The title really should be: How to reject when you're rejecting. Lately there has been a deluge of email in my inbox with questions about rejection: not just how to deal with it, but also how to do it to someone else. The academic-rejection season is mostly over for undergrads and grads, and applicants for faculty positions, but it is more of a year-round event for postdocs, researchers submitting grant proposals, and a few other academic citizens, so the issue never really goes away.
It is important to note that rejection doesn't only involve those higher on the academic food chain rejecting those below; of course applicants for various academic things can have multiple offers and reject some of those who are offering them.
Anyway, it is clearly a year-round topic, and maybe I need to subdivide my "criticism or rejection or failure" blog-label (20 posts so far; for example: Writing the Perfect Rejection Letter, 2007), but here goes: as usual, the answer to the how to reject question is.. it depends, but it seems to me that an all-purpose approach is the obvious one:
It is important to note that rejection doesn't only involve those higher on the academic food chain rejecting those below; of course applicants for various academic things can have multiple offers and reject some of those who are offering them.
Anyway, it is clearly a year-round topic, and maybe I need to subdivide my "criticism or rejection or failure" blog-label (20 posts so far; for example: Writing the Perfect Rejection Letter, 2007), but here goes: as usual, the answer to the how to reject question is.. it depends, but it seems to me that an all-purpose approach is the obvious one:
- just do it (don't leave people hanging longer than necessary even if you have what might be unwelcome news),
- don't go overboard with verbose explanations of why it is painful for you to send this rejection letter -- be professional and respectful, and
- provide additional information if relevant (number of applicants for number of positions etc.), and (mostly) sincere; I know that it is tempting to give a rejectee an inkling of how close they came to being not rejected (assuming that they did come close); for example, "You were a close second." Does/would that make you feel better, not better, worse?
13 comments:
"for example, "You were a close second." Does/would that make you feel better, not better, worse?"
It would make me feel much, much better to know I was really in the running, especially if I didn't have a job offer that year. I would find a glimmer of hope for next year would be very helpful.
Maybe it's just me and my imposter syndrome talking...
but here goes: ass usual
AHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would feel better about the "you were a close second" if I believed it.
actually I am very late in the game, but looks like I will have to reject an outside offer. How do I do it nicely? of course MyU matched, although not the startup. But the real reasons are 1- things changed at MyU 2- I realized U2 won't be a good fit at this point in my career.
So what do I tell them? note that they obtained lots of resources for me, in the end though not enough to justify leaving MyU....
the easiest thing would be to blame wife and kids, but honestly, they were fine with moving.
I'm with CPP - I couldn't stop giggling once I read the "ass usual" comment...
Anon 11:22 - How about just being honest? Sincerely thank them for the opportunity and the things they did for you but say that after careful consideration, the fit just isn't right at this time. I think everyone understands that these things often don't work out. As long as you're professional and gracious, everyone will understand - specific reasons aren't expected.
I'd just echo FSP. Be prompt and straightforward. Acknowledge the effort involved, and express thanks for efforts.
Don't expect to recast your decision so that your decision is more logical than the recipients had thought it was, or that you are really doing them a favor - they are as sensible as you are, or more so, since they didn't apply for something they didn't really want to take.
So.. it's been two months since an interview and nothing. Do I take this as "We are just not going to take the time to let you know that either we are 1) still deciding or 2) already found someone".
The best rejection I got this year was one that had flattery at the beginning and was prompt. Within a month of me submitting I got (which meant to me that they took my portfolio seriously since it was so prompt):
"Dear so-and-so,
Thank you very much for your application. You have a very strong background and your publication and funding record is quite impressive. However, at this time we are looking for a faculty member whose research is more ****-oriented."
What I got from this was if they were looking for a triangle, I would have made it... but as much as they loved me as a triangle, they still wanted a square.
So the rejection made me feel good!
To all search committee members:
1. Send a rejection letter. I spent a long time drafting an application to your fine institution. Am I not worth at least an email?
2. Send a rejection letter as soon as I am out of consideration. If you are not going to hire me, please give me as much time as possible to get something else lined up.
3. Do not tell me that you hope this rejection will not keep me from applying again to your program in the future. If you have behaved professionally, it won't. If you have not, there is little you can do to convince me to apply again.
4. Do tell me the number of applicants. I do need something that I can tell my disappointed spouse/parents/parents-in-law about why I just can't get a job in their favorite location. Letting them know there are 200-400 applicants per job results in fewer questions than vague comments about "a competitive applicant pool."
5. If I am not your first choice, do tell me where I stand in the queue and the status of your first choice (time frame/likelihood/etc). I am an adult. I can handle it. Being your second or third choice is not going to affect whether I accept your offer. It may, however, affect whether I accept your competitor's offer--this is possibly in your favor.
6. Do not put the name of your lucky hire in the rejection letter. It feels like you want congratulations. You will not get that from me. However, do place the name of your hire on your website as soon as possible. It answers my questions without the good-news-for-you/bad-news-for-me issue.
I hate when people avoid giving rejection or negative feedback - it helps no one. I find myself wanting to scream "grow up!!!" at my colleagues who will do anything to avoid giving negative feedback/rejection
I have been receiving quite a few rejection letters lately (it's a good thing I did get an offer in a good place, so I can look at them more dispassionately).
The bluntest one said "I regret to inform you that you were not selected for our position" and not much more than that.
Most of them have been vague and non-committed such as "We had a large pool of highly qualified applicants and after careful consideration of your application we have decided not to interview you." With those I always end up thinking whether I was one of the highly qualified applicants or not.
A few, the most flattering ones, usually say something along the lines of "While the committee was very impressed by your credentials, a candidate was selected that meets more closely the departmental needs." At least they give you the feeling that they did consider you seriously...
Last year I got the best rejection letter ever, that was written in a very nice paper (with an artistic border, I seem to recall) and written in a story-like fashion. I should find it (if I did not throw it away) and keep it as a souvenir of the job search...
I would be happy with, basically "We had a bunch of applicants and went with someone else. Good luck with your life." As you were alluding, some people feel the need to write something else. Once I got: "We had a very competitive set of applications this year so we could only invite truly outstanding applicants for interview." WTF? Having the 'so' clause doesn't really make that an explanation.
"Sorry, we only want good scientists. Unfortunately, you suck!"
Kindest is to just do it as early as possible and directly. I don't really care if I'm a close second or not, I just need a job. I got rejected for an internal position and the only reason I know beforehand is bec people started avoiding me. Then the chair sent rejection email on the day I gave finals and before he went out of town for a week. Very badly done.
Post a Comment