Turning down applicants by phone

Caroliso · May 2002

i like to return phone calls from people I've interviewed but have decided not to hire if they call me before I've gotten an official lettter out. But i'm always stuck about what to stay and how to field the inevitable "what did the successful applicants have that I don't have?" questions.

Does anyone have a successful approach for these calls?

bobbysmom · May 2002

I tell the rejected applicant that we found a candidate who we determined to be the best fit for the position and then thank them for their interest. If they ask for specifics why they were not hired, I routinely say that they were definitely in the group of candidates who had the basic qualifications however we could only select one who was the best fit. If they continue to ask that you explain what "best fit" means, respond with another general answer: best fit includes not just the minimum skill set but we look at the number of years experience, communication style, attitude, cooperativeness, ability to work with the team, etc. It's seems like a lot of rhetoric but you do look at these characteristics for a good "fit." And, if it gets right down to it, you are not obligated to explain -- there is no law that says you must call the candidate back or let them know they were not selected. In the case of notifying someone who did not get hired, silence is golden although not good manners.

Mike Maslanka · May 2002

manage the situation,don't let the situation manage you---don't return the call,send out the letter,and leave it at that... if you work in a very small community,you might make an exception,because you run into them all the time,but this situation and our advice is no different than when you fire someone---keep it general---which is what the letter should do...if you get into the details you are just asking for an argument...

Rockie · May 2002

I agree with Mike. The best way of notification is through a letter with only a general statement that the best qualified applicant was selected for the position. Usually, this takes care of the situation, but you do occasionally get calls that want more information about what "they did wrong"in the interview, what the other person had that they didn't, etc. Don't get into these conversations...just keep it general..and keep repeating the same thing.

I have the same thing happen with individuals who apply for positions. Even though we send them a card notifying them that we have received their resume and they will be contacted if selected for an interview, they will STILL call to "check" on their resume and some are even brazen enough to ask me what time they could come in for an interview.

Jessica · May 2002

I will chime in here just to reinforce what you are hearing from everyone else. I think the letter is the most appropriate way to answer these questions. I try to avoid phoning back if I think the person can handle the wait. If I do call, I stick to the verbage in the letter which matches the responses above. These days, keeping things general and avoiding unnecessary "openings" is, unfortunately, a critical part of the hiring process.

Along the lines of brazen:
I had one applicant call me for help writing her resume, call me every day after she submitted her resume, and call me (after we chose another individual for the job) to find out if she could re-write her resume and submit it in case we changed our minds about our final choice for the position. In each case I remained very general and told her that her resume should be what she makes it so that employers have the opportunity to see what she values and prioritizes from her work history and experience. It became a mantra after the 4th call.

I also received a resume by fax that included this statement: "I will expect to hear from your between 8:00 and 9:00 this morning to schedule my interview."

njjel · May 2002

The above responses are why I LOVE HR Never a dull moment.

Caroliso · May 2002

Thanks everybody, your comments were very helpful.

Carol

Turning down applicants by phone

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