Ed note: It's a good thing when places soften their rejections with compliments. If the idea's pitched elsewhere in the future, they can truthfully claim that the Knight News Challenge called it "a good idea."
Dear [name redacted],
Thank you for your recent application [project title removed] for funding through the Knight News Challenge. We have reviewed your request, and unfortunately, we must decline your application at this time. Even though you submitted a good idea, it does not meet the specific requirement of using the latest innovations in technique to inform communities.
Because there are thousands of application and only a few of them advance, we are able to choose only the most innovative ideas. These are new kinds of technologies or techniques, usually things we have never heard of before.
Please understand this does not reflect on the quality of your work. This is an extremely competitive contest. Even good applications can be declined. This particular contest can select only a tiny fraction of the most promising, innovative applications that expand digital news and information in defined geographic communities.
You can read more about the Knight News Challenge here: http://www.newschallenge.org
If you have other ideas that fall within the guidelines for the News Challenge, we encourage you to submit them.
We appreciate the value of your work and wish you success in attracting support from other sources.
Sincerely,
Knight News Challenge Staff
Most selective internship we've featured on this blog. Gig pays $12/hr.
From Joanna Pearstein
[E-mail removed]
Fri, Jun 26, 2009
| Wired's internship program |
Hello,
Thank you for your interest in Wired's editorial internship program. We received a record 400 applications for four spots, and I'm sorry to say that you were not selected. Should you be interested in applying in the future, we'll next be seeking interns in November 2009; watch Mediabistro.com for details.
We appreciate your interest in Wired Magazine and wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Joanna Pearlstein
Senior Editor, Research
When another contributor to this blog posted a rejection from the MetPro/LAT training internship, I had thought the letter looked familiar. Going back through my rejection archives, I discovered that the two letters - sent more than two years apart and written by the same man - are eerily similar.
Below the LATimes summer 2007 internship rejection letter, I've attached a copy of the 2009 MetPro/LAT rejection letter with the copied wording bolded.
Straightforward letter from a niche publication that often publishes really, really good reporting. Has a real, handwritten signature on it.
Been sifting through the rejection archives. To send in your rejection letters (anonymity guaranteed) forward e-mails or scans to rejectionblog@gmail.com
This Newsweek internship was unpaid and in New York in early 2008. Not getting the internship saved me a few thousand dollars.
I like that the letter contains the phrase "We need smart, committed people like you in our profession." In future cover letters, I'm going to find a way to work this in, the same way movie ads will take positive adjectives from movie critics and splash them across the page in big bold letters:
Thank you to our e-mail contributor from Pennsylvania for sharing in this cathartic enterprise.
From: staffingcenter@nbcuni.com <Enterprise@trm.brassring.com>
Date: [redacted], Feb [redacted], 2009 at [redacted]
Subject: Press Coordinator Position (1004229)
To: [Name withheld]
Dear [redacted],
I am sending you this email as you either applied directly to NBC
Universal for the position of Press Coordinator, Job Number 1004229) or your resume was in our database and you were considered for this position.
We wanted to inform you that this position has been filled.
We would still like to maintain your resume/CV in our electronic database located in the U.S., hosted by a third party provider.
The database allows us to match the skills on your resume/CV against the requirements of other open positions. If a relevant match is made, a business representative will contact you to discuss the opportunity.
By initially sending in your resume/CV, you consented to your resume/CV being processed and maintained in our electronic database consistent with GE’s Candidate Data Protection Standards. You may review these guidelines at www.gecareers.com. If you no longer consent, please send an email to chr.webmaster@corporate.ge.com requesting that your resume be deleted from the database. Please provide your full first name, last name, mailing address and home telephone number. Any emails sent to this address for any other purpose other than the above will not be responded to and will be discarded. Alternatively, you may send a letter to the address provided in GE's Candidate Data Protection Standards.
If you would like to know what other positions are available at GE, please visit www.gecareers.com. Job opportunities that are available and open to external candidates will be posted on this site. You can easily set up a job agent and be notified via email when available job openings that meet your criteria are posted to the site. Simply click on Expanded Search and then Job Agent and follow the instructions.
Once again, we thank you for your interest in GE and we wish you every success in your job search.
Sincerely,
NBCU Human Resources
Wouldn't one expect the head of a Master's program in Journalism to avoid opening a letter with such a tired cliché?
Apparently not.
This application was a total pain in the ass, and the writing test took hours of copy editing and rewriting before I could even send in the application. I probably shouldn't have applied to this in the first place though, seeing as I cover sports and this is a two-year basic news writing position.
MLB.com
1 message
Hill, Bill
Thank you for your interest in MLB.com’s summer internship program for associate reporters. We had more than 400 applicants for 30 slots. We reviewed your resume, clips and essay, but unfortunately, you were not selected.
If you are still a student next Fall, you will be eligible for our 2010 internship program. In that case, I would encourage you to continue to gain more journalism experience and then apply again in November.
Again, thank you again for sharing your information with us and best wishes in your future career endeavors.
Sincerely,
Bill Hill
Assistant Managing Editor/MLB.com
**********************************************************
MLB.com: Where Baseball is Always On
This is supposed to be an incredible opportunity, but I wouldn't know; that's two years in a row that I have been rejected. They don't even seem to be trying as hard anymore, as last year's rejection came by snail mail and this year they resort to a mass email. Glad to know that I am loved.
I bet that if I started taking performance-enhancement drugs to improve my writing, MLB would welcome me with open arms.
John Elliott
Reply-To: journalism@theihs.org
To:
Dear (applicant),
Thank you for applying to the IHS Journalism Internship program. Unfortunately, your application was not selected as a finalist. We had 650 applications this year and only 18 internships. The competition was very tough. I encourage you to apply again next year and to continue to apply to other IHS programs that might be valuable to you.
In particular, you might be interested in applying for the 'Journalism & the Free Society' summer seminar, June 6-12, 2009. This workshop will examine both nuts-and-bolts issues about media operations as well as broader philosophical inquiries into the role of communication, information, and media. The application deadline is March 31.
www.TheIHS.org/freesociety
Sincerely,
John Elliott
Journalism Program Director
Institute for Humane Studies
You've got to love any rejection letter that tries to further shill its product long after showing an applicant the door. That's about as classy as it gets.