How to Give Feedback to Candidates to Continue Cooperation in the Future

A candidate may be perfectly-skilled and still not the best match for the position they applied for. Letting them slip out of the hiring process without an explanation would be a horrible mistake. Why? Because they might be a good fit for another position in the company. Or they have the potential to grow into an excellent specialist after some time, and you might lose them forever. We will give you some tips on providing feedback to candidates without discouraging them. StaffingPartner team will share some examples of interview feedback for unsuccessful candidates. Let’s dive right in!

3 reasons to give interview feedback to candidates

Your recruiters would save a lot of time if they didn’t have to prepare an explanation letter after the interview for those you will not hire. But it has benefits for both the company and the candidate. Here are some of them:

• It’s simply the right thing to do.

If you’ve ever been a candidate, you probably know how frustrating it is not to hear back from an employer. You spend hours preparing for an interview, only to never hear from the company again. You might even start to doubt your qualifications and wonder what you could have done better.

Giving feedback shows that you respect the time and effort candidates put into the interview process. It says, “We appreciate your time and want to help you improve.”

• It’s good for your employer’s brand.

When it’s common practice for your recruiters to ignore interview feedback requests, it is a problem for your employer’s brand. 66% of candidates are used to receiving feedback. If you do not provide them with it, they will most likely share their negative experience with their LinkedIn connections, on Glassdoor and with their friends. 70,5% of candidates look for reviews and other information about your company on the Internet before applying. So, your future applicants will probably find the unflattering comments, and you can lose many qualified candidates.

• It might help you hire the candidate in the future.

The interview process is not always black and white. A candidate who doesn’t seem like a good fit for one role might be perfect for another. And even if a candidate isn’t suitable for your company now, they may be in the future. You build the ground for a future relationship by staying in touch and providing feedback. The candidate will remember that you were responsive and professional. That could make them more likely to apply again in the future.

What needs to be covered in feedback?

A candidate didn’t get the job, and the recruiter must find an explanation to tell why. It’s hard to stay positive when breaking bad news, but it is essential not to discourage a person from striving to get this job. So, what needs to be said? What is the structure of interview feedback for unsuccessful candidates?

• Interview feedback should be in writing. This way, the interviewee can have time to process the information, and you can avoid any misunderstandings.
• Thank the interviewee for their time and effort and explain why they were not selected for the role.
• Give the summary of their strengths. For example, “You made a great first impression,” or “You have a lot of experience in this field.”
• Be specific about what didn’t go well during the interview. For example, “You didn’t answer the question about your experience with customer service, which is crucial for the role you were applying for.”
• Make suggestions about how they can improve. For example, “You lack knowledge in the marketing field, but you can read some specialized literature or take a few online courses. I suggest starting with this.”
• End the interview feedback on a positive note. Offer to keep in touch or help them in their job search. For example, “I’m sure you will find a great job that matches your qualifications and experience.”

Examples of interview feedback for unsuccessful candidates

We at StaffingPartner, are focused on finding permanent employees for your teams. Therefore, we pay special attention to how the employer looks in the eyes of candidates (even those who did not pass the interview). In this regard, our Recruitment Team Lead, Kateryna Berkutova, has prepared a few samples of rejection letters for you. Let’s look at some negative interview feedback examples. 

“Hi, X!

Thank you for the time and effort you put into the interview process for the XYZ position. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to pursue other candidates who better fit our needs at this time.

You have a lot of great qualities, and we were impressed with your experience at ABC. However, we were looking for a candidate with more experience in XYZ.

We suggest staying in touch, and if we have any job openings that match your qualifications, we will contact you.

We encourage you to continue to interview with other companies.

Best,

Y.”

Another example:

“Hi, X!

I received feedback from the company regarding the ABC position you were considering.

The HR Interview went well. We were impressed by your motivation. You were passionate when speaking about your previous experience. 

The results of the technical task aren’t entirely satisfactory. Today’s critical skills for the project (in particular, DFG and RZH) do not meet the level required for the position according to our requirements.

Unfortunately, we are not ready to continue communication regarding this vacancy and I suggest not losing contact. The results of your interview and the level of performance of the technical task only confirm your potential and development prospects. 

I will be grateful for feedback in return.

Have a nice day/evening,

Y.”

Final Thoughts

We hope this article was helpful and that your company will start giving interview feedback to candidates. It is the recruiter’s job to build a relationship with all the candidates who have expressed a desire to work for you. Therefore, cooperation with a recruiting agency automatically means a large pool of loyal candidates, with whom external recruiters constantly interact. Message us if your team is missing someone. With our database of 230,000 candidates, we will definitely find you the candidate who will share your value system and become a great addition to your team!

Read also: How to Automate Recruitment: The Ultimate Guide