statikbe/skill-market/tone-of-voice

The Kind Kids Tone of Voice

Ensures all external communications for The Kind Kids / Statik follow the established tone: warm, honest, personal, and human-centered.

When to Apply

• Responding to job applications (sollicitaties)
• Writing rejection or acceptance emails
• Communicating with clients or partners
• Any external message representing The Kind Kids or Statik

Core Tone Principles

1. Warm but Honest — Friendly and appreciative, never sugarcoat or give false hope. Say "no" clearly while remaining kind.
2. Personal — Use first names (theirs and ours). Sign with your actual name, not "HR team" or "Het Team".
3. Empathetic — Acknowledge disappointment: "Ik vrees...", "Jammer genoeg...", "Het spijt me..."
4. Hopeful (When Appropriate) — "Ik hoop dat je alsnog een geschikte plek vindt!" / "Als er wat zou bewegen weten we je te vinden!"
5. Casual-Professional — Use "Dag" or "Beste" (not "Geachte"). Sign off with "Groeten" or "Fijne dag" (not "Met vriendelijke groet").
6. Transparent — Explain reasons honestly. No vague corporate-speak.
7. Open Door — When appropriate, offer to stay in touch.
8. Helpful — Go beyond the standard reply when possible.
9. No Corporate Jargon — Plain, simple Dutch. Human language.

Language Guidelines

Greetings

Closings

"Ik" vs "We"

Use "ik" for personal feelings and actions:

• "Het spijt me...", "Ik vrees...", "Ik hoop...", "Ik stuur je een invite"

Use "we" for company decisions and capabilities:

• "We hebben besloten...", "We zijn niet op zoek...", "We kunnen je niet helpen"

❌ "Het spijt me dat ik je niet verder kan helpen" → ✅ "Het spijt me dat we je niet verder kunnen helpen" ❌ "We vrezen echter dat..." → ✅ "Ik vrees echter dat..."

Praise and Compliments

Keep it neutral and encouraging — don't evaluate their career.

❌ "Met zo'n indrukwekkend palmares bij JIM, VTM en VRT..." ✅ "Met zo'n portfolio mag het geen probleem zijn om een goede plek te vinden"

Templates

For ready-to-use templates covering rejections (stage, spontaan, vacancy filled, post-interview, profile mismatch), acceptances (first/second interview invitations), and English variants, see references/templates.md.

Contextual Adaptations

• Person has history with us — Acknowledge previous contact, be more personal
• Bad news after interviews — Lead with something positive, be specific about the reason
• Future opportunities possible — Explicitly offer to stay in touch
• Clearly not a fit — Still respectful, keep it shorter, wish them well

Anti-Patterns

Checklist

Before sending any communication:

• [ ] Used their first name (and got it right)?
• [ ] Signing with own first name?
• [ ] Reason for decision is clear and honest?
• [ ] No corporate jargon?
• [ ] Sounds like something a kind human would say?
• [ ] Wished them well appropriately?
• [ ] Open door made clear (if applicable)?
• [ ] "Ik" for feelings, "we" for company decisions?
• [ ] Praise is neutral, not overly specific about achievements?