Why recruiters don’t give job seekers feedback
4 min read
An unfortunate reality of recruiters leaving job seekers in the dark by not giving feedback after the interviews
An unfortunate reality of recruiters leaving job seekers in the dark by not giving feedback after the interviews.
A common complaint and cause of frustration and irritation for interviewees is the absence of feedback after their interviews.
Prospective employees often invest their time and efforts into job interviews, eagerly anticipating feedback that could shed light on whether they got hired or not.
However, the unfortunate reality is that many jobseekers are left in the dark, wondering why they did not receive feedback after the interviews.
It was standard protocol in the past to provide feedback and constructive criticism to candidates.
The hiring manager or human resources professional would diplomatically let the applicants know what they did well and the areas in which they need to improve upon.
Unfortunately, times have changed and this no longer applies to the present.
In the current job market, there is little-to-no feedback or constructive criticism offered.
Why job seekers may not receive feedback
Heavy workload/Too much data
Corporate talent acquisition and human resources professionals are deluged with résumés. Even with the applicant tracking systems that corporations have, it’s too much to handle.
It becomes virtually impossible for the company to get back to everyone who submits their résumé.
You may get a canned email response to your résumé or applications, but that’s about it. Don’t expect any meaningful color on whether or not you’re deemed a good fit for the job or company.
Reducing legal risk
Most companies are unaware of what they should say to a rejected candidate. Therefore, it is very likely that they might say something that increases the chances of a job candidate suing them for not getting a fair shot.
They don’t want to say something that sets off the applicant.
There is also concern over a social media backlash because of something an employee said to a candidate.
All you need is one disgruntled, denied job seeker to post his or her outrage on Twitter and it could go viral—irreparably damaging the company’s reputation.
Not offering any feedback is a safer legal and public relations strategy for the company.
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Stalling for time
There is a belief by corporate executives that there is an abundance of qualified candidates.
They erroneously believe that if the HR department waits longer, they will eventually find the perfect person suited for the role for a cheaper price.
They’ll keep you hanging on in suspense.
The company doesn’t furnish you with an answer about your candidacy or offer a critique because you’re technically still in the running while they’re secretly holding out for a better candidate.
They don’t want to say anything to make you bail out of the running—since they want to string you along and may ultimately want you if nobody better comes along.
This is also a big reason why some interview processes tend to take so long.
Third-party outsourcing
It has become a trend for companies to outsource their recruiting functions to third-party vendors.
In this HR model, recruiters employed by another organization—who are kind of like mercenaries—are placed on the premises of many different clients.
These are usually short-term stints. These types of recruiters, as you can imagine, have no vested interest in providing feedback to candidates, since they’ll be somewhere else in a couple of months.
It’s uncomfortable
Giving feedback, especially negative feedback, to a stranger is sometimes uncomfortable.
Recruiters don’t want to say something that can send a disappointed job candidate off the rail. No one likes getting reprimanded.
A study published in the Wiley Online Library showed that rejected candidates who didn’t receive feedback believed the following:-
- The company didn’t fulfill its obligations
- The company had someone in mind and was just advertising for protocol.
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