Job interviews are an important part of the hiring process. They give employers a chance to assess a candidate’s skills and personality to see if they may be a good fit for the role. However, the interview process does not end when the candidate leaves. One crucial step that some hiring managers may overlook is providing interview feedback to the candidate.
How to Give Great Interview Feedback in 2023
Providing interview feedback is more than just a professional courtesy. It is important for both the candidate and the employer because it helps them grow personally and professionally. In this article we will offer an overview of what interview feedback is and why managers should provide interview feedback to candidates.
What Is Interview Feedback?
Interview feedback is the process of evaluating a candidate’s performance during a job interview. Interview feedback should cover various aspects of the interview, such as their answers to interview questions, their soft skills, overall presentation, and whether they were selected for the role.
Why Should Managers Provide Interview Feedback?
Offering interview feedback is a professional courtesy. Interview feedback helps candidates improve their interview skills and increases their chances of landing a job in the future. It also shows that the hiring manager values the candidate’s time and effort in preparing for the interview, leading to a better candidate experience overall.
Providing interview feedback can also improve transparency and accountability during the hiring process. Candidates want to know why they were not selected for the job role and the feedback can provide them with closure and tips for how to improve future interviews.
Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Interview Feedback
When providing interview feedback, it is important to remember that the goal is to provide constructive criticism that helps the candidate grow professionally Here are some do’s and don’ts of writing interview feedback:
Do’s:
- Begin with positive feedback. Highlight the candidate’s strengths and positive aspects of their interview performance.
- Be specific. Provide specific examples of their performance, including questions and scenarios.
- Be honest. Honesty is respectful and compassionate Remember, you are providing feedback that should help the candidate grow, not tear them down.
- Offer suggestions for improvement. Provide actionable suggestions for how they can improve their interview skills or qualifications.
- End on a positive note. Express appreciation to the candidate for their interest in the job and wish them well.
Don’ts:
- Don’t be vague. Avoid generalizations or vague statements that do not provide the candidate actionable steps they can take to improve.
- Don’t be too critical. Criticism is necessary, but do not be too harsh or negative because this can demotivate the candidate. Only offer constructive criticism.
- Don’t make it personal. This is not personal, it’s business. Feedback should focus on the candidate’s interview performance, not their personal traits or characteristics.
- Don’t use discriminatory language. Make sure your feedback does not include discriminatory language or bias.
Creating a Standardized Feedback System
To ensure consistency and fairness in your interview feedback, it is important to create a standardized feedback system. Here are some questions you can include in your candidate feedback survey:
- How would you rate the candidate’s overall interview performance?
- What were the candidate’s strengths during the interview process?
- What are some areas of improvement the candidate should consider during an interview?
- Did the candidate exhibit the necessary soft skills for this role: If yes, which ones? If no, which soft skills were lacking?
- Do you think the candidate would be a good fit for this role? Why or why not?
Questions to Include in Your Candidate Feedback Survey
By now, you probably understand the importance of offering a candidate feedback survey after an interview. If you’re still not sure where to begin in creating your standardized candidate feedback survey, here are some examples to help you get started:
Positive interview feedback
Thank you for taking the time to interview for the role of [insert job title] at our company. We are impressed with your experience in [insert experience] and your excellent [insert skill] skills. We appreciate your enthusiasm and your ability to think creatively. We think you would be an excellent fit for our team and we look forward to hearing from you.”
Constructive interview feedback
Thank you for taking the time to interview for the role of [insert job title]. We were impressed with your [insert experience] experience and excellent [insert skill] skills, however, we decided to go with a different candidate we feel is better suited for this role. We encourage you to continue developing your [insert skill name] skills. We still encourage you to apply for other roles within our company in the future.
Conclusion
Effective and timely interview feedback is important for both companies and candidates. In 2023, there are some key strategies for sending accurate and professional interview feedback. Remember to be specific. Vague statements like, “You did a good job” or “Your communication skills need work” are not helpful. Offer concrete examples.
Be honest, but be polite. Let candidates know if they need to focus on gaining more experience or sharpening a certain skill.
Always end on a positive note. Even if you have to deliver unfortunate news, be sure to thank the candidate for their time and for considering your company as an employer. Also let them know that they are welcome to apply for future positions. This keeps the communication both courteous and professional.
