You know it, we know – IT market is tough right now.
With hundreds of applicants vying for the same roles, it’s no surprise that many candidates wonder why they didn’t make the cut. In fact, despite going through multiple rounds of interviews and assessments, most are left wondering what went wrong.
For many IT companies, the reasons for not sharing job interview feedback range from a lack of time and resources to a shortage of dedicated manpower and an absence of a feedback culture.
With in-house HR teams often overwhelmed with other responsibilities, providing detailed feedback to every candidate can feel like an impossible task.
Still, the impact of this silence on candidates can be profound, leaving them with unanswered questions and missed opportunities for growth.
That is why we’ve decided to write this article and shed light on this issue, as well as some ways to overcome it.
To find out more, keep reading!
1.The Importance of Providing Job Interview Feedback
When companies consistently fail to give candidates job interview feedback, it creates a ripple effect that can be pretty damaging.
Think about it – candidates are applying to tons of jobs. If they’re constantly getting ghosted, it’s easy to see how that can wear them down.
Similarly, the excitement of landing an interview and hearing about all the great things a company has to offer can quickly turn into frustration and disappointment.
If a company’s promising candidates fairytales during the interview process, only to leave them hanging at the very end, overtime this can lead to a decrease in motivation and the overall loss of interest in the job search processes.
Basically, candidates might start to feel like their efforts are pointless, and that’s not a lousy feeling that can be easily avoided by simply sending a message like:
“Thanks for your hard work and interest. Every interview is a chance to learn and grow, so keep up the good work as you look for the perfect fit.”
Essentially, the lack of feedback isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it can actually have a pretty big impact on people’s mental health and can lead to feelings of anxiousness and a lack of motivation.
Another reason why sharing feedback after job interview is important is that a lack of thereof can severly damage one company’s reputation.
If you’re a hiring company’s representative, just put yourself in the shoes of talented IT professionals looking for a new job. You too would do the same thing that they do, which is check what others are saying about potential employers on platforms like Hello World, Joberty, or Glassdoor.
And what do you think you’ll find if most candidates haven’t had a positive experience?
That’s right, negative reviews!
And who would want to work for a company like that?
In the long run, this approach can lead to a decrease in attracting talent and make it harder to find quality employees due to a negative employer branding.
2. Top 3 Reasons Why IT Companies Don’t Send Job Interview Feedback
Despite the importance of job interview feedback, many IT companies still fail to provide it to job candidates.
Here are the top 3 reasons why this might be the case:
1. Lack of Time and Resources
We’ve been digging into why some DACH region IT companies are so tight-lipped about job interview feedback.
As it turns out, many HR managers only send written feedback to candidates who make it past the first round and nail the technical tasks.
Basically, they told us that many candidates just didn’t have what it takes (their knowledge was insufficient), technically speaking. They also said that providing detailed feedback on specific knowledge gaps would be too time-consuming and resource-intensive, either of which the company can’t afford.
Essentially, HR teams are busy people juggling a ton of applications, up to 200-300 per position.
They have a lot going on, from scheduling interviews to managing the whole hiring process, so giving detailed feedback to everyone who doesn’t make it past the first round is just not practical, and they’re more focused on the candidates who show promise.
2. Lack of Dedicated Manpower
Another reason why companies often fail to provide detailed job interview feedback to unsuccessful job candidates is simply a lack of manpower.
In-house HR departments are often stretched thin, juggling multiple responsibilities and dealing with a high volume of applications. This can make it difficult to allocate sufficient time and resources to providing comprehensive feedback to every candidate.
In addition to limited staffing, poorly defined roles and responsibilities within the HR department can further hinder the ability to provide timely and effective feedback.
When it’s unclear who is responsible for conducting evaluations, providing feedback, or managing the candidate experience, the process can become fragmented and inefficient.
This can lead to delays, inconsistencies, and, ultimately, a lack of feedback for many candidates.
3. Lack of Feedback Culture
This isn’t as common as the prior two reasons, but some companies simply don’t recognize the importance of job interview feedback as a crucial component of a positive candidate experience.
Specifically, they don’t understand how feedback can contribute to a candidate’s professional development or even improve their perception of the company.
Their primary focus is on filling immediate staffing needs rather than building a long-term positive employer brand, often due to their HR professionals not being adequately trained on the importance of providing constructive feedback.
3. How IT Candidates Can Gain Insight Without Job Interview Feedback
Sometimes, even when we think we’ve got everything covered, there’s always something we might’ve missed.
After the recruitment process is done, and if you haven’t received job interview feedback, look back at the job description with fresh eyes. You might find that you’ve missed hidden clues about the specific skills and qualities the company was seeking the first time around.
Also, sometimes, candidates assume that companies will overlook minor shortcomings or that they won’t find the perfect candidate, so they’ll be well off even without meeting all the necessary requirements.
However, with hundreds of applicants, companies can be more selective than you might think – especially if their job description clearly outlines “must-haves” versus “nice-haves” for a candidate.
In the end, if you don’t receive a word from a hiring company after a rejection and can’t seem to gauge one even after asking for feedback after job interview, consider reaching out to your professional network for advice.
Talking to friends, colleagues, or mentors can often provide you with just as valuable insights and help you identify areas for improvement.
4. Why People Focus is a Go-To IT Recruiter for Feedback
At People Focus, we’re committed to providing honest and helpful job interview feedback to every candidate we work with.
Even if we can’t give you a detailed breakdown of your interview, we’ll always try to offer something valuable. For instance, our recruiters are involved in the initial interview rounds, so they can provide insights into your performance and how you might improve.
And if you don’t hear back from us, don’t worry – it’s probably just a case of email gremlins. Drop us a line, and we’ll make sure to send you a response.
Note: In addition to our IT recruiting, we also offer HR consulting services. This means we can help your IT company set up efficient systems for giving personalized feedback for a job interview to candidates. By sharing the responsibility among different team members, you can ensure that everyone gets the feedback they deserve.
Conclusion
While it’s easy to see why in-house HR teams might struggle to provide detailed job interview feedback—given their limited resources, high volume of applications, and sheer scope of responsibilities—they face challenges that external IT recruiters don’t.
Unlike specialized recruitment agencies, whose sole focus is matching candidates with roles, internal HR departments often have to juggle recruitment alongside other vital tasks. This makes it tough to offer the same level of personalized attention to every candidate.
However, improving feedback practices shouldn’t be overlooked. Clear, constructive feedback is not just a courtesy to candidates—it’s also a strategic advantage for the company.
Candidates who receive thoughtful feedback are more likely to maintain a positive perception of the company, recommend it to others, and even apply again in the future with improved skills. For the company, this builds a stronger employer brand and nurtures a talent pool that could yield future hires.
It’s a win-win situation worth investing in!
You know it, we know – IT market is tough right now.
With hundreds of applicants vying for the same roles, it’s no surprise that many candidates wonder why they didn’t make the cut. In fact, despite going through multiple rounds of interviews and assessments, most are left wondering what went wrong.
For many IT companies, the reasons for not sharing job interview feedback range from a lack of time and resources to a shortage of dedicated manpower and an absence of a feedback culture.
With in-house HR teams often overwhelmed with other responsibilities, providing detailed feedback to every candidate can feel like an impossible task.
Still, the impact of this silence on candidates can be profound, leaving them with unanswered questions and missed opportunities for growth.
That is why we’ve decided to write this article and shed light on this issue, as well as some ways to overcome it.
To find out more, keep reading!
1.The Importance of Providing Job Interview Feedback
When companies consistently fail to give candidates job interview feedback, it creates a ripple effect that can be pretty damaging.
Think about it – candidates are applying to tons of jobs. If they’re constantly getting ghosted, it’s easy to see how that can wear them down.
Similarly, the excitement of landing an interview and hearing about all the great things a company has to offer can quickly turn into frustration and disappointment.
If a company’s promising candidates fairytales during the interview process, only to leave them hanging at the very end, overtime this can lead to a decrease in motivation and the overall loss of interest in the job search processes.
Basically, candidates might start to feel like their efforts are pointless, and that’s not a lousy feeling that can be easily avoided by simply sending a message like:
“Thanks for your hard work and interest. Every interview is a chance to learn and grow, so keep up the good work as you look for the perfect fit.”
Essentially, the lack of feedback isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it can actually have a pretty big impact on people’s mental health and can lead to feelings of anxiousness and a lack of motivation.
Another reason why sharing feedback after job interview is important is that a lack of thereof can severly damage one company’s reputation.
If you’re a hiring company’s representative, just put yourself in the shoes of talented IT professionals looking for a new job. You too would do the same thing that they do, which is check what others are saying about potential employers on platforms like Hello World, Joberty, or Glassdoor.
And what do you think you’ll find if most candidates haven’t had a positive experience?
That’s right, negative reviews!
And who would want to work for a company like that?
In the long run, this approach can lead to a decrease in attracting talent and make it harder to find quality employees due to a negative employer branding.
2. Top 3 Reasons Why IT Companies Don’t Send Job Interview Feedback
Despite the importance of job interview feedback, many IT companies still fail to provide it to job candidates.
Here are the top 3 reasons why this might be the case:
1. Lack of Time and Resources
We’ve been digging into why some DACH region IT companies are so tight-lipped about job interview feedback.
As it turns out, many HR managers only send written feedback to candidates who make it past the first round and nail the technical tasks.
Basically, they told us that many candidates just didn’t have what it takes (their knowledge was insufficient), technically speaking. They also said that providing detailed feedback on specific knowledge gaps would be too time-consuming and resource-intensive, either of which the company can’t afford.
Essentially, HR teams are busy people juggling a ton of applications, up to 200-300 per position.
They have a lot going on, from scheduling interviews to managing the whole hiring process, so giving detailed feedback to everyone who doesn’t make it past the first round is just not practical, and they’re more focused on the candidates who show promise.
2. Lack of Dedicated Manpower
Another reason why companies often fail to provide detailed job interview feedback to unsuccessful job candidates is simply a lack of manpower.
In-house HR departments are often stretched thin, juggling multiple responsibilities and dealing with a high volume of applications. This can make it difficult to allocate sufficient time and resources to providing comprehensive feedback to every candidate.
In addition to limited staffing, poorly defined roles and responsibilities within the HR department can further hinder the ability to provide timely and effective feedback.
When it’s unclear who is responsible for conducting evaluations, providing feedback, or managing the candidate experience, the process can become fragmented and inefficient.
This can lead to delays, inconsistencies, and, ultimately, a lack of feedback for many candidates.
3. Lack of Feedback Culture
This isn’t as common as the prior two reasons, but some companies simply don’t recognize the importance of job interview feedback as a crucial component of a positive candidate experience.
Specifically, they don’t understand how feedback can contribute to a candidate’s professional development or even improve their perception of the company.
Their primary focus is on filling immediate staffing needs rather than building a long-term positive employer brand, often due to their HR professionals not being adequately trained on the importance of providing constructive feedback.
3. How IT Candidates Can Gain Insight Without Job Interview Feedback
Sometimes, even when we think we’ve got everything covered, there’s always something we might’ve missed.
After the recruitment process is done, and if you haven’t received job interview feedback, look back at the job description with fresh eyes. You might find that you’ve missed hidden clues about the specific skills and qualities the company was seeking the first time around.
Also, sometimes, candidates assume that companies will overlook minor shortcomings or that they won’t find the perfect candidate, so they’ll be well off even without meeting all the necessary requirements.
However, with hundreds of applicants, companies can be more selective than you might think – especially if their job description clearly outlines “must-haves” versus “nice-haves” for a candidate.
In the end, if you don’t receive a word from a hiring company after a rejection and can’t seem to gauge one even after asking for feedback after job interview, consider reaching out to your professional network for advice.
Talking to friends, colleagues, or mentors can often provide you with just as valuable insights and help you identify areas for improvement.
4. Why People Focus is a Go-To IT Recruiter for Feedback
At People Focus, we’re committed to providing honest and helpful job interview feedback to every candidate we work with.
Even if we can’t give you a detailed breakdown of your interview, we’ll always try to offer something valuable. For instance, our recruiters are involved in the initial interview rounds, so they can provide insights into your performance and how you might improve.
And if you don’t hear back from us, don’t worry – it’s probably just a case of email gremlins. Drop us a line, and we’ll make sure to send you a response.
Note: In addition to our IT recruiting, we also offer HR consulting services. This means we can help your IT company set up efficient systems for giving personalized feedback for a job interview to candidates. By sharing the responsibility among different team members, you can ensure that everyone gets the feedback they deserve.
Conclusion
While it’s easy to see why in-house HR teams might struggle to provide detailed job interview feedback—given their limited resources, high volume of applications, and sheer scope of responsibilities—they face challenges that external IT recruiters don’t.
Unlike specialized recruitment agencies, whose sole focus is matching candidates with roles, internal HR departments often have to juggle recruitment alongside other vital tasks. This makes it tough to offer the same level of personalized attention to every candidate.
However, improving feedback practices shouldn’t be overlooked. Clear, constructive feedback is not just a courtesy to candidates—it’s also a strategic advantage for the company.
Candidates who receive thoughtful feedback are more likely to maintain a positive perception of the company, recommend it to others, and even apply again in the future with improved skills. For the company, this builds a stronger employer brand and nurtures a talent pool that could yield future hires.
