Yesterday my recruiter received the GREATEST candidate response to a rejection notice I’ve seen as an HR pro. For context: this candidate’s experience/salary requirements weren’t as great a match for this role as others, so we sent our standard reject email.
CANDIDATE’S RESPONSE (all identifying information has been removed)
Dear Beth,
Thank you for your letter on December 1, 2015. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me the Customer Success Advocate position with your company.
This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.
Despite Daxko’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position of Customer Success Advocate this December. I look forward to seeing you then!
Thank you,
(Candidate’s name here)
Daxko Customer Success Advocate
Ph:xxx-xxx-xxxx
Email: TBD
I laughed for 10 minutes. My team laughed their butts off. We thought this was brilliant. He’s being interviewed next week.
Lessons/Tips:
- If you, passive recruiter, get a swift rejection from a top-notch, passive candidate you are sourcing, send them this gem. This may turn their frown upside down and get you that interview.
- Creativity will always get you a second look.
- Make me laugh and I’ll move mountains for you… So will others.
Doesn’t take much for me.
Be on the lookout tomorrow for the FOT video series called “No Scrubs”—brought to you by Chequed.com.
Dawn Burke, VP of Talent Consulting at Kinetix and founder/advisor for Dawn Burke HR, is an HR leader, speaker, and writer specializing in new HR practices, engagement and workplace culture. Her HR/recruiting/leadership career has spanned the last 20 years, with past gigs including a foundational role as VP of People for Birmingham, AL’s award-winning technology company, Daxko (And yes, Kris Dunn and Dawn are making Bham the HR capital of the world! Who knew?). You can also check her out at DawnHBurke.com and a variety of other interesting places. Google her, it’ll keep you posted on what she is up to.
Most importantly: She is addicted to TV, knows most of the lyrics to Hamilton and West Side Story, loves to cry at movies (check out Cinema Paradiso for a cry fest!), thinks wine, a wheel of Brie and Milk Duds make a well-balanced dinner, and sings in her car daily. Her husband and cat are the Yin to her Yang.