How do you solicit feedback from candidates who are closed or rejected?

I usually reach out to closed or rejected candidates for feedback through a personalized and respectful approach. I express gratitude for their time and interest, then ask if they'd be open to sharing their thoughts on their experience with the recruitment process. It's important to assure them that their feedback is valuable and will be used constructively to improve our process. Open-ended questions, asking about their impressions, what worked well, and areas for enhancement, often elicit honest insights. I also offer the option for anonymous feedback to encourage candid responses.

Equally important is communicating the intention behind the feedback request. I often inform candidates that, should they proceed to a phone screen or onsite interview, they'll receive a feedback form afterward. This transparency not only sets expectations but also shows our commitment to continuous improvement. The right method, coupled with the right message at the right time, not only obtains valuable feedback but also cultivates a positive candidate experience.

Some of the questions I suggest one can ask: Experience: "Could you share your overall experience throughout the recruitment process?" Clarity of Information: "Did you feel well-informed about the role, company, and the expectations?" Interview Process: "What aspects of the interview process did you find most helpful, and were there any areas you think could be improved?" Expectations vs. Reality: "Were the role and company aligned with your expectations? If not, in what ways?" Suggestions for Improvement: "Are there any specific suggestions you have that could enhance the overall recruitment experience?" Company Image: "Did your interaction with us positively or negatively impact your perception of the company? How so?"

While disappointing and frustrating, a job rejection is a unique opportunity for you to understand your true value to the market and then use this knowledge to better position yourself for future roles. What you learn right now, you can apply for future applications and interviewing processes.

What I’ve been hearing across platforms is that candidates feel offended when asked to provide feedback on the hiring process after being rejected. Look, we all know the hiring process needs improvement, and some would say a complete overhaul. But this is conquered one company at a time. The mere fact that a company is seeking feedback on the process is a great sign and means someone at the company wants to improve it. In order to implement meaningful changes for the better, they’ll need candidates to provide the feedback. The candidates who are contacted by empathetic recruiters are likely willing to participate. But the ones we need to hear from the most are those in the opposite situation. I’m not sure what the solution here is.

By following up after a rejection, it allows you to build a positive relationship with the company. While other candidates will likely delete a rejection email and not send a response, this will help YOU to stand out. It’s essential to do this for three reasons: → Sometimes the candidate who was chosen may change their mind and not start. → The candidate commences in the role and isn’t the right fit and leaves after a short time. → Most of the times the company has an opening for another position for which YOU could be a fit.

Finding out you didn’t get a job is difficult. As a recruiter with +4 years of experience, rejecting candidates is still the most challenging part of my work because most of the time many of the candidates on the shortlist could do the job, and do it well. I believe in my candidates, and I trust the fact that they could be even a better fit that the person who got offered. Still, bad news is better than no news.

Feedback needs to be gathered in a specific manner: “Can you give me any insights into how I could have presented better?” “Were there any areas in my experience that you felt were a gap?” Do not beg or act desperate. Never push back on the feedback that they give you and instead, accept it graciously. You should not also try to change their mind.

My approach to feedback is all about genuine curiosity and fine-tuning my hiring game. I start by diving into their experience, throwing in some open-ended questions to catch their experience on the whole interview process. When it's time for the "thanks but no thanks" talk, I keep it real. No automated rejections here. I spill the beans on why they didn't move forward or if the position got filled by another candidate. I get it, not everyone's up for the feedback chat, but I give a friendly nudge, stressing how much their thoughts help us level up. Oh, and I keep the LinkedIn connection alive—for future opportunities or just growing my network in general.

I advise to leave the door open. Life changes every day. You never know what may happen in a year or two. This is the message I would write to a hiring manager: “Thank you again for your time and for this feedback. If another role opens up that you think that I would be a good fit for, I would love to talk with you about it.”