The importance of interview feedback

Arecent survey by Debut claimed that 77 per cent of 18 to 23 year olds believe that following a face-to- face interview, feedback ought to be mandatory.

The benefits of interview feedback for candidates are obvious: if the feedback is specific and constructive the candidate will be in a strong position to improve as their search progresses.

There are, however, numerous benefits from interview feedback for employers too.

To start with, it could help you to build a future talent pipeline.

If you have had a lot of demand for a single job role and some high-calibre candidates apply, you may want to encourage them to apply again in future.

Providing constructive feedback and leaving candidates with a positive impression can help to build your company’s talent pipeline.

That lasting positive impression is also crucial for your employer brand.

Candidates who have had a positive experience, even if they didn’t land the job, will be less likely to criticise a company and far more likely to praise them – potentially even recommending them to friends and family.

Despite these benefits many hiring managers, sometimes understandably, have reservations about providing feedback. It can often come down to simply not wanting to give bad news!

Letting a candidate know they haven’t got the job is never as rewarding as making a job offer.

In other instances, employers may be concerned about their feedback being taken in a discriminatory context, or being in breach of company policy.

Sometimes, it can simply be down to workloads making it difficult to put the time aside to provide feedback to candidates.

Combat these reservations by being confident in what your company policy entails.

You’ll then be aware of what is appropriate and within guidelines.

Taking good interview notes will be a time saver when it comes to providing feedback. You’ll be able to quickly refer back to the notes, selecting specific examples and making sure it offers real value to the candidate.

Just the other day, a colleague at Anne Corder Recruitment provided feedback to an unsuccessful graduate candidate. They came back saying: “[I] will ensure I use the feedback which I have received to improve myself and be better prepared for any roles/assessment centres which may pop up in the future.” That alone speaks volumes in how important, and rewarding, interview feedback can be. Jaz Gill.