“👎 Bummer news about your application to (Company)”
How does that subject line make you feel?
That was the rejection email for a job application that also asked candidates to submit a five-minute Loom demonstrating UX ideas—on top of the usual questions. (They included their actual company name. I left it out.)
Friends and family ranged from “WTF?” to “at least then I’d know and can quickly move on.” The most liked comment from my network: “I picture boys in flip flops and baseball caps running the company.”
Rejection is hard. Candidates rarely get a clear reason. Writing those notices is hard too. I did not call out this company, because the body of the email actually explained screening factors—and a P.S. invited constructive feedback. I sent some. I still hope the subject line changes before the next round.
The takeaway
Every candidate leaves with an impression of your team, values, and brand. Applications are a marketing surface. Communication is the product. Represent the culture you actually want, and stay open when someone tells you the experience did not match.