Question

Writing bad news letter about any formal subject (company, school, scholarship....)

Including three body paragraphs ( batter, rational, bad news, conclusion)

Answer 1

Nobody likes bad news. Hence, bad news letters are crafted very subtly, diplomatically and sensitively so as to express the bad news to the candidate, but at the same time, not to make him/her feel bad about it by providing enough encouragement for future endeavours. Bad news letters usually come in the form of rejection towards a employment position/scholarship/admission sought/applied for. It may take various forms depending on the context under the candidate has been rejected. One of the usual ways of expressing a bad news (rejection) letter would be as follows.

Here I explain how a rejection letter from an employer(company) is usually written, when one hasn't been selected for an interviewed position.

Sample 1

Dear XYZ,

I hope this email finds you well. I’d like to thank you for taking time to talk to us about yourself, your experiences, and your thoughts about our work at our ABC organization. Unfortunately, although you were a very strong candidate, your skill sets and experiences were not a strong fit for our current team configuration, given the direction we hope to take the team.

I am sure this is a disappointing outcome and am sorry I could not provide better news to you.

I wish you all the best for the future.

Sincerely,

Mr. ***

Head, ABC organization

Sample2

Dear XYZ,

Thank you for your application to the position of *** at ABC organization.

We have carefully reviewed and considered your application and qualifications. While your skills are interesting, we have decided to move forward with other candidates for this position.

Due to the large volume of applications, we regret not being able to give you specific feedback on the process.

We greatly appreciate your time and interest in ABC and hope you will continue to look for other roles that may be a fit within the organization.

Best regards,

ABC Recruitment Team

Please note:

Generally the employers do not detail a lengthy rationale/ reason in the letter as to why one was not selected. In such cases, one may revert back to them asking for a longer feedback if they could provide, as its helpful for one`s future endeavours. Then they may reply you back with reasons like you were lacking confidence/leadership skills/technical skills/experience in general. In case of scholarships, it may be a weak academic track record/other certifications required/extra-curricular activities, etc where other competing students may have performed better.

Answer 2

Subject: Notification Regarding Your Scholarship Application

Dear [Recipient's Name],

I hope this letter finds you well. We sincerely appreciate the time and effort you invested in applying for the [Name of Scholarship] and commend your dedication to your academic and professional goals.

After a thorough review of all applications, we regret to inform you that your submission was not selected for this year’s scholarship. The selection process was highly competitive, with a record number of outstanding candidates, and the decisions were not made lightly. While your achievements are impressive, the committee had to make difficult choices based on the specific criteria outlined for this award.

Please know that this decision does not reflect on your potential or the value of your accomplishments. We encourage you to continue pursuing your goals and to reapply for future opportunities, as new scholarships and programs become available. Should you wish to receive feedback on your application, we would be happy to provide constructive comments to strengthen future submissions.

Thank you again for your interest in the [Name of Scholarship]. We wish you the very best in your academic journey and future endeavors.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Position]
[Organization Name]
[Contact Information]

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Key Elements Addressed:

• Buffer: Opens with appreciation to soften the impact.

• Rationale: Explains the competitive process without undermining the recipient.

• Bad News: Clearly stated but framed respectfully.

• Conclusion: Encourages future efforts and offers support.