When to use this template
Use this for candidates who did well through your process but were edged out by another candidate who was a closer match. This is one of the most common late-stage rejections and one of the most important to get right.
The candidate knows they did well. A form-letter rejection at this stage reads as indifferent. A thoughtful, specific note keeps the door open for future roles and for referrals.
When there's more than one open role nearby, or when you expect another opening soon, this is the right moment to signal it — but only if you mean it.
Considerations
- Specific beats generic. What stood out about them? One sentence is enough.
- Don't detail the other candidate. It doesn't help and can sound defensive.
- Offer a feedback call if the interviewer is willing to give one.
- If another role is plausibly open within 2–3 months, mention it with a date.
The email template
Copy the version below and replace the {{placeholders}} with your specifics — or use the generator to fill everything in at once.
Update on your {{role}} interview at {{company}}
Hi {{candidate_name}},
Thank you again for the time and thought you put into interviewing for the {{role}} role at {{company}}.
This decision was genuinely hard. After the team debrief, we've decided to move forward with another candidate who was a particularly close match for the specific scope of this role. You made a strong impression — several interviewers spoke about staying in touch — and this outcome is much more about role specifics than about you.
I'd love to stay in touch and would welcome the chance to reach out when the next right role opens up.
All the best,
{{your_name}}How to personalize
Replace these placeholders before sending:
- {{candidate_name}}
- {{role}}
- {{company}}
- {{hiring_manager}}
- {{your_name}}
For any rejection that follows a live conversation, add one specific detail from that conversation — a project they mentioned, a question they asked, something they built. One concrete reference turns a form letter into a message the candidate will remember.