The Fine Art of Rejection

It's hard to welcome a rejection letter. And it's easy to feel angry at whoever is sending the bad news. Disappointment and frustration come with the package.

If you're about to reject a job applicant, here's how to soften the blow, according to Robert Ployhart, of Michigan State University, and Kitty Locker, of Ohio State University:

It's all in the details. Rejected applicants feel the hiring process was fair if the letter gives procedural information explaining how human resource officials made their decision—they went by test scores, for example.

Don't blame the victim. Including personal information in the letter, such as the fact that the applicant's GPA was low, is a sure way to lower their self-esteem. Placing the blame on an outside excuse, such as a need for more diversity in the workplace, improves recipients' perceptions of themselves. In fact, any details you can provide beyond the rejection boosts applicants' views of the company sending the letter, even if the news was negative.

Be sensitive. Showing concern for the applicants by typing their real names into the letter and having someone in HR sign it personally improves applicants' image of the organization, the fairness of the process and their own worth.

Cut to the chase. Don't put off the bad news by starting the letter with a compassionate paragraph highlighting a candidate's good points. These "buffers" prepare a reader for good news and just make them feel worse when they scroll down and come to the real reason for the letter.