The Smart Response to a Rejection Email

PLUS: What recruiters really see on LinkedIn, an easy way to uncover opportunities, rumblings of a recession, and more!

Author

Hannah Morgan
August 24, 2025

Welcome to Career Essentials, where I share actionable insights and curated articles that will help accelerate your career and supercharge your job search.

The Smart Response to a Rejection Email

Getting a rejection email after multiple interviews can feel crushing. You’ve invested time, energy, and hope only to be told “we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate.” So what now?

Instead of closing the door, consider replying. 

Writing a short, professional thank-you after rejection may feel counterintuitive, but it can actually work in your favor.

Why? First, it shows genuine interest, professionalism, and emotional intelligence. Employers often keep a “talent pipeline” of candidates for future openings, and your gracious reply helps you stay top of mind. Second, circumstances change. Candidates back out, new positions open, or internal hires don’t work out. In fact, I once saw a candidate land a job months later because she replied to her rejection email and left a lasting impression.

When you respond, keep your email brief and positive. Here’s a simple structure:

  • Express gratitude for the opportunity and their time.

  • Reaffirm your interest in the company or similar roles.

  • Highlight your key strengths so they remember you.

  • Offer to stay in touch (and connect on LinkedIn).

A thoughtful rejection reply can turn “not this job” into “maybe the next one.”

Want to see exactly how to word it? Check out 4 rejection email response samples you can adapt to your own situation.

Do you want to step out of your comfort zone and try new things (like writing a thank you email after getting rejected)? Join me and Dr. Heather Maietta on Wednesday, August 27th at 12pm ET for a LIVE conversation about how to do uncomfortable things!

It’s good advice! As Bernadette wrote, LinkedIn represents just a small fraction of job postings. She provides you with the exact steps (and prompts) to uncover jobs and companies that you may not have discovered before! 

How Recruiters REALLY Work - Pamela Skillings

Many new to job search think that the role of an external recruiter is to find you a job. But that’s not how it works. Please read this post to understand how job seekers can work with recruiters once they understand what their role is. (Recruiters work for and are paid by the company looking to hire talent. They do not work on behalf of job seekers!

The Latest 7 Sleazy Ways Job Scams Steal Passwords - Mark A. Dyson, The Job Scam Report

Every day, there are new scams targeting job seekers (and people in the careers field). To stay protected and up-to-date, check out these scams ranging from fake job portals to phishing scams and more! 

🤝 NETWORKING

In today’s job market, there are just fewer jobs available. So what can you do to uncover opportunities that may be unknown to you? Follow the steps in this post! It’s super simple yet so few job seekers will actually take action on this. It can feel scary or uncomfortable. To ease the anxiety, map out what you want to say…

All you need to say is, “It’s been a while, what’s new with you?” 

💻 LINKEDIN

This post links to Jessica’s newsletter where she shows you what recruiters see behind the scenes when you apply for jobs on LinkedIn PLUS 3+ things you can easily do to fix your profile and application and improve your chances. 

This post is very similar to Jessica’s above. And that is exactly why I am sharing both of them. Once you know what recruiters see on their side of LinkedIn, you can make the appropriate adjustments!

🔮 WORKFORCE

Are We Already in a Recession? - The Job Hopper Newsletter, Alison Doyle & Jen Luckwaldt

Always filled with timely data, this newsletter is a must read. It also contains tools, tips and resources every job seeker needs. Here’s the bottom line: “Whether or not the economy has officially entered a recession, this is a hard time to be looking for work. But if you’re in the market for a new job, this won’t come as a surprise.”

💰 CAREER

5.1% of the surveyed workforce reported having a side hustle, but KF thinks this is under-reported. While the gist of this article is interesting, it takes an “employer favored” twist. Instead of companies embracing side hustles, the article warns that side hustles can lead to burn out in the regular job. I’d like to see the evidence of this. In my opinion, a side hustle is a necessity in today’s disloyal corporate culture. Every worker should consider diversifying their source of income to be protected from (the inevitable) downsizing. 

📶 RECRUITER PERSPECTIVE

Skill based hiring was thought to be the greatest shift to hiring. And it may be. In this article, Soeren explores how it is changing given AI, workplace demands and other factors. This is an interesting read. 

EVENTS

Wed, Aug 27, 2025, 12:00 PM ET

Join me with guest, Dr. Heather Maietta. She has helped career professionals and their clients navigate change with confidence. She’ll share her proven 5-step framework to:

  • Test-drive change with small experiments 

  • Name and tackle your fears 

  • Build a “reinvention squad” 

  • Create a financial runway 

  • Track proof of your progress

This will be on LinkedIn Live and broadcast on my YouTube channel. Yes, a recording is available if you are unable to attend in person. But joining live allows you to ask questions! 

Monday, September 8, 2025 (Kick Off Call at 12pm ET)

Dates: Monday Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29 and Oct 6
Time: Weekly check-in call at 12pm ET every Monday
Cost: $39

Learn more and grab your seat here

JOB SEARCH VISUAL

Your job during the interview is to determine if this is the right job for you!

Sure, you can do things to prepare. Here are 3.

In a conversation this week, I emphasized these three interview tips and I wanted to remind you of them!

1️⃣ Preparation = Confidence

Know your STAR stories inside and out. When you're not scrambling for come up with examples, you can focus on what really matters: connecting with your interviewer and asking thoughtful questions that show you're evaluating them too.

TIP: Develop a story that aligns with each of the job responsibilities. Identify and rehearse the top 5!

2️⃣ Master the pause when delivering your "Results"

When you reach the R in your STAR stories, slow down. Let that outcome breathe. Your interviewer needs a moment to absorb the impact you created. That pause is where your value truly lands.

3️⃣ Remember: Your interviewer is human too

Most interviewers aren't trained how to interview. They're busy managers who frankly don't love conducting interviews. Make their job easier by being conversational, clear, and engaging. When you help them, you help yourself.

The best interviews feel like conversations, not interrogations. Your goal isn't just to answer questions. You want to create a dialogue where both sides can envision working together.

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