Asking for feedback after job rejection

aaaaaaaahhhhhh

I got to the second round of an interview. Thought I ticked all the box's, answered everything as expected and asked the right questions. I Even received an update email advising the company still looking at potential candidates.

I received the rejection letter last week :mad::(.

I have read pros and cons about asking for feedback on interviews.

Is it ok to ask for feedback on interviews and what is the preferred method of asking i.e. Phone, e-mail etc.

I have read that recruiters don't like being asked over the phone due to being put on the spot and feeling uncomfortable giving negative feedback direct.

Thoughts?

Musicman2000

aaaaaaaahhhhhh wrote: »

I got to the second round of an interview. Thought I ticked all the box's, answered everything as expected and asked the right questions. I Even received an update email advising the company still looking at potential candidates.

I received the rejection letter last week :mad::(.

I have read pros and cons about asking for feedback on interviews.

Is it ok to ask for feedback on interviews and what is the preferred method of asking i.e. Phone, e-mail etc.

I have read that recruiters don't like being asked over the phone due to being put on the spot and feeling uncomfortable giving negative feedback direct.

Thoughts?

We all have been there, I only recently completed a 4 stage interview to be sent a rejection letter. I wouldn't dream of asking for feedback just makes you sound desperate , more than likely you wont be told the real reason why you didn't get the position. Keep your head up and move onto the next one.

colm_c

As someone who has been on both sides (interviewer and interviewee), definitely do ask for feedback.

However be prepared for two types of responses:

a) fairly vague along the lines of there was a slightly better candidate
b) specific flaws or problems they picked up on

Asking for feedback is the only way to know how to do better next time.

Generally an email is best, and do not respond to any criticisms, just say thanks.

Skatedude

Dont ask what you did wrong.
Asking what they would recommend you to try to improve on might get better results?

aaaaaaaahhhhhh

Skatedude wrote: »

Dont ask what you did wrong.
Asking what they would recommend you to try to improve on might get better results?

Absolutely agree. Turn a negative into a positive approach.

Snarky Puppy

As an employer, here's my experience on this. Sorry if it's blunt - but it's the reality of the situation in most companies.

It's hassle if every failed interviewee asks for feedback - it's not practical to start typing up notes to send back to every applicant - you're not their career adviser. People have other work to be doing.
And it's also near impossible to do without offending people - or at the very least them replying and arguing back with you. In reality, most people don't really want to know why they didn't get a job.

Most people don't want to hear the real reason why they didn't get the job - they'll say they do - but they want it to be something generic, like "you just need to brush up on X - but otherwise you were amazing!" Or "we felt the another guy was just slightly ahead of you - but you were great - it was a really hard decision." But that's never the real reason.
Usually there's one standout candidate after a round of interviews - and if it comes down to being close with experience & qualifications - I'll pick the person I'll get on with the best, since I'll be seeing them every day and I have other employees too - so office dynamics always come into play. Who will gel with my existing team?
So when people ask for feedback, you end up having to make something up to plámás them, which is a waste of everyone's time.

Nervous Wreck

I've asked for feedback on every interview I've done in the company I currently work for, both for jobs I got and didn't get. Every time, it was invaluable. I know it's different for a company you don't work for but, realistically, what do you have to lose? It's not like they can refuse you the job again. I would defo ask for it by email to allow them decline the request if they're not arsed but an employer who thinks badly of a candidate for asking for feedback probably wouldn't be great to work for anyway.

highlydebased

Do ask for it, but don't hinge your self confidence or whatever on what they say.

As mentioned already they may not give any feedback because they're not interested in giving it or will just give vague reasons

Snarky Puppy

highlydebased wrote: »

Do ask for it, but don't hinge your self confidence or whatever on what they say.

As mentioned already they may not give any feedback because they're not interested in giving it or will just give vague reasons

I've had people annoy me on e-mail, asking to come back in and redo their interview; or try to debate with me - all because I gave them honest feedback. As an interviewee of course it's worth asking - but as an employer it's not worth the hassle giving it IMO.

The truth hurts sometimes - most people don't really want to hear it. And where do you draw the line? Don't give feedback if it's offensive? A lot of times it is offensive and I'm not interested in that sort of exchange with an applicant post-interview. Sometimes people come in stinking of smoke. Sometimes they have BO. Sometimes they might wipe their sniffly nose on their hand and then try to shake mine. Or they could be one of those people that stands too close to you. Or maybe their didn't use a coaster while waiting in reception and left a big water mark on the table. Or they came in out of the rain and let their umbrella drip all over the floor, instead of shaking it out & leaving it in on a mat beside the door.
There're lots of reasons people don't get jobs - some small & some big - but a lot of the times you can't tell them why. And a lot of the time it's not because of their qualifications.

RoyalMarine

Snarky Puppy wrote: »

I've had people annoy me on e-mail, asking to come back in and redo their interview; or try to debate with me - all because I gave them honest feedback. As an interviewee of course it's worth asking - but as an employer it's not worth the hassle giving it IMO.

The truth hurts sometimes - most people don't really want to hear it. And where do you draw the line? Don't give feedback if it's offensive? A lot of times it is offensive and I'm not interested in that sort of exchange with an applicant post-interview. Sometimes people come in stinking of smoke. Sometimes they have BO. Sometimes they might wipe their sniffly nose on their hand and then try to shake mine. Or they could be one of those people that stands too close to you. Or maybe their didn't use a coaster while waiting in reception and left a big water mark on the table. Or they came in out of the rain and let their umbrella drip all over the floor, instead of shaking it out & leaving it in on a mat beside the door.
There're lots of reasons people don't get jobs - some small & some big - but a lot of the times you can't tell them why. And a lot of the time it's not because of their qualifications.

Hope your only using those examples as examples! And not reasons why you didn't give someone a job.
Mainly the coaster on the table. Interviews are stressful times, it could easily slip someone's mind.

Snarky Puppy

RoyalMarine wrote: »

Hope your only using those examples as examples! And not reasons why you didn't give someone a job.
Mainly the coaster on the table. Interviews are stressful times, it could easily slip someone's mind.

They're just examples... point being, is that something small like that could be the decider if 2 candidates are close. Both equally qualified, both equally good in the interview; so how do you decide? It could be something small that separates 2 candidates.
That's how it works in the real world - people are people - everyone has little things that annoy them about other people. So to the OP - it's not always about how you answered questions in the interview.

All Americans Sound Camp

Snarky Puppy wrote: »

I've had people annoy me on e-mail, asking to come back in and redo their interview; or try to debate with me - all because I gave them honest feedback. As an interviewee of course it's worth asking - but as an employer it's not worth the hassle giving it IMO.

The truth hurts sometimes - most people don't really want to hear it. And where do you draw the line? Don't give feedback if it's offensive? A lot of times it is offensive and I'm not interested in that sort of exchange with an applicant post-interview. Sometimes people come in stinking of smoke. Sometimes they have BO. Sometimes they might wipe their sniffly nose on their hand and then try to shake mine. Or they could be one of those people that stands too close to you. Or maybe their didn't use a coaster while waiting in reception and left a big water mark on the table. Or they came in out of the rain and let their umbrella drip all over the floor, instead of shaking it out & leaving it in on a mat beside the door.
There're lots of reasons people don't get jobs - some small & some big - but a lot of the times you can't tell them why. And a lot of the time it's not because of their qualifications.

Glad I don't work for you bruv. Get that OCD checked out.

Snarky Puppy

All Americans Sound Camp wrote: »

Glad I don't work for you bruv. Get that OCD checked out.

It's not OCD to dislike someone standing really close to you and yapping away with crisp breath (i.e. they munched down a pack of King Crisps 5 mins before turning up). Just another example.
And the other examples I gave are aspects of their personality that would spill over into the workplace - for example, someone who allows their umbrella to drip all over the floor, probably pisses on the floor too (if male) & doesn't notice, or they dribble piss on the toilet seat, or don't wash their hand before returning to their workstation. Or if you flip their keyboard upside down after a few months, a load of crumbs would pour out. It's all connected. I like a tidy clean office - not a bathroom that smells of piss, workstations with crumbs, half-empty cups of tea that have been lying at their desk for a few days. Etc. :-)