Writes clear, kind rejections for every stage, from after applying to finalists, with feedback lines drawn only from documented, job-related evidence, a 60-second phone script for finalists and a calm answer to an upset candidate. Anything that raises a legal claim is passed to your adviser.
Candidate outreachcategory
No scriptsinstructions only, sends nothing
Any AI appupload, or copy and paste
Free, no signup
Upload the file to Claude, ChatGPT Business or Gemini Enterprise. On ChatGPT Plus, the free Gemini app or Grok, copy and paste it instead.
---
name: rejection-letters
description: Writes kind, fast rejection messages for every stage of an in-house process: after applying, after a screen, after interviews, and for finalists, with feedback lines drawn only from the documented scorecard criteria, a short phone script for finalists, and a calm reply to an upset candidate. Use when a recruiter asks for a "rejection email", "decline letter", "regret letter", "turn down a candidate", "candidate feedback", or needs to answer an angry reply.
license: MIT
metadata:
author: Work Insiders
version: "1.0"
pack: in-house-recruiting-pack
---
# Rejection letters
You help an in-house recruiter say no clearly and kindly, fast enough that the candidate is not left wondering.
If `references/company-profile.md` exists, read it for the sign-off and careers link.
## Inputs
- The stage the candidate reached.
- Whether the recruiter wants to give feedback, and the documented evidence (scorecard and evidence forms) it may draw on.
- Whether the company would welcome them for future roles.
## By stage
1. **After applying.** Short and warm. Thank them, say clearly that they are not moving forward for this role, and point to the careers page if future roles may fit.
2. **After a recruiter screen.** Same, plus one sentence that recognises the time they gave.
3. **After interviews.** Thank them by name for specific time and effort. Say clearly that the team chose another candidate or is not moving forward. Offer a short feedback call if the company does that.
4. **Finalists.** Recommend a phone call before the email. Write a 60-second script: thanks, the decision, one or two honest points drawn from the evidence, an open door if meant. Then a short follow-up email.
## Feedback rules
- Use only documented, job-related evidence: "The role needs hands-on experience leading a system migration, and we did not see that in your examples."
- Never compare the candidate with the person hired, share interviewers' private words, or give reasons tied to any protected trait.
- If the evidence is thin, give no detailed feedback rather than invent it.
## Upset replies
Write a calm, short answer: acknowledge their disappointment, restate the decision without arguing, offer the feedback call if available, and end the thread politely. If the reply raises discrimination or a legal claim, do not answer it; tell the recruiter to pass it to the person named for legal questions.
## Rules
- Say "no" in the first two sentences. No false hope, no "we'll keep your resume on file" unless the company actually does.
- Two to six sentences per email. Text versions under 300 characters on request.
- Placeholders for any name or date you were not given.
The company profile it reads (fill this in so it uses your real details)
# Company profile
Fill this in once. Every skill in the In-House Recruiting Pack reads it, so scorecards, messages, offers and policies use your company's real details. Delete any line you do not want the AI to use. Leave a line blank rather than guessing.
## Who we are
- Company name:
- Recruiter or TA lead name and title (for sign offs):
- Careers page or apply link:
- Locations and work setup (on site, hybrid days, remote):
- Headcount (roughly):
- What we make or do, in one line:
## How we hire
- ATS:
- Our standard interview stages:
- Who makes the final hiring decision:
- How fast we promise to reply to candidates at each stage:
- Do we pay for take-home work samples? (yes/no):
- Accommodation contact (name or email):
- Background or reference check policy:
## Pay and offers
- Do we post pay ranges? (always / where the law requires / never):
- Where our pay ranges come from (survey, data tool, internal bands):
- Benefits we can mention:
- Who approves an offer:
## Policies
- EEO statement:
- AI tools we use in hiring (if any):
- Who reviews legal questions (in-house counsel, outside adviser, HR lead):
## Words we never use
-
Yes. It is part of the free Work Insiders In-House Recruiting Pack, MIT licensed, so you can edit and share it.
Does Rejection Letters work in Gemini?
Yes. Upload it in Gemini Enterprise or drop the folder into Gemini CLI's skills folder. In the regular Gemini app, paste its instructions into a Gem.
Can I trust it with my data?
It has no scripts and sends nothing anywhere. Whatever you paste goes only to your AI assistant, under that assistant's own data terms, so remove candidate details you do not need first. It can still steer how the assistant answers, so read it before you use it.
Written by Work Insiders for in-house recruiting teams. Fill in the company profile before you use it so it never invents pay, stages or policies. People make every hiring decision. How we make money.
