My resolution: Master the art of rejection
For the third time, I’ve seen a job seeker post about receiving a rejection email on Christmas Day. Before that, it was Thanksgiving. And each time, I think: this should be the easiest thing to fix.
So here’s my resolution for 2026: I’m going to advocate loudly for better rejection practices in recruiting. Because if we can’t get this basic human decency right, what are we even doing?
The holiday horror
Can we all just reset our applicant tracking systems to NOT send rejections on major holidays? It’s not complicated. Your ATS has scheduling features. Use them. No one needs to hear, “Thanks, but no thanks,” while opening presents with their kids or sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re scheduling rejection emails to go out automatically, add Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, and whatever other major holidays your candidate base celebrates to your “do not send” dates. It takes five minutes.
But holiday timing is just the beginning
The bigger issue? We’ve automated rejection to the point of cruelty. Here’s what needs to change:
Give them something useful: “We’ve decided to move forward with other candidates” tells people nothing. They can’t improve. They don’t understand. They just feel rejected. What if we gave them even basic details?
“This role requires a CPA license.”
“We need 5+ years of experience in this specific area.”
“The position requires on-site presence in Denver.”
“This role requires fluency in Spanish.”
These aren’t proprietary secrets. They’re basic courtesies that help people understand fit. And honestly? It saves you time. When you’re clear about requirements, you get fewer mismatched applications next time.
Redirect, don’t just reject: “You’re not a match for this role, but have you considered this one?” If someone applied to your senior position but they’d be perfect for your mid-level opening, tell them. If they’re in the wrong department but right for another, redirect them. If they’re great but thetiming is wrong, actually keep them in a real talent pool.
Your ATS can do this. Most systems allow you to move candidates between requisitions, flag them for future consideration, or send targeted messages about other openings.
Make “talent pool” mean something: “We’ll keep your resume on file” is the recruiting equivalent of “let’s be friends.” Everybody knows it’s meaningless. But what if it wasn’t?
Create an actual system that:
Tags candidates you liked but couldn’t hire (wrong timing, budget, role fit)
Sets quarterly reminders to review this pool when new roles open
Sends occasional updates about company news or new openings
Then, actually reach out when something relevant comes up. I’ve seen this work. Companies with real talent pools fill roles faster and build better reputations. Candidates remember when you follow up months later.
The candidate experience paradox
Here’s what kills me: organizations spend millions on employer branding. Career site redesigns. Day in the life videos. Glassdoor reputation management. Then, they blow it all by sending cold automated rejections on Christmas morning.
Rejection is often the most common interaction candidates have with your company. More people will receive your rejection emails than will ever receive your offer letters. That rejection message IS your brand to most candidates.
What good rejection looks like: I’ve worked with companies doing this well. Here’s what stands out about what they do:
Timely: Communicate decisions within a week of making them
Specific: Include at least one reason why the role wasn’t a fit
Respectful: Thank them genuinely for their time
Helpful: Suggest next steps (other roles, reapply timeline, areas to develop)
Human: Avoid corporate-speak. Write like you’re talking to a person
Example: “Thank you for applying for our Marketing Manager position. We were impressed by your digital marketing background. However, this role requires 5+ years leading teams, and your experience is primarily as an individual contributor. We encourage you to apply for our Senior Marketing Specialist role, which might be a better fit for your current experience level. We’ll keep your information for 12 months and reach out if relevant positions open.”
Is it perfect? No. But it’s infinitely better than “We’ve moved forward with other candidates.”
The business case
“We don’t have time for personalized rejections.”
You don’t have time NOT to. Here’s why:
Employer brand: Rejected candidates talk. One Christmas rejection email creates more negative word of mouth than ten good interviews create positive buzz.
Referrals: Today’s rejected candidate might refer your perfect candidate tomorrow — if you treat them well.
Future hires: That person who wasn’t quite ready might be the perfect fit in two years. If you rejected them kindly, they’ll reapply. If you rejected them on Christmas, they won’t.
Legal risk: Thoughtful rejection reduces the likelihood of discrimination claims. When people understand why they weren’t selected, they’re less likely to assume bias.
Starting this week: If you’re in recruiting or talent acquisition, here’s my challenge:
Audit your ATS: Add major holidays to your rejection blackout dates. Today.
Review your templates: Add one specific, helpful detail to your standard rejection messages.
Identify one candidate: Someone you liked but couldn’t hire. Put them in a real talent pool with a reminder to follow up.
Talk to your team: Make better rejection a Q1 goal. Track it. Measure improvement.
The resolution that matters
We can’t revolutionize all of recruiting in 2026. But we can all get rejection right. It’s the smallest thing and the biggest thing. It takes minimal time and creates lasting impact. It costs almost nothing and builds tremendous goodwill.
So, that’s my resolution. Not to transform everything. Just to consistently treat candidates like the humans they are.