Giving feedback on poor interview process

[firebrand123]

I guess my question is, when you have a poor experience with a company during the application/interview process, can/should you give feedback? And if so, what is the best way of doing it?

I'll give an example of something I experienced in the last month or so. I had an interview for a role that it quickly became apparent mid-interview I was definitely too senior for, despite having been pre-screened by their HR, and I feel like the hiring manager knew that and wanted to put me in my place. I talked about some work I'd done on developing an environmental target that the company I work for had chosen to not publicly share, ie I talked about my involvement in the process but clarified that the details of the target itself are confidential. That last point was very clear, I couldn't have been clearer. The interviewer then asked me what the target was. I was totally thrown by him asking for a detail that was clearly confidential. I tried to explain that telling him the numerical target on its own wouldn't mean anything, it would need to be accompanied by context (really I should have just said I can't tell you that detail), and he jumped all over me, trying to make out I didn't know what I was doing. It's really hard to describe the way the conversation went but it wasn't pleasant.

It's now been 3 weeks and I've heard nothing from the company, so I have the frankly unprofessional, aggressive and belittling manner of the interviewer and now ghosting. It feels like there should be a way to share this sort of thing.

Any thoughts?

If they've not asked for feedback then they likely don't want it tbh. Not letting you know the outcome is not acceptable ... downright rude!

You could leave a review of the interview process on Glassdoor.

I had an interview with a City regulator. A lot to do for the deemed necessary exercise and the interview. A month on I hadn't heard and was slightly twitchy. Then I received an email. "Are you still job hunting? Do look at our vacancies etc etc". I was totally fucked off - clearly I wasn't going to be offered the job. So I emailed the recruitment "team" to ask for feedback and to state that I wished to offer feedback. Arranged - gibberish given as feedback on my interview - lots of buzz words but nothing concrete that I could understand. Then I was asked for my feedback. I gave it. Lots of detailed points as there were problems throughout. Precise, clear, detailed, professional. The HR rep was defensive, lots of excuses provided, my feedback would be discussed at their HR meeting (funnily enough the next day).

I had interviewed with the predecessor regulator more than 25 years previously Hadn't liked them back then either. I've never heard another word since. I truly believe it was an exercise to appoint an internal candidate and to garner good ideas from outsiders. This is an organisation (FCA) that called me from some ropey connection to ask why I was asking for top half of the salary range when my current salary was less (think £50k vs £35k). Career break. This type of questioning was raised in Parliament as an example of how women are discriminated against. Not sure now how that investigation is going. So please do ask for feedback and do provide clear feedback back.

I had an interview with Barclays once. They asked me about my technical abilities and experience. After being turned down I asked for feedback. I had misunderstood the word "technical". What did it mean? The interviewer did not know. Nor did the interviewers manager. No body knew.....

My husband started a very rigorous interview process with a big 4 consultancy in Feb (as a pretty senior hire). He had a final interview with a partner on may 30th. He has had to chase the outcome every step of the way. She told him on 30th that she would let him know either the next day or early the following week. He still hasn't heard but they have, as of yesterday, offered him a "feedback call" next week. He has chased a response for nearly 6 weeks. They haven't even told him he hasn't got the job (although we can make this assumption obviously).

The irony is that all the way through the final interview the partner kept eulogising about how the team is a "family" and how she has anxiety and talks about it so openly (demonstrating how the culture has changed). She even talks at conferences about her anxiety. Didn't think about our fucking anxiety, did she?! My husband thankfully has an excellent (and better ts&C's and salary) job but at the time was unemployed and we were desperate for a good outcome. I was jumping every time the phone rang.

I'm furious and have helped him formulate a "feedback" email to show how disgusted he is with the way they treated him. So I understand your pain and yes, I would definitely offer feedback.

I have. I went for a job with a big insurance company and the interview was awful. To reduce bias they have to ask every candidate the same questions (fair) but they then couldn't follow up or clarify any of my points in further detail due to not wanting to lead candidates (wtaf) They basically asked me 12 questions in order off a piece of paper telling me I should answer in as much detail as possible, and I monologued my way through them, when usually you build rapport and both ask questions etc

I got offered the job and turned it down, and part of the reason I gave was their truly bizarre interview style. The HR person was shocked to hear the reason. I predict absolutely no changes have been made :)

That sounds like a terrible experience. Not the sort of hiring manager you would wish to work for.

Many companies often send out a post recruitment campaign survey to both successful and unsuccessful candidates. I know we do where I work. Hopefully you will receive something similar and can share your thoughts and feedback.

I turned down a job recently and agonised asto whether to be honest as to why. I didn't in the end, it was quite niche and everyone knows everyone else, so might have backfired on me.

The reason was the CX - he constantly interrupted me during the interview. I didn't get to finish a single answer it was that bad! Fair to say I'd not have lasted 5 minutes working for him. I'm sick of men interrupting me!

Ah maybe I dodged a bullet then.

When I first started job hunting I saw an FCA role that really fitted my experience to date, the JD was an exact description of my current responsibilities. Applied in March and my application is still sitting at pending on the system, never heard from them. Ditto for another similar role I applied to in May.

I would be absolutely fine with a decline or a request to keep my details on file for future vacancies, but silence is just rude.

Friend got contacted by them 6 months after he applied, he said he had already managed to get a job thanks very much.

In contrast I have recently been through the recruitment process with an agency and a consultancy company. I didn't get the role but everything was very clear at each stage of the process and the recruitment consultant even rung up the day of the interview to check it was in my diary. I set both sets of people an email thanking them for such a professional process.

To answer your original question OP, I would be very wary about giving much direct feedback until you are settled into another role. Even then I would be a bit circumspect about it unless it's anonymous.The interview is a two way process and you have learned everything you need to know about that company.

Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to reply, you've all given me some really good food for thought (although, sorry to all those who've also had poor experiences!)

Depends on your industry. Would be nice to give feedback, but it’s a shockingly small world!

And I wish they posed salary ranges and structures! It does waste a lot of time.

I’ve definitely been the ‘diversity’ interview for a gold company twice! I don’t answer when they call anymore. And that was an out of country job.

I work in recruitment (agency side). Sadly this sort of thing is the norm. Most organisations will just say they don't have the time/resources to respond to all applicants (fine if it is just a CV submission, complete crap if you have actually attended an interview). They even ghost us. Most organisations are overworked and under resourced yet don't have the time to focus on recruiting effectively.

You could feed it back to them - I doubt it will change anything. Best you be to put on glassdoor which may have more of an impact.

Glassdoor

I had an interview via a recruitment agency and it was so unprofessional it was almost laughable, if it wasn’t for the fact that they asked me a number of questions which were either illegal or irrelevant personal questions.

Within 10 mins I’d decided I’d never work with these couple of unprofessional idiots, but stayed for it and when the agency rang me afterward to see how the interview went I told them to withdraw my application. I also said the reason was their behaviour (carried on like a couple of giggling, sniggering fools), and the questions which were inappropriate and that they were overly focussed on these.

The agency said they would contact the company’s HR and tell them that these questions are inappropriate and I assumed that I’d hear no more about it, but the agency rang me back a few days later and said that the HR apologised for the conduct of its staff.

These days, as pp have said try leaving a review on Glassdoor.

I work for a very large company and we have to do this, it definitely does not give us a good idea of whether a candidate can do the job or what they’ve done before or whether they will be a good fit, our retention rate is horrendous, and as you say it’s just bizarre not being able to ask follow up questions.

I’m also an FCA victim. I applied, and six months later (really) got offered an interview.

Obviously in the meantime I’d got another job and had no interest in working for them. My decline was very polite, but they made out I was in the wrong for wasting their time.

Interviewing for jobs is like anything else. You run into the occasional time waster. Why dwell? Move on and focus on opportunities that may lead to something.

I've had some interviews I thought were awful. Some where the goalposts had clearly been moved between stages. Some where I just never heard anything back.

I always ask for feedback, even if it's a case I've been ghosted. Then it becomes a case of saying I was told I'd hear by X date and I'm following up because I haven't heard anything. I don't usually feed back on their process, even if I think it's been poor, but I do remember not to apply there again.

A few years ago now I went for an interview for a TA role within a state faith school (Catholic). There were 6 people interviewing me one of which was the head teacher. I was asked to read a story outloud to a class and to interact with the children and get them involved in the story as much as possible. I chose a story about feelings and how it was ok to feel sad, happy, excited, scared etc and I involved the children and they all really enjoyed it. After this was the formal interview. The usual questions came at me Safeguarding, one to one support ect. The head then asked me very abruptly am I a practicing Catholic. I answered very honestly and stated that although I was brought up in a Catholic household I no longer attended church on a sunday but do have a firm belief and understanding of the Catholic Faith. He then asked me why I didn't go to church any more whilst huffing and very arrogantly rolling his eyes. I then felt really uncomfortable, I mentioned because I feel for me personally that I don't benefit from it. He then laughed and asked me to elaborate, all the other 5 members of staff staring at me looking at me like I had just farted. I then said, me not attending church will not impact on this role I have applied for and as I said I have a firm believe and understanding of the Catholic faith. The head then said, yes, you have said that... my question is why do not attend church your answer seems abit of a cop out whilst laughing. I said ok, thank you for your time, this school is not me and neither are you and your attitude. I then walked out. About an hour after getting home I recieved a call from one of the interviewers asking me if I was still interested in the role and if so they would like to offer it me. I turned the role down of course and offered my feedback whether they liked it or not. I told them that the head is incredibly rude, arrogant and was exceptionally unprofessional. The man apologised on his behalf and stated 'he was having a very stressful day' told him that's no excuse and I will not work under a head teacher who thinks he can belittle people because he is in a position of power and ended the call. I then recieved an email saying that they will be retracting the offer following the call. I was that annoyed that I reported him to the DFE.

No, what’s the point? They won’t be interested.

Take it as a sign that they will also be a crap employer and you’ve had a lucky escape.