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Recruiting template

Candidate Status Update and Hiring Freeze Email Templates

A hiring freeze email tells a candidate that the role they applied for is paused or closed, what that means for them and whether you will be in touch again. The six versions below also cover the other status updates candidates wait for: application under review, delays, slow final decisions and a role reopening.

Candidate Status Update and Hiring Freeze Email Templates

Fill in your details

Every version below updates as you type. A field left empty stays as a [placeholder] in the text you copy.

Email versions open straight in your email app with the subject and text filled in. You add the recipient there.

Your company and sender details are remembered, so the next template starts with them filled in.

Note

If a freeze affects someone who has already accepted an offer, withdrawing it can have legal consequences depending on where you hire: check local employment law first. This template is not legal advice.

Application status update

When to use it: The candidate applied a while ago and has heard nothing, and their application is still being reviewed.

SubjectYour application for [Job title] at [Company name]: an update

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you for applying for the [Job title] role at [Company name]. I wanted to let you know where things stand. Your application is still being reviewed. We have had a lot of interest in the role and are reading every application properly, which is taking longer than we hoped. We expect to contact everyone about the next step by [Next update by]. If your circumstances change before then, for example you accept another offer, please let me know so we can update our records. Thank you for your patience. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Hiring process delay email

When to use it: The candidate is mid-process and the next step will happen later than you told them.

SubjectAn update on the [Job title] role at [Company name]

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you again for your time at [Stage they have reached]. I'm writing because the next step is going to take longer than I told you. The delay is on our side: [Reason for the delay]. It has nothing to do with your application, and you are still very much in the process. The next step is [Next step]. I'll be in touch by [Next update by] with a date for it, or sooner if things move faster. If the delay causes you a problem, for example you have another offer with a deadline, please tell me. I would rather know now and see what we can do. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Hiring freeze email: role paused

When to use it: A hiring freeze has paused the role while the candidate is in the process, and it may reopen later.

SubjectThe [Job title] role at [Company name] is on hold

Hi [Candidate name], I'm sorry to be writing with this news. [Company name] has paused hiring for a number of roles, including the [Job title] role you have been interviewing for. This decision is about the company's plans. It has nothing to do with you or your interviews. You reached [Stage they have reached], and the team valued the time you gave us. We plan to review the freeze at [Date the freeze will be reviewed]. I can't promise the role will reopen then, so please keep looking at other opportunities and don't hold back on anything for our sake. If the role does reopen, I would like to contact you first. If you're happy for us to keep your details for that, please reply to say so. If we don't hear from you, we'll handle your details in line with our privacy notice and won't contact you about this role again. Thank you for your understanding, and I'm sorry we can't give you a better answer today. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Hiring freeze email: role cancelled

When to use it: The role has been closed for good, because of a freeze or a change of plan, and will not reopen.

SubjectYour application for [Job title] at [Company name]

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you for your interest in the [Job title] role and for the time you have given us so far. I'm sorry to tell you that [Company name] has decided not to fill this role. The decision was made because of a change in the company's hiring plans, and it is not a reflection of your application or your interviews. I know this is frustrating, particularly after reaching [Stage they have reached]. If it would help, I'm happy to share what the team thought of your interviews. Our other open roles are listed at [Where to see other open roles]. If one of them suits you, reply to this email and I'll make sure your application is looked at. Thank you again, and I wish you the best with your search. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Final decision delay email

When to use it: The candidate has finished the final interview and the decision is taking longer than planned.

SubjectYour final interview for [Job title]: where things stand

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you for your time at your final interview. I promised you an update, so here it is, even though we haven't made a decision yet. The team is still finishing its interviews and comparing notes. You are still being considered for the role. I expect to have a decision for you by [Next update by]. If that changes, I'll tell you rather than leave you waiting. If you have other offers or deadlines in the meantime, please let me know, and I'll see whether we can speed things up. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Role reopened after a hiring freeze

When to use it: The freeze has lifted and you want to bring back a candidate whose process was paused.

SubjectThe [Job title] role at [Company name] is open again

Hi [Candidate name], When we paused the [Job title] role, I said I would come back to you first if it reopened. It has, and we would very much like to pick up where we left off. You had reached [Stage they have reached]. If you're still interested, the next step would be [Next step]. I realise your situation may have changed since we last spoke. If you have taken another role, or the timing doesn't work, that is completely fine; just let me know. If you would like to go ahead, reply by [Reply by] and I'll arrange the next step. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

How to use this template

  • 1Pick the version that matches the situation: an application still under review, a delay, a paused role, a cancelled role, a slow final decision or a role that has reopened.
  • 2Send it as soon as you know. A short update the day plans change beats a long one a fortnight later.
  • 3Fill in the fields above. Give a real date for the next update and keep to it, even if the update is that there is no news.
  • 4For candidates at the final stages, phone them first and send the email to confirm what you said.
  • 5If a freeze pauses the role, ask whether you may keep the candidate's details, and record the answer so you can contact them if the role reopens.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Saying nothing during a freeze and hoping the role reopens, so candidates find out from a closed job advert or not at all.
  • Promising the role will reopen on a date nobody has agreed.
  • Blaming the candidate, even by implication, for a decision that was about budget or plans.
  • Giving a date for the next update and then missing it without a word.
  • Sending the same bulk email to someone who reached the final interview as to someone who has only applied.

Questions

How do you tell a candidate about a hiring freeze?

Tell them promptly, say the role is paused or closed because of a change in the company's plans that has nothing to do with them, give a date when the freeze will be reviewed if there is one, and ask whether they would like to hear from you if it reopens. Call candidates at the later stages before you email.

What should an application status update email include?

Where the application stands, why it is taking the time it is, when the candidate will hear next and how to tell you if their situation changes. One clear date matters more than a long explanation.

Should I tell candidates the reason for a hiring freeze?

Say that it is a company decision about hiring plans. You don't need to share budgets or internal detail, and you shouldn't share anything confidential, but candidates should know it isn't about their application.

Is a hiring freeze the same as a rejection?

No. A rejection is a decision about the candidate. A freeze is a decision about the role. If the role is closed for good, say so plainly so the candidate can move on; if it is only paused, say that, without promising it will reopen.

What if a candidate has already accepted an offer when the freeze starts?

That is a different situation from a paused application. Withdrawing an accepted offer can have legal and contractual consequences, so speak to your HR team or an employment adviser before you contact the candidate.

How often should I update candidates during a long process?

Whenever you said you would, and whenever anything changes. If there is nothing new, a short note saying so and giving the next date still counts as an update.

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