Sending out rejection letters may seem like an old-fashioned notion, but it’s actually more important than ever. Today it’s incredibly easy to apply for lots of jobs at once. At the same time, the sluggish economy of recent years has led many job seekers to cast a particularly wide net. With so many potential opportunities to keep track of, candidates want to know where they are still in the running and where they have been disqualified. That may sound like a tedious new responsibility to take on, but it benefits your company too. Here’s how:

Present Yourself as a Premier Company

The best companies aren’t just good at one thing; they are good at all things, including recruiting. If you ignore the candidates you have rejected, it makes you look condescending. If you reach out to them in a respectful manor, it makes you look professional and thoughtful. And that image matters. Your rejected candidates are also potential customers, social media advocates, and referral agents. There is no reason to tarnish the image of your company unnecessarily.

Keep the Door Open to Future Recruiting

You may have determined that a candidate is not the right fit for your current vacancy. That doesn’t mean they won’t be a fit for a future vacancy. The simple fact is that true talent is hard to find and most companies struggle as a result of a skills gap. Sending out a rejection letter is a simple way to keep your company in the candidate’s good graces and potentially motivate them to reapply. Leave them hanging and you’ve just shrunk the size of your future candidate pool.

Make Your Assessment Valuable

It’s usually fine to send out a stock rejection letter to anyone that has submitted only a resume and cover letter. But for candidates that have been through an interview, adding a little bit of personalized feedback is worthwhile. Without getting into too much detail or being too personal, let the candidate know what they could have improved on and how they can make a stronger impression with other recruiters. The vast majority of candidates appreciates this feedback and actually uses it to improve their job search. That leaves you looking like a mentor and advocate even when you’ve had to turn a candidate down.

Sending out rejection letters is a great policy, but ideally you want to send out as few as possible. If you find yourself sending out dozens, even hundreds of letters each time you go though the hiring process, your recruiting process has clearly become inefficient and unmanageable. Connect with a smaller group of more qualified professionals by working with Morris Bixby.