Interview rejection - worth asking for feedback?

crashuk · 19 Jul 2006 at 15:53

Admiral Huddy said:
..they also took the time to interview the candidate. You have to remember that the company has a business to run and this is the nature of interviews. That said however, if they did say they would provide feedback, then they should do so but as I said before, you should have a good idea as to why the interview wasn't successful anyway without having to ask. If you really have no idea, then you should re-think your interview skills.

(when I say you, i don't mean you personally but you as in general )

The whole point of bettering your interview tactics is to know where you messed up and the best way is to get feedback, theres things that you dont see in yourself but others do.

I pester them if i didnt get the job i dont care about there business i care about where i went wrong and how i can repair my errors.

Admiral Huddy · 19 Jul 2006 at 16:12

crashuk said:
The hold point of bettering you interview tactics is to know where you messed up and the best way is to get feedback, theres things that you dont see in yourself but others do.

I pester them if i didnt get the job i dont care about there business i care about where i went wrong and how i can repair my errors.

Life's just harsh huh

I see your point, but they aren't there to improve your interviewing skills. This can only be something you work on over time and before the interview itself.

The companies objective is to fill a vacant position with a suitable candidate that will complement the existing team. As I said in a previous post, sometimes you will interview well but they will feel that you just won't fit in or the face doesn't fit. There isn't anything you can do about that because you are you and that can't be changed.

Admiral Huddy · 19 Jul 2006 at 16:14

FunkyT said:
Surely if people knew where they'd slipped up they wouldn't be asking for feedback?

If they knew they had slipped up then the'd know where and why..

FunkyT · 19 Jul 2006 at 17:18

Admiral Huddy said:
If they knew they had slipped up then the'd know where and why..

Slipped up as in not being offered the job...

The HR Manager rang me. What a bizarre conversation!

Here's the condensed version:

There was nothing I did wrong (apparently) and if the "better fit" candidate had turned the job down I'd still be in line...

He said I could have found out the "sub culture" of the organisation (maybe come in for an informal look round). I'd have noticed they were young and casual in terms of the way they dressed. They were also very loud, very flexible working hours, no expectations of their employees (it was all about empowerment) etc. WTF? If you ask me they looked like a bunch of geeks

He felt the successful candidate showed a more open personality.

I asked should I have worn more casual clothes? He said, "what ever you felt comfortable would have been fine." He said: "a civil service interview might expect someone to wear a suit".

Before you ask it wasn't a job at Glastonbury but perhaps I should have gone there in shorts and talked about getting caned at festivals :rolleyes:

He said: "you're very marketable and don't need to change your approach".

Maybe one of the difficulties in moving from a large corporate company to a public sector outfit?

Sounds like a whole load of **** to me? :rolleyes:

Dj_Jestar · 19 Jul 2006 at 17:27

Admiral Huddy said:
Do you really think that companies really have the time to supply feed back? A lot make it policy not to.. It's not e-bay

Actually, it works both ways.

1) You want to know what was wrong. You don't get without asking.

2) If they continue to fob you off with half hearted excuses.. you can be relieved that you won't be working for a company that 'cba.'

3) Some companies actually use this practice in finding the right candidate. A determination test or some pap.

It's also lately been a thing for interviewers to shout at the candidate to see how they react. Not personal abuse, but pretty harsh. If the candidate shouts back or reacts with attitude, they won't get the job, but if they calmly deal with the situation it shows they have the brains to deal with it. It's a risky process but it's a new 'fad.' (heard about this on the radio)

Scottie2004 · 19 Jul 2006 at 18:18

If they offered feedback then definetley take them up on it. One piece of advice may be to write a letter / email asking for the feedback and ask for it to be an honest assesment of how the interview went. They will be more likely to be honest if they don't have to point out your failings to your face / ear directly.