The Vital Role of Interview Feedback in Recruitment

Did you know that candidates are four times more likely to consider applying to your company in the future if they receive constructive feedback? Interview feedback is crucial in the hiring process, offering valuable insights and evaluations based on a candidate’s performance. This feedback not only communicates strengths and areas for improvement to candidates but also aids employers in making informed hiring decisions. In this article, we will delve into best practices for documenting and delivering interview feedback. Let’s get started!

How to Document Interview Feedback

Understanding the importance of interview feedback is just the beginning. Here’s how you can effectively document it:

1. Use a Standardized Feedback Form

A standardized feedback form ensures consistency across interviewers. It should include sections for rating skills, experience, communication abilities, and overall fit, along with space for detailed comments.

2. Provide Specific Examples

Support your assessments with specific examples. Instead of saying a candidate is a strong communicator, describe instances where they effectively communicated with a team or handled a challenging situation.

3. Focus on Job-Related Criteria

Evaluate candidates based on job-related criteria essential for the role, such as technical skills, soft skills, experience, and cultural fit. This ensures the feedback is relevant to the position.

4. Be Objective and Unbiased

Document feedback objectively, avoiding personal biases. Stick to factual observations based on the candidate’s performance during the interview.

5. Include Strengths and Areas for Improvement

Highlight both strengths and areas for improvement. Constructive feedback helps candidates understand how they can grow and develop in their careers.

6. Collaborate with Other Interviewers

If multiple interviewers are involved, collaborate and discuss feedback before documenting it. This ensures a comprehensive and aligned assessment of the candidate.

7. Document Feedback Promptly

Record feedback soon after the interview while details are fresh. Delays can lead to inaccuracies or missing important details.

8. Keep Feedback Confidential

Treat interview feedback as confidential, sharing it only with stakeholders involved in the hiring process. Respect the candidate’s privacy.

Now, to ensure your feedback is well-documented and shared promptly, consider using a recruitment tool like Manatal’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS). With Manatal’s Collaborations & Activities feature, you can give hiring managers and stakeholders permission to access candidate information and leave notes. Its messaging feature also facilitates real-time communication, keeping everyone in the loop.

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How to Deliver Interview Feedback

Delivering feedback effectively is key to maintaining a positive relationship with candidates. Here’s how to do it:

Positive Feedback

• Start by acknowledging the candidate’s strengths and impressive aspects of their performance.
• Be specific about what they did well, such as communication skills, problem-solving abilities, or relevant experience.
• Express gratitude for their time and effort in preparing for the interview.

Negative Feedback

• Focus on specific areas for improvement rather than general criticism.
• Provide actionable suggestions for enhancing skills or performance.
• Offer support and encouragement to help the candidate learn and grow from the feedback.

Dos & Don’ts

Dos:

• Deliver feedback promptly, ideally within a few days of the interview.
• Use a constructive and empathetic tone to ensure the feedback is well-received.
• Follow up with the candidate to answer any questions or provide additional guidance.

Don’ts:

• Avoid vague or overly critical feedback, as it can be demotivating.
• Don’t focus solely on negatives; balance constructive criticism with positive reinforcement.
• Never provide disrespectful feedback that undermines the candidate’s confidence. Maintain professionalism and supportiveness.

Real-World Examples of Companies That Do Interview Feedback Right

Google

Google is known for its rigorous interview process and detailed feedback. The search engine titan provides constructive feedback that helps candidates improve, highlighting specific areas of excellence and areas for improvement, such as problem-solving skills and coding efficiency. [2]

Amazon

Amazon prioritizes post-interview feedback, ensuring candidates receive detailed performance evaluations. The global tech company follows up with a survey to improve its process and contact candidates within five business days to provide feedback. [3]

Conclusion

Constructive feedback provides valuable insights into the performance of candidates, helps identify areas for improvement, and ultimately leads to better hiring decisions. To strategize around interview feedback, it is important to establish a structured and consistent feedback process. So, before you start forming an interview feedback process, set clear evaluation criteria, train interviewers on providing effective feedback, and ensure confidentiality and professionalism in the feedback shared.

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Citations:

1. LinkedIn

2. Google

3. Amazon