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Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

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Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#1

Post by alephnullz »

I recently interviewed for a position at The Atlantic Monthly as part of their data team. After two hours in person, a phone screen, and a two hour coding test, I was told I was "in contention" -- and then they went radio silent for two weeks. Finally I heard back from the recruiter that they had declined, but provided no other feedback. I contacted the hiring manager, who I'd already exchanged several emails with, to ask if he had any constructive feedback, but did not receive a reply.

I understand the potential reluctance of a firm to provide feedback to candidates they decline to hire, even ones they feel are reasonably strong: they are probably concerned about legal ramifications. But still, this feels unprofessional, especially when you've spent a day or so invested in the interview process.

I'm curious what the HN crowd has to say about this.

Re: Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#3

Post by thelastidiot »

No feedback when you get rejected seems to be the rule these days. No one wants to take responsibility to carry the "bad" news. Radio silence for a few days and you know you are out anyway. The market is so competitive, they wouldn't let you free otherwise. I take it a sign that it's not a company I would want to work for and move on. F'em!

Re: Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#4

Post by avitzurel »

We provide that feedback if the candidate asks for it. In engineering or any other role (product, project management etc...).

It's never comfortable, but it's something that I think you deserve to get.

Just as a side note, I think a lot of people know why they were rejected. It's rare that people think the interview went great and they still did not get an offer.

Re: Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#5

Post by fjones11 »

In many cases, a company is concerned about opening itself up to potential legal action. It sucks for candidates who really just want to know how to improve, but the safest action for a company is to simply not provide any information, rather than provide something that could be used against them later.

It's not dissimilar to why many companies can't provide more info on reference checks than the dates of someone's employment.

If you don't recall any major red flags, it really might just be an issue of fit. Maybe you didn't have a specific type of experience or expertise that they decided would work best for this job (and another candidate did). It doesn't mean you're not a great candidate, just that you're not the right candidate for this job at this company.

Re: Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#6

Post by brudgers »

Suppose there are four fully qualified candidates for a single position. To a first approximation, three of them did not get the position because there were four candidates and one position. The reasons why one or another candidate was chosen are much much less relevant to the outcome experienced by other three. The difference is mostly luck. Sure the hiring committee may have found reasons for picking one and not the others. But that's the nature of their job...rejecting three candidates and/or choosing one. And all this assumes that there actually was a position and not just the possibility or hope or wish that there might be one in the future.

Re: Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#8

Post by mabui91 »

fjones11 wrote: post #5

In many cases, a company is concerned about opening itself up to potential legal action. It sucks for candidates who really just want to know how to improve, but the safest action for a company is to simply not provide any information, rather than provide something that could be used against them later. It's not dissimilar to why many companies can't provide more info on reference checks than the dates of someone's e…

Is this specific to US? Since I have never had any issues with receiving feedback in Europe. Fun fact: The current job I'm at, I was declined at first, but after asking for feedback and having a follow up discussion about it, they changed their mind and offered me the position.

Re: Getting feedback when a company declines to make an offer

#9

Post by jiveturkey »

It's not unprofessional at all. It's the standard. Nobody on the receiving end likes it, and many on the hiring end don't like it either, but it is what it is. For a company the size I imagine The Atlantic is, you're lucky to have even gotten a no from the recruiter. Many companies just drop you without further contact. (That is a bit unprofessional.)

Sounds like this may have been your first job interview ever, TBH.

Move on.

At your next interview, ask the final tech interviewer before you leave, what their impression is. I wouldn't do this with every interviewer because the response (good or bad) will change your psyche and affect the rest of the interviews through the day.

Don't bother asking the HR person (usually they are the final person you speak to before you leave), they won't tell you anything useful. For smaller companies, where the HR rep will have some useful feedback for the hiring manager, do make an impression on them before you leave that you like the company and the folks you met and hope that you'll be a good fit, etc. A compliment about some aspect of the company wouldn't hurt either.

And look at it this way. It doesn't matter what the feedback is. If you're not a good fit, you're not a good fit. If you feel the reasons are wrong, you'll just get mad about it (and frequently their reasons are wrong, but the interview format doesn't allow for deep exploration of any candidate). If they are right, they are right. You shouldn't change your presentation of yourself based on some company's personal, biased impression. You should find a company that wants to hire you.

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