The most devastating part of the job search is getting rejected/turned down for a role you were really excited about.  The natural response is to be sad, somewhat angry, and probably down on yourself.  It’s a very discouraging part of the process, but it happens to us all at some point.  Often times people ask me “should I respond to a job rejection email?” or “What am I supposed to do when I get turned down?”  

There are a few reasons that I think it is a good idea to respond to a rejection note for a job:

How you respond to really disappointing news can tell the person on the other end a lot about your character.

Are you a sore loser or do you take bad news with grace and understanding?  Replying and thanking the person for keeping you informed and for spending time with you in the recruiting process shows a lot of maturity.

You may still be on the radar for future roles (aka: keep the relationship warm)

I’ve turned down plenty of people in my career as a recruiter because the job fit wasn’t quite right – even when the company fit is very much there. I have gone back to many of them at future dates to talk about new roles that were a better fit and in lots of cases have hired them.  In case that is an option, you want to keep that relationship in tact.  It’s also a great idea to express that you’d still like to be considered for future roles if something comes up.

It’s polite

Probably the least important reason of the 3, but replying to an email is just the polite thing to do. Plus, it only takes about 30 seconds, so just do it!

Now, what to say when you respond to a job rejection?

As covered above, there are a few simple things you want to get across when responding to a rejection note:

• You appreciate the update and the time they spent with you in the process
• You’d love to stay in touch and be considered for future roles
• Thank you!

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