Whether you hire an interviewee or not, giving feedback to the rejected candidates is very important. Discover why and how!
As an employer, one of the main concerns is that you make sure that you are able to secure the best talent and the most suitable candidates to join your business. Having said that, there is also some value in taking the time to give the rejected candidate some feedback.
This is not purely a matter of politeness or correctness. In fact, providing feedback might actually do wonders for your organization. First and foremost, offering a follow-up with feedback following a rejection might really increase the positive reputation of your organization. Showing that you take the time to give people comments on why they were rejected goes a long way. People also prefer to hear back with a negative response, rather than not hearing back at all. Having said that, a rejection does not have to come with negative feedback. On the contrary, constructive feedback is highly appreciated, and it may help to strengthen your brand. Companies who really care about creating good relationships with people (not only with their employees and customers) can definitely heed this strategy.
When giving a rejected candidate constructive feedback it is important to cut right to the chase which decreases the risk of possible misunderstandings or misinterpretations. In other words, if your feedback is not clear, or is altogether absent, people may make assumptions as to why they’ve been rejected and they will entirely misunderstand the real cause. As a result, they may try to apply again, and you will likely be faced with the extra work of processing candidates you have already vetted, time and time again.
By contrast, giving people feedback means that they won’t apply again if they don’t match your requirements. Better yet, they can work on the feedback you provided, so they can meet your requirements in the future. An honest feedback may indeed encourage people to apply again in the future, this time matching the criteria. This is also a great way to really get to know people who are actually going to great lengths in order to improve themselves to become better candidates who are more suitable for your needs.
Now that we have discussed why it is helpful and beneficial to give people rejection feedback, the next question is; what is the best way to do it?
First things first, start with something positive. Instead of directly focusing on the negatives, tell people what they did right first. In doing so they will be far more receptive to listening to what you have to say and they will perceive it in a more constructive way.
After you have pointed out the short comings of the candidate, don’t leave it at that. If possible, offer some suggestions, or give some advice which will tell them how to improve.
Whatever you say, never forget to say thank you. It’s important to show that you appreciate them for taking the time to look into your organization. If you want to you may even encourage them to keep in touch especially if you feel that they may have the potential to make the gains you are looking for increasing their suitability for future opportunities with your company.
In conclusion, the truth is that there isn’t a definitive answer to this question. It’s completely up to you to determine whether you should give feedback to rejected candidates, as well as what type of feedback you should be giving them. By and large however, it is a great way to increase your image in the immediate community as well as strengthening the overall brand of your company. And of course, if you require assistance with your recruiting process, the Talcura recruiting and onboarding software suite is easy to implement and use. Designed for HR professionals and their cross-functional stakeholders, Talcura is loaded with configurable features to provide end-to-end, online recruiting and onboarding workflow coverage.
