Dear John

We are currently hiring for a new position: Greenlights Consulting Fellow. When the application deadline hit last week, we had almost 100 applicants. And almost all of them made a good case for why they were the right fit for the job–and why the job was the right fit for them.

Frustration set in as we reviewed applications, realizing we’d be turning away candidates who could indeed be great for the position, only selecting people who fit the description to a tee. Not only is this a supercool position that will be a transformative job opportunity, but it’s also a tight job market in a tough economy, so sending rejection letters feels especially awful.

We started talking about how to write the right rejection letter–one that conveyed that, nope, they weren’t advancing in the interview process and also that they really are awesome and shouldn’t take this as a rejection of the ideas that they advanced or the career path they are on. Here’s what I wish we could have really sent.

Dear John,

Thank you for your interest in the Greenlights Consulting Fellow position. You rock. Your commitment to the community is impressive. Your studies and continued education path have clearly advanced your goals of making a difference in a thoughtful, strategic way.

You are going to make a great impact wherever you live. You are clearly a big thinker with the big picture, and it looks like you get the small details, too. Whoa.

I wish I didn’t have to say this, but we are not able to advance you forward in the application process.

We received almost 100 applicants for this position, and from what we’ve read, we’d like to meet and work with most of you. And we think that at some point, we will. It’s clear that you’re in this for the long-haul, that nonprofit leadership and advancement is a personal cause for you, and we are so thrilled that people like you feel the way you do.

Thank you for all you have done so far, thank you for what you would like to do, thank you for keeping up the good work you are already doing, and thank you in advance for all the amazing things we can tell you will accomplish. Please let us know what you end up doing. Please consider coming to Greenlights for resources and support. Please continue your forward trajectory in the nonprofit community; it is lucky to have you.

Best regards,

Greenlights