To expect feedback from job interview?

[Happyringo]

Just that really...had an interview, I thought it went reasonably well (although never can tell!).

Anyway, I had an email 10 days ago to say I was unsuccessful. I replied thanking them for letting me know so promptly and asked if it was possible to get some feedback as to why I was unsuitable, in order to help me with future applications. No response! Is it not reasonable to ask for feedback these days?

YABU. They are running a business, not an advice agency. Another applicant was more suitable than you.

Fair enough I suppose....

Although it does seem to be standard advice to ask for feedback in these situations!

Standard advice from who?

I think it's fair to ask for feedback, but don't expect it. Better luck with your next application!

Its always worth asking... but to be honest even when you do get a response it is usually very generic. Often then person whose job it is to deal with applicants isn't really involved in the decision.

If you think it went well, then it probably did. Maybe they just clicked with someone else more, or maybe someone else was better qualified - keep looking and don't let this set you back too much.

Depends on the job, if it was for a professional or management role they might be bothered to take a moment. Reasonable to ask, but many businesses are unreasonable.
Or you get a generic response 'Many good applicants, so hard to choose...'

Almost every careers website I've seen, including official government one

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/aboutus/newsarticles/Pages/Spotlight-UnsuccessfulInterview.aspx

But fair enough if I am being U...

^that was in reply to coffeetea

But fair enough I accept I'm U to expect it :)

It's perfectly reasonable to ask, and a decent firm will give you more than 'another candidate was better suited', recognising that they do actually have some social obligations. It's certainly useful to know whether it's the interview, the references or the experience which put someone else ahead. Given that you've given up time to go the interview, it's a reasonable quid pro quo.

Thanks hereward that's kind of how I feel about it. But hey ho, live and learn :D

A responsible employer should give feedback from an interview IMO. Usually they'll be interviewing no more than a ratio of 3 or 4 people per role, so not unreasonable to provide feedback for that number (and if it's a high volume recruitment campaign with lots of roles advertised then they should have systems in place to provide feedback when requested).

But not all employers are responsible, or maybe are genuinely too busy.

If you haven't had a reply at all I'd ask again. Can't do any harm as long as you're polite.

I don't think many employers would offer feedback any earlier in the process than an interview (eg for an unsuccessful application).

YANBU to ask. Would only take them five minutes to respond, but that information could make the difference for you the next time. I'm also looking for a new job, had an interview nearly a month ago and I haven't even heard the outcome yet let alone had any feedback. I'm assuming that means I've been unsuccessful but it would be nice to actually be told...

Unless you were so bad that there really was nothing constructive to say, then you're probably good to not be employed there, a good employer and interviewer should always give feedback if answered, it doesn't take long, should be easy if you've done a constructive interview process and is important for your future recruitment to keep a good relationship with all applicants.

So yes you should expect feedback, and if you don't get it, think yourself lucky that you didn't get the position. Ask again though.

I work in HR and I hate it when people ask for feedback

Most times we just give a very generic response saying "they were many excellent candidates and there was a candidate who had more experience, matched the role more closely yadda yadda"

99% of the time it really is true that there was just someone who was a little more qualified than the others or just "clicked" a tiny bit better in terms of culture. I would be £100 that's the case with you.

The worst are when the person was awful. I can't really go back and say "You were drunk" (has happened - more than once) or "You sseemed really aggressive and unpleasant" (I am sure none of these apply to you - the nightmares are rare).

I can't say "The MD said you reminded him of his sister who he hates" or "The CEO said you had a really boring voice and couldn't worked with you" (also happened). Sometimes it's just that random or cruel. Most of the time it's just 1 candidate was a slightly better fit.

I would love to have the time to go back to every candidate and give them a detailed appraisal of their interview technique. Occasionally, when I really warmed to someone (or sometimes when they were really dreadful) I try to give constructive feedback. Often I just don't have the time but mostly they didn't do anything wrong, there was just someone else a little bit more "right" for us.

Sadly, I just don't have the time to give loads of interview guidance, however much I'd like to, and a generic response is sent.

Sorry :(

Thanks for the responses! After the first responses I got I thought gosh maybe I am just being ridiculous asking for feedback lol but glad it's not completely unheard of

I imagine I'll chalk this up to experience. I'm not exactly a spring chicken, but I've not had that many job interviews as I've tended to stay with employers for quite a while, maybe I'm out of practice, or was indeed just crap at the interview, guess I'll never know...

Honestly I am sure you interviewed well and there was just someone slightly more qualified or just a little bit better fit in terms of the culture.

It's bloody tough out there.

I hate my job sometimes as I hate sending rejection letters to nice people who did well but were pipped to the post. Especially if they got to 2nd interview stage or where really keen. It sucks :(

If it makes you feel any better you've done bloody well to get an interview. At the moment we get an average of 187 CVs for an admin type role (the numbers drop as the roles get more specialised but it's still loads) and we will only interview about 10 for first interview and maybe 4 for 2nd.

Thanks hey maybe they're horrible employers anyway lol

Fair to ask but you may not always get. Feedback may be delayed though, August is prime time for some people to take holidays so things tend to be a lot more delayed.

I recently interviewed 20 people to fill 3 vacancies in my team. Even if a few of those people asked for feedback it would have taken a big chunk of my day that I just can't spare. Not to mention the need for feedback to be very carefully worded to avoid any HR problems.

As it was, only one person asked for feedback. He was the person who told me, in now uncertain terms, how he helps his current clients break the law. In detail. With no shame/understanding that this might be a problem.

I've always asked and got feedback from interviews- but then I work in a sector where candidates are ph

Pho

If it makes you feel better, almost all the jobs I've applied for in the last year have a line in the spec saying 'if you have not heard by [date] you should assume your application was unsuccessful'. So, at least you heard back! I think it must be becoming more normal, with the high numbers of applicants.

Phoned back the same day as the interview- so I guess feedback time is part of the time allocated for interviews, deciding and contacting candidates.

Sometimes the feedback has been useful (things like talking too much when the job required someone clear and concise), other times it has made it clear to me that they had made their minds up who was getting the job, and the interviews were just a legal formality.

I have had emails asking but haven't given any, its a minefield and the last thing you want is someone taking exeption to something you say, its more hassle than its worth IMO