing, not a full review.
- Ask what you could do better, not why they chose someone else.
- Say you understand if they cannot.
- Ask once. If there is no answer, leave it.
Whatever comes back, take what is useful and let the rest go. One interviewer's view is one view.
What to avoid
- Arguing. Listing the reasons they were wrong will not change the decision, and it will be remembered.
- Asking them to reconsider. The role is filled. What is still open is how they think of you.
- Asking who got the job, or how you compared.
- A long email. Four sentences. They have a new starter to organise.
- Sarcasm or a cold one-liner. "Noted." says more than you mean it to.
- Copying in other people from the process to make a point.
- Writing again and again. One reply now, and one message months later if a new role appears.
After you have replied
Connect on LinkedIn with the people you met, with a short note: there is wording in how to write LinkedIn messages. Keep an eye on the company's jobs page. If a role comes up later, write to your contact directly and remind them you have spoken before.
If you are still waiting to hear from other employers, how to write a follow-up email covers chasing politely, and the thank-you email after an interview covers the step before this one.
Writing it with Hemmingway
The email reply generator suits this, because a reply to a rejection is short and hard to write while you are disappointed. Paste the rejection email and say in a few plain words what you want to say back, such as "thank them, say I'd like to be considered again, ask for one piece of feedback". Hemmingway writes the reply.
It gives you one version and keeps to what you told it. Read it, make sure it sounds like you and not like a template, and send it from your own inbox. There is a free trial with no card needed.
Try HemmingwayDownload the app
Common questions
Should you respond to a rejection email?
After an interview, yes: a short thank you is polite and keeps the contact open. After an automatic rejection with no interview, there is no need, and a no-reply address cannot be answered anyway.
How do you respond to a job rejection email politely?
Thank them for their time and for letting you know, say in a few words that you are disappointed, and add that you would like to be considered for future roles if that is true. Three or four sentences, with no argument and no request to reconsider.
How do you ask for feedback after a job rejection?
Ask for one specific thing, make it easy to decline, and ask only once. For example: "If you have a moment, I'd be grateful for one thing I could have done better at the interview. I understand if that isn't possible."
Can you ask to be considered for future roles after a rejection?
Yes, and it is worth doing if you liked the company. One sentence is enough: "If a similar role opens up, I'd be glad to hear about it." Then stay in touch lightly, for example by connecting on LinkedIn.
How long should you wait before replying to a rejection email?
Reply within a day or two. Give yourself at least an hour first, so the disappointment is not in the wording.