To think employers that won't provide feedback on job applications are BU?

[NeverInDoubt]

I thought it was the recommended thing, and totally normal and expected/encouraged these days, to ring the HR department of a company and ask for feedback for why your job application wasn't successful.

However, I am noticing more recently that the 'not successful this time' email is more commonly including a phrase along the lines of 'individual feedback can not be given'.

AIBU to think these companies are BU?

and

Would I BU to just ask for it anyway, on the basis of 'what have I got to lose'??

[Septbaby]

I think it's very reasonable to request feedback if you're unsuccessful after an interview but I know through my job the crazy amounts of applications we get some roles there would just be no way to feedback to 200+ (in some cases) applicants.

[EmpressTomatoKetchup]

Yanbu given that you gave taken the time out of you life to write an application form, prepared for an interview, paid for childcare maybe....
You could ask anyway.....

[LottieDoubtie]

Definitely on an interview but on an application that wasn't shortlisted I think it's probably a fair enough time thing..

[EmpressTomatoKetchup]

Oh, I thought you meant unsuccessful after an interview..... YABU in that case but if you were really keen to work for a specific company then approach HR and ask, as you say, nothing to loose by asking.

[Osolea]

Yabu to think companies should give feedback for every application they receive, some would have no time to do anything else if they responded individually to every CV or application form they received.

I think companies should give feedback if they're advertising skilled, mid level jobs and above and a candidate has made the effort to come to an interview, but for lower level jobs where staff turnover is likely to be higher and there is a constant stream of lots of applicants, then I don't think they can be expected to provide feedback, even after interview.

[nosireebob]

You can always ask but I only tend to give feedback to shortlisted candidates as we get a lot of applications! It sounds mean but if you're already working unpaid overtime, giving feedback to people you'll never meet again isn't that high on the urgent&important list of things you need to get through before going home to the family. Wish it was different as I've been on both sides of the interview table

[Shoxfordian]

Yeah you usually only get feedback if you interviewed for a job not for applications. In my experience, you're lucky to get a rejection email- often you just don't hear if they don't want to interview you.

[NeverInDoubt]

Hmm, interesting. The jobs I'm applying for are mid-level professional jobs, and I spend about 12-15 hours just writing each application. I think the least they could do is give a short explanation.

[anyname123]

As with the others, after an interview I would happily give feedback, but not after just an application form, I've sometimes had a hundred applications for just one job. The exception would be if you've been invited to apply by the recruiting manager, but for general applications tabu to expect feedback in my opinion

[FrenchJunebug]

last job I advertised for, I had over an 100 applications. I spent the time to send feedback to the candidates who came for the interview but I have no time to get back to the others so YABU.

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

I agree, that at application stage it is a bit OTT to expect feedback given the volume of applications employers get. After interview, yes fair enough as there are a limited number of candidates.

I would suggest that it wasn't a case of filing in the form badly or wrongly, but other candidates met all of the 'essential' categories for the person spec and/or more of the desirable spec as well.

It isn't personal, but the product of the way applications are sifted.I'd also make sure that you're demonstrating clearly how you meet the person specification clearly on the form.

Empress excellent Stereolab reference !

[HermioneJeanGranger]

I think YABU. They're getting hundreds of applications per position, they simply don't have time to give everyone feedback.

If you get rejected after interview, though, I would say it's reasonable to ask for and expect feedback, as they rarely interview more than 5-10 people.

[SauvignonBlanche]

YABU, I once had 50 applicants for a post, I couldn't give them all individual feedback.

[KP86]

I haven't even been getting 'you have not been shortlisted' emails of late, even when I followed up with phone calls and an email.

I consider it the absolute height of rudeness and it made me (somewhat) grateful that I didn't get the job, if that's how they treat their potential employees.

[PPie10]

Yabu, you need the job more than they need to provide you with any explanation. Maybe shortlisted candidates could expect some feedback, but if it's an interview with many applicants then ywbu to expect anything.

[RhiWrites]

We only give feedback to shortlisted applicants. Honestly half the not shortlisted ones the feedback would be "please give some details about why you are suitable for THIS job" since lots write about completely irrelevant experience in other unrelated fields.

[Hunstanton]

Are the jobs you are applying for in the public sector? I am not sure why a CV submission would not be enough? And if it is the public sector they are almost always 'box ticking' ie seeking close matches which require you to pretty much mirror the language used in the job description. Without this the HR bod trawling through high levels of response will be able to dismiss an application easily enough.
Hopefully if you can start to 'mirror-match' in your application you may start to see more success.

[DPotter]

YABU - it sounds to me as if you have had limited experience of applying for jobs. It may be annoying and disappointing but companies simply don't have the time / resources to feedback meaningfully to everyone who applies. It is not a poor reflection on the company if they don't provide feedback at this early stage.

[treaclesoda]

I know people often say you should ask for feedback but I've never known a company to be willing to do it. And in 20 years of being in the job market, only a handful of companies have even bothered to inform me that I've been unsuccessful. Usually it's just a case of 'you'll only hear from us if we're offering you a job'.

[alleypalley]

If your taking 12-15 hrs writing an application, my feedback would be your application is too long. Make it shorter and snappier.

[ChicRock]

Well having spent time in the past helping DH sift through the 100+ applications he received for a job he was advertising, the feedback would probably have been "your degree wasn't a first or a 2:1 so you didn't even rank in the top 30, sorry".

Not particularly constructive, but true, as when there are so many applicants you've got to start somewhere.

[treaclesoda]

Sorry, should clarify, I meant after interview. I'd agree that it's too much to expect feedback at the application stage. But even after interview it's rare to be contacted to tell you that you're unsuccessful in my experience.

[cannotlogin]

Anonymise an application and submit to a forum which deals with recruitment in your field? Try an agency?

I think if an application is taking 12-15 hours I would suggest you are over thinking it unless there is a test you need to do or something?. All applications in the same field at the same level will have an element of overlap...surely you can recycle something?

[dodobookends]

Employers simply don't have the time or resources to give feedback to all the applicants. My firm recently advertised for an experienced part-time payroll person, and we had over 200 applications. For 95% of them the feedback would have been "You've never done payroll before".

[SlightlyperturbedOwl]

I think it's reasonable to expect feedback if you've been interviewed, but not if you haven't. My DH had 148 applicants for the public sector role he advertised for recently, they had a team sifting and basically started by ruling out anyone who didn't have the minimum requirements and worked up from there, e.g. desirable things, then level of experience and what their reasons for leaving previous jobs were. He would only give feedback to unsuccessful short-listed applicants- sounds mean, but he's not a personal careers coach to all who fancy applying. It sounds like either you are applying in a very over-subscribed field and just aren't making the top of the sift due to things (like amount of experience, grades of qualifications etc) you can't do much about, or you need to improve your applications- do you know someone more senior in your current field of work you could maybe get feedback on an application from?