"We've decided to move forward with another candidate.
You immediately want to close your laptop and never think about this again.
What you do in the next 48 hours can make a real impact on the rest of your career.
I was recently featured in a Her Campus article on exactly this topic, and I shared some thoughts that didn't make it into the final piece. This is the full, unfiltered version.
PS: Stop getting rejections by prepping with my Q&A Interview Framework Guide. 20 questions. 20 frameworks. + access to my AI Grader. Get it here.
Within 48 hours, send a short, gracious note. You're closing the loop professionally, and most candidates don't bother. That alone puts you ahead.
As Advita Patel, communications strategist and workplace confidence expert, puts it: one short paragraph is more than enough. Acknowledge the outcome, signal your interest in future opportunities, and close with confidence.
But don't be generic. Reference something specific from your conversations. A detail about the team, a challenge they mentioned, something that shows you were actually paying attention. A generic "thanks for letting me know" is forgettable. A specific one sticks.
You want answers. You want to make the rejection feel useful somehow. But the hiring manager is wrapping up a search. This is not the moment.
Wait. Give it space.
When you've made it past multiple rounds, you've earned the right to ask. If you received a rejection after a first-round call, reply graciously and move on. If you went through several interviews and want feedback, send a separate message one to two weeks later.
Here's what that can look like:
"I know you must be moving quickly, and I completely understand the decision. I'm committed to growing in this space, and if there's anything you noticed, I'd appreciate hearing it. No pressure at all, and either way I wish the team well."
Specific enough to show self-awareness, short enough to respect their time. The no-pressure line removes the guilt that makes most hiring managers avoid replying.
Ego makes us treat a rejection like an ending.
But think about what this person actually knows about you. They reviewed your resume, spent real time with you in interviews, and already have your name in their memory. That's more than most cold connections can say.
As career counselor Dr. Francine Fabricant told Her Campus: think of former interviewers as part of your network, and think of rejection as "not now" instead of "not ever."
I've seen this play out firsthand. Multiple times in my 12 years of hiring, someone we originally passed on came back around when a new role opened up, or when the original hire didn't work out. Staying in that person's orbit is a smart career move.
So after your gracious reply:
Stephanie Turner, early career coach and co-founder of LaunchPoint Talent, makes a good point: responding from a place of disappointment, or implying the decision was unfair, does lasting damage to a relationship that could have led somewhere.
Keep both messages clean, warm, and forward-looking.
Hi [Name],
Thank you for letting me know, and for the time you and your team invested throughout this process. I enjoyed learning more about [specific thing about the company or role]. I understand these decisions are never easy, and I appreciate the consideration.
I'd love to stay connected. I'll send you a LinkedIn request if that's okay. Wishing the team continued success.
[Your name]
Hi [Name],
Wanted to reach out separately from our earlier conversations. I really respected [their approach / a challenge they described / how the team operates], and I'd love to stay in your network as someone working in this space.
[Your name]
Remember, a rejection email doesn't have to be the last word. How you respond says more about your professionalism than almost anything else in the hiring process.
Most of all, trust yourself.
💜 Brianne
Most candidates answer interview questions the same wrong way and they never find out why they didn't get the call back.
They ramble on "tell me about yourself."
They go humble on "why should we hire you."
They tank the salary question by naming a number first.
If this is you, it's not your fault. Nobody ever told you what interviewers are actually listening for.
I've been interviewing and hiring people for the past 12 years.
I know exactly what makes a candidate land and what makes a hiring manager put the resume in the no pile.
So I created the Job Interview Q&A Framework Guide. It was 20 questions and 20 frameworks so you can answer every interview question with clarity and confidence.
It's only $15. If you land a job for $50k, that's a 333,322% return on your investment!