How to tell someone they aren't good enough

Agree with everything Nerve said.

I know some people can take honest/constructive feedback badly though. I guess if they reply asking for some then they can take honest feedback?

This about sums up how I feel about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXEtOPMW2hM

Although if you can provide feedback that is great as well. As others have stated, just giving notice (even automated) is often enough to let people know their application was received, reviewed, and did not pan out. It is not too difficult to find the credit of team members on a game, track their portfolio down, and see how you stack up. So.... what Nerve said

As for hurting someone's feelings -- not your job to coddle the world. Either they take it and improve, or they don't. That's the way skillsets are. Hire the right person, not the quick/easy person.

Yeah, just to reiterate: I think that sending replies is a must. I've been out of full-time work for over half a year before, and while I was fine because of my savings it was incredibly soul-destroying putting effort into cover letters and such only to be met with silence. It also makes me reluctant to apply there again, even though I'd probably quite like to. Fortunately I had some great opportunities come along before long, but as I considered my skills quite sharp I found it really frustrating that I couldn't even get a response from some.

While I joked about Sentura's post, the point is legitimate: sending a response can literally be a two-second job, and if you've got time to scan through the emails you've got time to do that. If you truly haven't, then you need to find a new way of managing the process. Perhaps have an actual slot booked into your calendar every week to process them, or get HR involved so only ones that hit a certain standard/style make it to you (if they can handle that).

If you're dealing with them in a 'constantly hitting my inbox and I just look at them whenever' kind of way then that's probably an issue right there. Do you have a separate inbox for these recruitment emails? I would, and only check it weekly at a scheduled time. Maybe even go into a meeting room so nobody bothers you. I know there's often pressure that makes putting time aside for such things difficult, but it's usually worse if you try to just 'fit it in' and can never do it properly.

I agree with everything that has been said, answering is super important, both for the image of the company and for the person seeking. Nothing worse than not knowing. For the anecdote, I got my job at Starbreeze back in '06 after the 3rd mail I sent them. I had been sending a few mails to different companies and while some answered, a lot just didn't reply. I had sent my mails during summer vacation, so I waited a bit longer and sent another one to Sbz that never got answered either. I was getting a bit cranky by then and after 2-3 weeks without an answer, I sent a last (polite) mail in the vein of "wtf-just-answer-even-if-it's-a-fuck-off". Turns out that the (new) HR missed the 1st one due to vacation, the second one apparently got to his spam folder (yeah sure...) and the last one eventually got me the job. Just to illustrate that a lack of answer can mean a lot of things. It's usually that you're not good enough, that they're not actively looking or that you don't fit the profile but it's so frustrating not to know... Whenever I was in the reverse position, I always made sure I answered or get the HR to do it for me.

Hint to those seeking jobs and who at least receive a "nope" email:

When receiving an email telling you weren't a good fit, reply asking to learn why. It may lend you the job.