Today I gave some feedback of my own...
Discussion
...to someone who interviewed me for a job in the first week of February.
This was for a household name employer,mid level to senior role, 90k. They asked me to interview on the Wednesday and said can you make an interview on the Friday. I reluctantly agreed despite not really having enough time to prepare but it was a first stage technical interview and I broadly know what I'm doing and there was just enough time to research the organisation etc.
The interview went fairly well as far as I was concerned . I could answer all the technical questions they put to me, and it all went without any major hitch. They said they were keen to progress, all very positive stuff and that I had a "super impressive cv" and I should hear back from them in a week or two.
At the two week stage I send the hr woman a polite email just checking in. She says I should hear back in a week. 2 weeks later, nothing, so I send another email (now at this stage just wanting closure as it was pretty clear I hadn't got the job).
I eventually get told just over a month later from interview they won't be progressing my application in a fairly unhelpful email at 5pm on a Friday and did I want feedback. I said yes I did (politely).
Coming up to 2 weeks later haven't heard anything.
So today I thought f
k this, and sent the woman who interviewed me (who is fairly senior) an email with some feedback of my own. I told her that I thought the whole affair post interview had been handled with poor communication, and I had hoped to have been treated with more respect.
People give up their time to interview, prepare, and invest in the process, the least the person on the other side of the desk should do is treat people fairly and with a bit of respect.
It means I'll never be able to work at that specific organisation, which isn't the end of the world. And she probably won't reply. But its certainly made me feel a lot better now that I've told her what I thought.
This was for a household name employer,mid level to senior role, 90k. They asked me to interview on the Wednesday and said can you make an interview on the Friday. I reluctantly agreed despite not really having enough time to prepare but it was a first stage technical interview and I broadly know what I'm doing and there was just enough time to research the organisation etc.
The interview went fairly well as far as I was concerned . I could answer all the technical questions they put to me, and it all went without any major hitch. They said they were keen to progress, all very positive stuff and that I had a "super impressive cv" and I should hear back from them in a week or two.
At the two week stage I send the hr woman a polite email just checking in. She says I should hear back in a week. 2 weeks later, nothing, so I send another email (now at this stage just wanting closure as it was pretty clear I hadn't got the job).
I eventually get told just over a month later from interview they won't be progressing my application in a fairly unhelpful email at 5pm on a Friday and did I want feedback. I said yes I did (politely).
Coming up to 2 weeks later haven't heard anything.
So today I thought f
k this, and sent the woman who interviewed me (who is fairly senior) an email with some feedback of my own. I told her that I thought the whole affair post interview had been handled with poor communication, and I had hoped to have been treated with more respect. People give up their time to interview, prepare, and invest in the process, the least the person on the other side of the desk should do is treat people fairly and with a bit of respect.
It means I'll never be able to work at that specific organisation, which isn't the end of the world. And she probably won't reply. But its certainly made me feel a lot better now that I've told her what I thought.
If done in the right way it should not impact your chances of being hired in the future. But, at this point you have to ask do you want a job there?
I have provided feedback on several occasions independent of if I got the job or not. In my role, I am inevitably heavily involved in hiring and if my experience was poor then it will impact my ability to hire decent people.
Most of my feedback is given in a way that means it is received well. There was a couple of exceptions though...
For my current role I told the HR rep that his bedside manner was so bad that I thought he was calling to tell me my dog had died and not to offer me a job. To be clear, we had a good relationship so I was able to have a joke with him. But, the feedback was true.
In another interview when asked "What is your biggest weakness?" To which I responded "Pointing out st interview questions". I had known the interviewer for years and was hesitant to accept the offer to be interviewed. Even before I arrived I knew I was making a mistake. They had Sent me via Philadelphia and Atlanta to get from NYC to Virginia to save them $300.
It was the same on the way back. They called me on a Friday afternoon to tell me I did not get the job. Something I know the hiring manager had been trained not to do because I was in the same training. Don't ruin someone's weekend when you could call earlier in the week.
I have provided feedback on several occasions independent of if I got the job or not. In my role, I am inevitably heavily involved in hiring and if my experience was poor then it will impact my ability to hire decent people.
Most of my feedback is given in a way that means it is received well. There was a couple of exceptions though...
For my current role I told the HR rep that his bedside manner was so bad that I thought he was calling to tell me my dog had died and not to offer me a job. To be clear, we had a good relationship so I was able to have a joke with him. But, the feedback was true.
In another interview when asked "What is your biggest weakness?" To which I responded "Pointing out s
t interview questions". I had known the interviewer for years and was hesitant to accept the offer to be interviewed. Even before I arrived I knew I was making a mistake. They had Sent me via Philadelphia and Atlanta to get from NYC to Virginia to save them $300. It was the same on the way back. They called me on a Friday afternoon to tell me I did not get the job. Something I know the hiring manager had been trained not to do because I was in the same training. Don't ruin someone's weekend when you could call earlier in the week.
I had similar recently although I took the job.
I initially spoke to the recruiter, who then hounded me for a portfolio which she got within 24 hours. An interview was set up for the next day - very little about the company online.
I got told in the interview I would be progressing forward and could I meet the guy working outside the office (I could see him) but he wasn't available at that time - 9pm that night through zoom.
The next day the first guy calls me, can you do 2 more interviews, I'll send the details.
First one via zoom went well, second one I drove to the office for 7pm (30 min either way) and called the guy to say I was there, he said 'What the fk, its a zoom meeting' So I pointed out the lack of zoom link and the location says the office, so its rescheduled for an hour later.
Following day 'Can you do two more interviews' One that day on 3 days later.
Then radio silence for 2 days after the interview for a meeting request to pop up 'Application feedback'
Joined the meeting that night (zoom) and it was everyone I interviewed with, they gave me feedback positive and negative (apparently slating my previous employer honestly was bad) but they offered me the job and we then negotiated for 2 days.
2 weeks later the first guy I interviewed with quit, in the 6 weeks I've worked here 6 people have left (only 1 I interviewed with, although I think it will be 2 soon).
Funnily enough I have been interviewing for someone to join my team, one guy started the process but is clueless when it comes to the technical side so I took over it, interviewed a few people, ran assessments, gave my verdict, the boss overruled me and interviewed people I didn't like, didn't like the guy I recommended, and made me start interviewing again.
I have a call with the guy I liked in 2 hours to welcome him to the team (similar to what they done with me)
The boss had me arrange interviews for him with the candidates and I think he attended 1 late and re-arranged the others, but it seems pretty normal practice here.
I initially spoke to the recruiter, who then hounded me for a portfolio which she got within 24 hours. An interview was set up for the next day - very little about the company online.
I got told in the interview I would be progressing forward and could I meet the guy working outside the office (I could see him) but he wasn't available at that time - 9pm that night through zoom.
The next day the first guy calls me, can you do 2 more interviews, I'll send the details.
First one via zoom went well, second one I drove to the office for 7pm (30 min either way) and called the guy to say I was there, he said 'What the f
k, its a zoom meeting' So I pointed out the lack of zoom link and the location says the office, so its rescheduled for an hour later.Following day 'Can you do two more interviews' One that day on 3 days later.
Then radio silence for 2 days after the interview for a meeting request to pop up 'Application feedback'
Joined the meeting that night (zoom) and it was everyone I interviewed with, they gave me feedback positive and negative (apparently slating my previous employer honestly was bad) but they offered me the job and we then negotiated for 2 days.
2 weeks later the first guy I interviewed with quit, in the 6 weeks I've worked here 6 people have left (only 1 I interviewed with, although I think it will be 2 soon).
Funnily enough I have been interviewing for someone to join my team, one guy started the process but is clueless when it comes to the technical side so I took over it, interviewed a few people, ran assessments, gave my verdict, the boss overruled me and interviewed people I didn't like, didn't like the guy I recommended, and made me start interviewing again.
I have a call with the guy I liked in 2 hours to welcome him to the team (similar to what they done with me)
The boss had me arrange interviews for him with the candidates and I think he attended 1 late and re-arranged the others, but it seems pretty normal practice here.
princeperch said:
...to someone who interviewed me for a job in the first week of February.
This was for a household name employer,mid level to senior role, 90k. They asked me to interview on the Wednesday and said can you make an interview on the Friday. I reluctantly agreed despite not really having enough time to prepare but it was a first stage technical interview and I broadly know what I'm doing and there was just enough time to research the organisation etc.
The interview went fairly well as far as I was concerned . I could answer all the technical questions they put to me, and it all went without any major hitch. They said they were keen to progress, all very positive stuff and that I had a "super impressive cv" and I should hear back from them in a week or two.
At the two week stage I send the hr woman a polite email just checking in. She says I should hear back in a week. 2 weeks later, nothing, so I send another email (now at this stage just wanting closure as it was pretty clear I hadn't got the job).
I eventually get told just over a month later from interview they won't be progressing my application in a fairly unhelpful email at 5pm on a Friday and did I want feedback. I said yes I did (politely).
Coming up to 2 weeks later haven't heard anything.
So today I thought fk this, and sent the woman who interviewed me (who is fairly senior) an email with some feedback of my own. I told her that I thought the whole affair post interview had been handled with poor communication, and I had hoped to have been treated with more respect.
People give up their time to interview, prepare, and invest in the process, the least the person on the other side of the desk should do is treat people fairly and with a bit of respect.
It means I'll never be able to work at that specific organisation, which isn't the end of the world. And she probably won't reply. But its certainly made me feel a lot better now that I've told her what I thought.
This was for a household name employer,mid level to senior role, 90k. They asked me to interview on the Wednesday and said can you make an interview on the Friday. I reluctantly agreed despite not really having enough time to prepare but it was a first stage technical interview and I broadly know what I'm doing and there was just enough time to research the organisation etc.
The interview went fairly well as far as I was concerned . I could answer all the technical questions they put to me, and it all went without any major hitch. They said they were keen to progress, all very positive stuff and that I had a "super impressive cv" and I should hear back from them in a week or two.
At the two week stage I send the hr woman a polite email just checking in. She says I should hear back in a week. 2 weeks later, nothing, so I send another email (now at this stage just wanting closure as it was pretty clear I hadn't got the job).
I eventually get told just over a month later from interview they won't be progressing my application in a fairly unhelpful email at 5pm on a Friday and did I want feedback. I said yes I did (politely).
Coming up to 2 weeks later haven't heard anything.
So today I thought f
k this, and sent the woman who interviewed me (who is fairly senior) an email with some feedback of my own. I told her that I thought the whole affair post interview had been handled with poor communication, and I had hoped to have been treated with more respect. People give up their time to interview, prepare, and invest in the process, the least the person on the other side of the desk should do is treat people fairly and with a bit of respect.
It means I'll never be able to work at that specific organisation, which isn't the end of the world. And she probably won't reply. But its certainly made me feel a lot better now that I've told her what I thought.
I'll be honest I've never once heard of anyone getting an immediate response with detailed feedback that met the interviewee's expectations. Maybe it's a generation thing, but I don't expect to get that kind of feedback and don't anticipate it coming in. Sure, it's appreciated when it happens once in a blue moon, but if I don't hear anything within a week of interviewing then I assume it's not to be, and that's that.
A lot of candidates seem to think they are entitled to know every last detail of the recruiting decision - it's just not like that in 99% of cases. I might be in the minority but regardless of how well an interview has gone I will leave it thinking 'I don't have it' and keep an open mind on looking for other opportunities, and if I am successful that's great, but otherwise it's water off a duck's back.
ETA much more likely to get feedback if the interview was secured via an agency, as agents will usually push the interviewers for reasons why so they don't have to handle the awkward questions with the candidates.
A lot of candidates seem to think they are entitled to know every last detail of the recruiting decision - it's just not like that in 99% of cases. I might be in the minority but regardless of how well an interview has gone I will leave it thinking 'I don't have it' and keep an open mind on looking for other opportunities, and if I am successful that's great, but otherwise it's water off a duck's back.
ETA much more likely to get feedback if the interview was secured via an agency, as agents will usually push the interviewers for reasons why so they don't have to handle the awkward questions with the candidates.
Edited by parabolica on Tuesday 16th March 14:36
parabolica said:
I'll be honest I've never once heard of anyone getting an immediate response with detailed feedback that met the interviewee's expectations. Maybe it's a generation thing, but I don't expect to get that kind of feedback and don't anticipate it coming in. Sure, it's appreciated when it happens once in a blue moon, but if I don't hear anything within a week of interviewing then I assume it's not to be, and that's that.
A lot of candidates seem to think they are entitled to know every last detail of the recruiting decision - it's just not like that in 99% of cases. I might be in the minority but regardless of how well an interview has gone I will leave it thinking 'I don't have it' and keep an open mind on looking for other opportunities, and if I am successful that's great, but otherwise it's water off a duck's back.
ETA much more likely to get feedback if the interview was secured via an agency, as agents will usually push the interviewers for reasons why so they don't have to handle the awkward questions with the candidates.
I don't know how old you are, but I am 36, so I'm hardly just out of university. For me, its simply a manners thing. It takes a few seconds to send a nice email saying thanks but no thanks. Why wouldn't you want to do things properly and courteously?A lot of candidates seem to think they are entitled to know every last detail of the recruiting decision - it's just not like that in 99% of cases. I might be in the minority but regardless of how well an interview has gone I will leave it thinking 'I don't have it' and keep an open mind on looking for other opportunities, and if I am successful that's great, but otherwise it's water off a duck's back.
ETA much more likely to get feedback if the interview was secured via an agency, as agents will usually push the interviewers for reasons why so they don't have to handle the awkward questions with the candidates.
Edited by parabolica on Tuesday 16th March 14:36
At least you didn't feel the need to give them feedback on their interview technique during the interview. I did this during an interview a few years ago. I had already decided the position was not for me. I then suggested how he might find the right person if he focused on a few things and asked some more relevant questions.
princeperch said:
I don't know how old you are, but I am 36, so I'm hardly just out of university. For me, its simply a manners thing. It takes a few seconds to send a nice email saying thanks but no thanks. Why wouldn't you want to do things properly and courteously?
mid 40’s here and I think the same. I don’t even expect a detailed reply, just something along the lines of “out of our shortlist of candidates, there was another who we felt was better suited to the role. Good luck in the future.”It the boot was in the other foot, the interviewer would appreciate the same.
princeperch said:
I don't know how old you are, but I am 36, so I'm hardly just out of university. For me, its simply a manners thing. It takes a few seconds to send a nice email saying thanks but no thanks. Why wouldn't you want to do things properly and courteously?
37. Like I said any feedback received is welcome but I don’t expect it. What will be will be. I once interviewed at a company a friend worked for, he had suggested me to his boss and I was looking to move on from where I was. It all went well, they seemed positive and said I’d hear back in a week or so.
I heard nothing until 6 months later when they offered me a job. I declined.
To be clear, I had chased, my friend had done so, but nothing. I had been slightly reluctant to go and work with a friend, but it had seemed like a good opportunity. By the time they decided to offer me a job, much better things had happened.
I heard nothing until 6 months later when they offered me a job. I declined.
To be clear, I had chased, my friend had done so, but nothing. I had been slightly reluctant to go and work with a friend, but it had seemed like a good opportunity. By the time they decided to offer me a job, much better things had happened.
Well 10pm last night I got a reply, basically saying:
1) apols for the delay which she takes personal responsibility for
2) they didn't reject any of those interviewed until the process was concluded
3)she was on jury service for some of feb
4) highly competitive process for an important role and they were impressed with my application and she will personally ensure I receive the feedback
Well at least she bothered to reply.
1) apols for the delay which she takes personal responsibility for
2) they didn't reject any of those interviewed until the process was concluded
3)she was on jury service for some of feb
4) highly competitive process for an important role and they were impressed with my application and she will personally ensure I receive the feedback
Well at least she bothered to reply.
Fair play to you OP. So many people would just let organisations do this to them, but I applaud you for sticking it to the big man!!
The only time I have ever walked out from an interview was about 7 years ago and I was applying for a 3rd line infrastructure role. I had made it very clear in my CV and to the recruiter that I didn't have 3rd line experience yet, but had worked on XYZ and really want to move into a more technical role.
Cut to the interview and I'm being asked questions that I firmly believe a senior architect would struggle to answer. Not only this, but when I was unsure of the answer I told them, but still ran through troubleshooting steps etc. All of this was felt to belittle me and 'knock me down a peg or two'. The final question (which was also asked in a condescending manner) was "You're only 2nd line, what makes you think you can handle 3rd line work".
At this point I had enough of their bullst, their terrible and old fashioned interview techniques. So I told them exactly what I thought of them and how this has been the worst interview I've ever had.
To my amazement, they reacted well to what I said and told me they'd be in touch. I like to think I said "don't bother", but I didn't and just agreed.
2 days later they wanted to offer me a job. I told both the recruiter to get fked and to pass on my message word for word.
5 years later, their "senior engineer" who interviewed me, was (from a structural POV) underneath me at a different company. We never spoke about it, but we both knew why I gave him such crap and mundane tasks.
Karma is truly a bh.
I wish this wasn't true, but it is.
The only time I have ever walked out from an interview was about 7 years ago and I was applying for a 3rd line infrastructure role. I had made it very clear in my CV and to the recruiter that I didn't have 3rd line experience yet, but had worked on XYZ and really want to move into a more technical role.
Cut to the interview and I'm being asked questions that I firmly believe a senior architect would struggle to answer. Not only this, but when I was unsure of the answer I told them, but still ran through troubleshooting steps etc. All of this was felt to belittle me and 'knock me down a peg or two'. The final question (which was also asked in a condescending manner) was "You're only 2nd line, what makes you think you can handle 3rd line work".
At this point I had enough of their bulls
t, their terrible and old fashioned interview techniques. So I told them exactly what I thought of them and how this has been the worst interview I've ever had. To my amazement, they reacted well to what I said and told me they'd be in touch. I like to think I said "don't bother", but I didn't and just agreed.
2 days later they wanted to offer me a job. I told both the recruiter to get f
ked and to pass on my message word for word. 5 years later, their "senior engineer" who interviewed me, was (from a structural POV) underneath me at a different company. We never spoke about it, but we both knew why I gave him such crap and mundane tasks.
Karma is truly a b
h. I wish this wasn't true, but it is.
princeperch said:
Well 10pm last night I got a reply, basically saying:
1) apols for the delay which she takes personal responsibility for
2) they didn't reject any of those interviewed until the process was concluded
3)she was on jury service for some of feb
4) highly competitive process for an important role and they were impressed with my application and she will personally ensure I receive the feedback
Well at least she bothered to reply.
One of my pet hates because they are saying "until the offer was accepted and potentially all background checks completed" and not "until all interviews were conducted". This means that, if there is a delay of over a week, you can usually assume someone else is in process of background checks. 1) apols for the delay which she takes personal responsibility for
2) they didn't reject any of those interviewed until the process was concluded
3)she was on jury service for some of feb
4) highly competitive process for an important role and they were impressed with my application and she will personally ensure I receive the feedback
Well at least she bothered to reply.
Where I work today, we inform the applicant within 48 hours if they have been successful. We evaluate them on their own merits and do not keep reserves on the bench just in case. Yes, this can lead to rare situations where the chosen candidate fails a background check and we are left with an open position. But, these are so rare that we should not mess around the others that applied. And, we do have the option of re-engaging if required however, that has never happened.
Well done OP.
Years back I was told after a 1st that they would get back to me by the end of the week. Two weeks later I sent a friendly chaser, was told they were progressing me to 2nd and they'd be in touch in the next day or two.
Two weeks later I chased again and they were full of apologies and said I'd be called back the next day.
Three weeks later I offer my own feedback on their communication and withdraw my application as I politely point out that if this is what's demonstrated to potential employees then I can only imagine what is shown to actual employees.
It didn't go down well. Next day the head of dept fires back saying they had decided not to progress my application.
Years back I was told after a 1st that they would get back to me by the end of the week. Two weeks later I sent a friendly chaser, was told they were progressing me to 2nd and they'd be in touch in the next day or two.
Two weeks later I chased again and they were full of apologies and said I'd be called back the next day.
Three weeks later I offer my own feedback on their communication and withdraw my application as I politely point out that if this is what's demonstrated to potential employees then I can only imagine what is shown to actual employees.
It didn't go down well. Next day the head of dept fires back saying they had decided not to progress my application.
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