6 Ways to Turn Rejected Candidates Into Employer Brand Ambassadors

Candidate Experience

7 minutes

June 15, 2025

Rejecting a candidate can be difficult for an organization because the rejected candidate is often disappointed that they did not get the job. However, this does not necessarily make a bad impression on the candidate.

If organizations know how to properly reject a candidate, they may turn them into employer brand ambassadors even if the individual is not employed there. Approaching a rejected candidate appropriately can boost employer branding in the long run.

However, what is an employer brand ambassador, and how to turn rejected candidates into employer brand ambassadors?

This blog content will include six ways to turn rejected candidates into employer brand ambassadors for your company’s success.

What Is an Employer Brand Ambassador?

An employee who speaks well of their organization is typically an employer brand ambassador. They are passionate about their work, share their positive experiences with other people, and adhere to the company's values and culture.

By demonstrating why the organization is a fantastic place to work, ambassadors assist in attracting new talent into the company. They can attend events, share content on social media, or tell their network about the company in question.

Nevertheless, employer brand ambassadors do not have to be current employees. Rejected candidates may also become ambassadors if they had a positive candidate experience during the process of hiring new employees.

Even if a candidate is not hired, they may still speak positively about the company if they feel valued. Having clear communication, giving timely feedback, and politeness can make a lasting impact. A rejected candidate who feels appreciated may refer the organization to other people or reapply in the future.

In short, a good hiring experience may transform both employees and rejected applicants into supporters of the employer brand of the company in question.

How Does Candidate Experience Impact Employer Branding?

Candidate experience is the entire impression an individual has of an organization during the hiring process. It covers all interactions, from reading job postings to applying, interviewing, and getting feedback. Each phase affects how candidates see the organization, regardless of whether they are hired or not.

Creating a positive candidate experience directly affects employer branding. When candidates feel appreciated, informed, and respected, they are more inclined to have a good opinion of the organization. They may tell people about the organization, post positive internet reviews, and keep an open mind about potential future chances even if they are not chosen.

Over time, a great candidate experience helps companies to attract top talents and build a strong brand image.

However, a negative candidate experience can harm the company's reputation. Candidates who believe they have been neglected, mistreated, or left without answers are more prone to express their displeasure publicly. Negative ratings on platforms including Glassdoor can spread rapidly, making it difficult for an employer to hire qualified employees in the long run.

Loss of reputation in business can also have an impact on customer perception and long-term company success.

Enhancing candidate experience does not necessitate sophisticated strategies. Open dialogue, timely feedback, professional interviews, and a transparent process are critical. Candidates value transparency regarding schedules, roles, and expectations. Following an interview, a simple thank you message or tailored feedback can leave a lasting pleasant impact.

Employer branding is influenced by how organizations treat both their candidates and their staff. A good experience demonstrates the company's concern for its employees, professionalism, and effort. As time goes on, this can enhance the employer branding and foster trust within the larger talent community.

How to Turn Rejected Candidates into Employer Brand Ambassadors?

While it is normal for rejected candidates to be disappointed, companies can maintain relationships with them. This can be a great way to get future career opportunities, for example. Here are six ways to turn rejected candidates into employer brand ambassadors:

1. Deliver the News Cautiously

Organizations should make sure that they appropriately deliver the news. They can contact candidates who did not advance to the next level of your recruitment process right away.

Within 48 hours following the interview, it is important to take advantage of any opportunity to contact them via phone, email, or text message on the news. Companies can try sending them a carefully thought-out and personalized candidate rejection email if they have a large number of applicants and cannot call each one.

2. Provide Feedback

For a significant portion of candidates, getting feedback about themselves is as valuable as hearing back about the interview. Since not every candidate wants feedback, it would be right to ask them in advance whether they want feedback.

The important point here is that feedback should be honest and open as soon as possible. In this way, the company's image and credibility are protected.

3. Ask for Feedback

Organizations should ask their rejected candidates for comments on their recruiting procedure in addition to providing them with feedback. This approach will show that the company genuinely cares about its candidates’ feelings and is trying to make an effort to provide them with a positive experience.

Remarkably, the majority of employers never ask their rejected applicants for feedback. The many companies that ask for feedback encourage candidates to rank their overall application experience on a quantitative scale, which is not a good idea. Unfortunately, they will not provide specific information about what needs to be improved.

4. Contact on Social Media

Companies should make sure they connect with the candidates they turned down on social media. This is a simple way to make an excellent impression and shows them that the companies are interested in keeping in touch with them, even if they decide not to hire them.

Many organizations welcome applicants to follow their social media. On the other hand, most candidates will not want to stay in touch on social media after they have been rejected (because it will often remind them that they were not employed by the company). For this reason, they should communicate with their rejected candidate in a customized way.

5. Send the Recruiting Newsletter

Organizations should add all of their rejected candidates to their mailing list if they typically send out a hiring newsletter to their ability pool. This is a simple, quick, and easy way to stay in touch with their rejected applicants. They can be a perfect fit for one of their future job openings, all things considered.

Companies can send their ability pool an incidental email if they do not have time to send them their regular hiring newsletters. Even if they are only able to send one email per quarter, this can still be helpful. They may stay in your rejected applicants' minds every day by using email campaigns to keep in touch with them.

It is also crucial to keep in touch with the rejected candidates and let them know when the company has new positions for which they are qualified. Companies should make sure that they highlight their organizational culture by adding employees' tributes and reports from their annual group building.

6. Invite to Company's Events

Another great way to remain in touch with the rejected applicants is to invite them to the organization's events. While it will not cost anything (just a few additional seats and food), it can improve employer branding in the long run. In this way, companies have the chance to reach the best candidates without having to search for them.

Conclusion

In this blog content, you have learned 6 ways to turn rejected candidates into employer brand ambassadors in detail. This guide, which you can benefit from as an employer, HR professional, or just someone interested in HR topics, explains why you should not stop communicating with candidates you have rejected in the competitive business world.

While the approach to rejected candidates is important, there are many HR subjects that a professional needs to explore. Now, visit Hirex to discover them and take your career to the next level!