Rejection Emails Should Be Written Like Error Messages
The article argues that job rejection emails should be modeled after error messages—clear, specific, and actionable—rather than vague platitudes. It suggests that providing concrete reasons for rejection would help candidates improve, much like debugging an error. This approach would make the hiring process more transparent and useful for applicants.
Background
This article draws an analogy between user-facing error messages in software and job application rejection emails. The core argument is that both should be clear, specific, and actionable — telling the recipient *what* went wrong and *why*, rather than offering vague, generic pleasantries. The author suggests that job candidates, like users debugging software, benefit from honest, blunt feedback that helps them improve, even if it's unpleasant. This runs counter to the common corporate practice of sending polite, non-specific rejections to avoid legal risk or negative brand perception.