How to give constructive feedback to unsuccessful candidates
Rejecting interview candidates can often be a difficult but is a natural part of the hiring process. How you deliver the feedback will differentiate your company from the rest.
There are two standard ways to let a job candidate down: you can either give them the bad news in a phone call or a write it to them in a letter/ email. When dealing with candidates in the latter stages of the recruitment process a phone call, giving them direct feedback as to why they weren’t selected may be more appropriate.
The effect of providing useful feedback
You’ll often find that providing a well-considered candidate experience is essential to your employer brand as well as improving your pipeline of future talent. Not all candidates necessarily want to receive feedback but for those who do, it’s important you take the time to recognize their strengths and discuss areas of improvement.
Generally, giving feedback can feel confrontational and uncomfortable, which most people will understandably want to avoid. However, knowing how to offer functional feedback to unsuccessful applicants is a necessary skill for you and your teams to have. Most importantly, it’s beneficial to candidates as they can use your feedback to enhance their skills and apply for future roles with confidence.
In an increasingly social media savvy world, reputation can be affected by the type of feedback you give. Be aware of the language and tone you use to deliver feedback, as there have been numerous occasions where candidates have been offended by the feedback they’ve received.