Draft a rejection email using the details below. The message must be respectful, direct, and consistent with the policy and facts I provide. Do not invent interview feedback, performance deficiencies, comparative rankings, legal conclusions, future opportunities, or reasons that have not been approved for communication. [RECIPIENT AND CONTEXT] [DECISION] [APPROVED REASON OR FEEDBACK] [COMPANY POLICY AND TONE]
[NEXT STEPS OR ADMIN DETAILS] [SENDER DETAILS] Write one final email of 120-180 words with: a clear subject line; a personal greeting; an unambiguous decision in the first two sentences; a brief, approved explanation at the appropriate level; any required next steps; and a courteous closing. For a candidate, do not imply that another person was selected unless that is approved, and do not give detailed feedback that could conflict with interview records or policy. For a vendor or proposal, do not reveal confidential evaluation criteria or another bidder’s information. Avoid false reassurance, vague “fit” language when a more accurate approved reason exists, and wording that invites negotiation if the decision is final. After the email, provide a short “Policy check” list identifying: every factual statement used, any sentence that requires HR, legal, procurement, or manager approval, and whether the email makes a promise about future contact. If no reason is approved for sharing, write a concise version that does not speculate. Before answering, check that the decision is clear, the tone is not cold or overly apologetic, and every reason is supported by my inputs. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [RECIPIENT AND CONTEXT] | State who will receive the email and the relationship or process involved. | Candidate Dana Ruiz interviewed for the Operations Coordinator role after a phone screen and panel interview. |
| [DECISION] | State the final decision and any timing that must be communicated. | We will not move forward with Dana’s application; the role has been filled. |
| [APPROVED REASON OR FEEDBACK] | Provide only the explanation or feedback your organization has approved for sharing. | Approved wording: we selected a candidate whose recent experience more closely matched the role’s current scheduling and vendor-management needs. |
| [COMPANY POLICY AND TONE] | State relevant HR, legal, procurement, or brand rules and the desired tone. | Warm, concise, no detailed interview feedback, no invitation to debate the decision. |
| [NEXT STEPS OR ADMIN DETAILS] | List any required administrative actions, contacts, or information about records and applications. | Thank Dana for her time; no action is required; do not promise future contact. |
| [SENDER DETAILS] | Provide the sender name, role, company name, and sign-off preferences. | Maya Chen, People Operations Manager, Northline Supply. |
How to use
- Confirm what reason, if any, your organization permits you to share before filling in the prompt.
- Use the same approved decision language for similarly situated recipients when consistency matters.
- Read the policy check and remove any sentence that exceeds the sender’s authority or the documented record.
- Follow up with: “Create a 75-word version for a candidate screened out before an interview, with no individualized feedback.”
Variations
Post-interview candidate
Use this after interviews when the candidate deserves a timely, respectful final answer.
Write a post-interview rejection email for [CANDIDATE NAME] regarding [ROLE], using [APPROVED STATUS], [APPROVED FEEDBACK], [POLICY LIMITS], and [SENDER]. Keep it between 110 and 150 words. State the decision early, thank the candidate for the specific stage reached, include only approved feedback, and avoid comparisons to other candidates, promises of future roles, or unsupported praise. Add a subject line and a three-item internal check listing factual claims, policy-sensitive wording, and commitments. If feedback is not approved, omit it rather than inventing a reason. Ask up to 3 questions only if required inputs are missing.
Vendor proposal decline
Use this when declining a supplier, agency, consultant, or other business proposal.
Draft a professional proposal-decline email to [VENDOR], for [PROJECT OR RFP], based on [DECISION], [APPROVED REASON], [CONFIDENTIALITY RULES], and [NEXT STEP]. Produce a 100-150 word email with a direct decision, appreciation for the submission, a limited approved explanation, and any permitted closeout detail. Do not reveal competitor information, scoring details, budget, or confidential internal deliberations. Do not invite further negotiation unless explicitly instructed. Then list any sentence that procurement or legal should confirm. Check that every stated reason appears in my supplied approval. Ask up to 3 questions only if an input is missing.
Customer application decline
Use this for membership, grant, credit, service, or other customer applications with policy-sensitive language.
Draft a clear decline notice for [APPLICANT], concerning [APPLICATION OR REQUEST], using [DECISION], [PERMITTED EXPLANATION], [APPEAL OR NEXT-STEP POLICY], [REGULATORY OR COMPANY RULES], and [SENDER]. Write 120-170 words with a direct decision, only approved factual basis, any required appeal or record-request instructions, and a respectful close. Do not create eligibility criteria, legal explanations, or appeal rights not provided. Flag any circumstance where a compliance, legal, or qualified professional review is needed. Check that the notice does not promise reconsideration unless policy says it does. Ask up to 3 questions only if required inputs are missing.
Tips
- Document the decision and approved rationale before drafting; an email should reflect the record, not create a new explanation after the fact.
- State a final decision plainly near the top, because recipients should not need to decode phrases such as “we have decided to pursue other options.”
- Use individualized feedback only when it is accurate, documented, permitted by policy, and useful enough to justify the risk of misunderstanding.
- For high-volume candidate messages, use a consistent core template but verify names, role titles, dates, and any required next-step information before sending.
FAQ
Should a rejection email include a reason?
Include one only if it is accurate and approved for sharing. A short, truthful explanation is better than vague language, but no explanation is safer than an invented or inconsistent one.
Can AI write candidate feedback?
It can turn documented, approved feedback into clear wording. It should not infer weaknesses from notes or generate a rationale that interviewers did not record.
How quickly should I send a rejection email?
Send it once the decision is final and any required approvals are complete. Prompt notice is respectful and reduces unnecessary follow-up.