As a recruiter, you can expect turn down more sales job candidates than you’ll hire. This is just how the hiring process works. You can only choose one (or two) candidates to join your organization. But how you turn down the other candidates is still important. Even though they didn’t get the job now, it doesn’t mean they are not great talents.
Turning down candidates gracefully is part of the overall candidate experience. If you treat candidates poorly, ghost them, or take too long to get back to them, you could develop a negative reputation. This could hurt your ability to attract top talent to your organization.
It’s important to turn down candidates in a respectful and professional manner. After all, your hiring process is not just about the job you are hiring for currently – recruiters must think about it from a holistic perspective and how their behaviour now can impact recruitment processes down the line.
How you treat candidates now can impact you in the future; that’s why it’s important to maintain a certain degree of tact and do your research – you visit SalesForce Search to learn more about the art of rejecting a bad client or sales candidate.
Treating rejected candidates politely will have beneficial effects. For example, they may be more likely to consider future job openings if you reach out to them, especially in the extreme case that your hire falls through.
Moreover, rejected candidates are more likely to recommend your products and/or services if they feel good about the company – in other words, they’ll speak highly of your organization and possibly encourage others to apply. It’s through word of mouth that companies attract the best talent, after all.
Here, then, are a few ways to adequately turn down a sales job candidate.
Act with Promptness and Honesty
No one likes to be left in the dark. Always respect a candidate’s time. As soon as a decision is made, contact the candidate to tell them they are no longer in the running. This will allow them to move on and explore other options.
Offer Positive Feedback
All candidates want to know why they are no longer being considered for a job, especially if they make it to the final stages of the interview process. Provide some useful feedback candidates can use. Offer genuine advice that can help candidates going forward.
Be Empathetic, Specific, and Personal
There is nothing worse than getting a generic response that you are no longer in consideration for a job. If possible, contact the candidate over the phone, thank them for applying, and provide them with some feedback.
Be available to communicate with candidates throughout the hiring process. Communicate hiring timelines and be available to answer candidate questions during the interview process.