How to Respond to a Rejection Email (2024)

HBR Staff; Westend61/Sean Gladwell/R.Tsubin/Getty Images

Summary.

When you receive a rejection notification from a recruiter or hiring manager, always follow up with a thank-you note.

This message should express your gratitude for the manager’s time, state your interest in being considered for future opportunities, and ask for feedback on how you can improve.
Not every hiring manager will respond, and that’s ok. Even one hiring manager’s advice can help you improve your chances of getting hired the next time you apply for a similar job or internship.
You can also use this strategy when you apply for scholarships, fellowships, training programs, award competitions, and leadership programs.

See Also

Post
Post
Share
Annotate
Save
Print

A hard truth that most job candidates have to face is: You’re going to experience rejection during your search. At one point or another, you’ll be turned away from a role, and while you can’t control the decisions of other people, you can control how you respond. Upon receiving a rejection note from a recruiter or hiring manager, the best thing you can say is “thank you.”