Do You Provide Interview Feedback to All Candidates, No Matter the Outcome?

Dear all,

I just want to know from all of you whether you give feedback to candidates after their interviews with your organization, irrespective of the results. I look forward to your opinions or comments.

Regards,
Rajat

Feedback is always offered to all candidates. Of course, we have to take care that feedback is tied closely to the selection criteria and not on some discriminatory basis.

In my experience, very few people seek feedback after the selection process, probably less than 10%. I have sought feedback as a candidate before, and to be honest, it has been so broad and non-specific that you wonder why you bothered. I always try to give examples and to talk with people about how they might meet the criteria to a greater level on future occasions.

It could be an organization's privilege to give feedback for missed opportunities. Due to time and space constraints and from a good HR process perspective, providing basic preliminary disselection feedback may enhance the candidate search process and smoothen it out. I would say, "It's based on the individual company's HR policy."

Hi,

I personally feel that we should give feedback to the candidates, but again, it depends on the company and the culture. Obviously, time constraints are always there. But still, if a candidate calls back to know about the results, I don't mind giving it. I would also suggest consultants, in this case, to be active enough to provide true feedback to the applying candidates.

Regards,
Dips

Yes, in my opinion, feedback must be given to the candidates because after the interview, the candidate is not sure whether he/she is selected or not. So, it is good to give the information about selection or rejection to the candidate.

Regards,
dsv

Dear all,

Thank you all for the posts and comments.

Most of you agree that we, HR professionals, should give feedback to candidates. Of course, you need to have systems and structure in place for that. Would you convey if the feedback is negative about his job prospects as well? I guess this calls for coaching and sensitivity skills on our part. Can anyone share their experience here?

Rajat

Instead of external feedback, consider an on-the-fly scenario of internal feedback. Suppose a strategic meeting or conference is ongoing to discuss marketing policy. When a senior project manager comments or interrupts the division head, GM, or CEO, communication usually tends to be perceived negatively. However, it may serve as a preemptive measure to avoid the dissemination of incorrect information within the group.

We are often predisposed to react negatively to feedback. Adapting to negative feedback takes time and is subject to variation.