I just got rejected for a job I wanted. Help me send a follow-up that doesn't burn the bridge — and might pay off later.
ROLE I APPLIED FOR: {title + company}
WHO REJECTED ME: {recruiter / hiring_manager / both / generic_email}
FEEDBACK GIVEN (if any): {paste_or_'no_feedback'}
HOW FAR I GOT: {phone_screen / take_home / final_round}
MY EMOTIONAL STATE: {gutted / annoyed / numb / fine}
MY RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMPANY: {first_time_applying / interviewed_before / know_employees}
WHAT I'D LIKE FROM THIS COMPANY LATER: {referral / future_role / honest_feedback / nothing}
WHO I'D LIKE TO STAY CONNECTED WITH: {hiring_manager / a_specific_panelist / recruiter}
WRITE:
1. **The reply within 24 hours** — thanks, grace, no begging, no closing the door. 80-100 words.
2. **A LinkedIn connection request** to one specific person from the loop (with the right note — not generic).
3. **A 6-week follow-up message** to the hiring manager (warm, casual, no agenda — but gently leaves the door open).
4. **What NOT to send**: 3 message types people send post-rejection that hurt their future chances (e.g. 'can you give me feedback?' as the main ask).
5. **A 1-line internal note to yourself** — what to remember from this round that you'll improve next time.
Tone throughout: warm, professional, mature. No bitterness, no thirst.0 copies·0 saves·1 views
213 words·1,323 chars
Sample output
Role: Director of Product at a Series B AI startup. Got to final round (5 interviews). Rejected via email from the recruiter, no specific feedback. Felt gutted. Hiring manager and I clicked. Loved the company. Want to stay on their radar for the next role.
Reply within 24 hours (to recruiter):
Hi Priya,
Thanks for letting me know — and for the care you took through the process. Even though it didn't land this round, I learned a lot from the conversations with [hiring manager] and the team. I'd love to stay in touch as the company grows — please keep me in mind if a related role opens that might fit. Wishing you and the team well.
Best, Devon
LinkedIn note to hiring manager:
Subject: Sending a thank you
Hi [Hiring Manager], thanks again for the conversations during the loop. Even though I didn't land this one, the way you talked about [specific topic — e.g. 'how the team is thinking about agentic workflows'] is the most thoughtful answer I heard from any company I interviewed at this season. Would love to stay loosely in touch — sending the connection request with the right context. — Devon
6-week follow-up to hiring manager (LinkedIn DM):
Hi [Name] — saw the [launch / news / blog post] this week. I really liked [specific detail]. Just wanted to say it from a (no-longer-candidate) seat — the way you're framing [topic] is something I'm trying to learn from in my own work. Hope you're well. No reply needed.
Parameters
Text generation parameters
FAQ
The 6-week follow-up is the highest-ROI message in your career. Most people send 1 message and disappear. The person who shows up at 6 weeks, then 6 months, gets the referral when the next role opens. The prompt targets Claude Sonnet and lives in the Personal & Career category on mycopyprompt.
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See the "Sample output" panel above — that's a real example of what Claude Sonnet returns when this prompt runs. Your output will vary in wording but should follow the same structure and depth.
Similar prompts
Matched against every prompt in the catalog by title.
What NOT to send:
1-line internal note to yourself: 'I underestimated how much they cared about the API platform background — next time I'll pre-prep 3 stories about API platform decisions before any final round.'