{"id":"wri-hr-finalist-rejection-email","audience":"hr","category":"writing-emails","technique":"tone","title":"Turn down a strong finalist kindly and point to the right role","free":false,"task":"You're telling a final-round candidate she didn't get the job. Write under 90 words. The first sentence gives the decision, with no 'after careful consideration' or 'we regret to inform you'. Name one specific strength the panel noted, invite her to apply for the role that's actually opening using its link, careers.northfieldfund.example/comms-associate, and don't explain why or compare her to the other candidate. Write a prompt that gets that email.","materialLabel":"Panel notes and recruiting updates (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"ROLE: Program Analyst, Northfield Community Health Fund\nCANDIDATE: Teresa Alvarez (final round, Nov 4)\n\nPANEL NOTES\n- Anna (hiring manager): Teresa's client presentation was the best of the three finalists. Clear, organized, great with the mock board questions.\n- Victor: Strong writer. Some gaps in grant-reporting experience compared to the person we hired.\n- Kim: Would love to keep her in mind for future openings.\n\nDECISION: Offer accepted by another finalist (Jamal R.) on Nov 7. Teresa gets the no.\n\nRECRUITING UPDATES\n- Oct 15: Senior Program Analyst req approved, opening in March.\n- Nov 6: UPDATE. Senior Program Analyst req CANCELLED (budget).\n- Nov 6: New req approved: Communications Associate, posting Dec 1. Anna thinks Teresa's presentation strengths fit it well.\n\nOTHER\n- Teresa asked for feedback during her interview. HR policy: we don't share specific comparisons with other candidates.\n- Recruiter on this search: Dana Kim, dana.kim@northfieldfund.example\n- Teresa interviewed with us once before, in 2023, for an internship.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":90}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 90 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part: \"4 sentences, each under 18 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Burying the news","why":"AI rejection emails open with thanks and \"after careful consideration\", so the decision lands in sentence three.","fix":"Say it: \"Sentence 1 gives the decision. Don't say 'after careful consideration'.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Pointing to a dead role","why":"The notes mention the Senior role before saying it was cancelled. The AI may invite her to it.","fix":"Add: \"Invite her to the Communications Associate role posting Dec 1: careers.northfieldfund.example/comms-associate.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Explaining the decision","why":"Trying to be helpful, the AI mentions grant-reporting gaps or the other finalist.","fix":"Add: \"Don't give a reason or compare her to anyone.\"","checks":["r2"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]},{"label":"Gives the news first","patterns":["first sentence","lead with","start with","decision first"]},{"label":"Bans stock phrases","patterns":["careful consideration","regret","clich","stock"]},{"label":"Points to the right role","patterns":["communications associate","dec(ember)?\\s*1"]},{"label":"Keeps the reasons out","patterns":["no reason","don'?t (explain|compare|give)","compar"]}],"hint":"A kind rejection is clear first and specific second. Tell the AI the order, the one strength to name, the right role, and what never to say.","rubricLabels":["The first sentence (after a greeting like 'Hi Teresa,') clearly says she was not selected for the Program Analyst role, and the email never says 'after careful consideration' or 'regret to inform'","Names her client presentation as a strength the panel noted, and invites her to apply for the Communications Associate role posting Dec 1 (not the cancelled Senior Program Analyst role) with the link careers.northfieldfund.example/comms-associate","Gives no reason for the decision: no mention of grant-reporting experience, the other candidate, or how she compared"]}