There’s a familiar moment that any hiring manager knows well, and it’s often quite awkward. The interview with a new candidate is coming to an end. As you’ve gotten to know the person in front of you, you’ve developed a sense of their fit for the role and the organization. For whatever reason, this is not the moment to extend an offer. What do you say?
Most hiring managers have fears swirling inside of making false promises, giving the wrong impression, being misaligned with the other interviewers, or “showing your cards” and giving up leverage. We don’t want to mess this up!
Here’s what to do: give them honest feedback in the moment.
I’ll lay out the case for candor.
Receiving feedback will show you who they really are
Being open and honest with candidates at the end of an interview often sheds light on their true non-interview self. Time and again I’ve seen candidates breathe a sigh of relief when they hear their positive qualities affirmed.
They feel seen. They feel like they’ve interviewed well.
This is the moment a candidate will let their guard down, and you’ll get a clearer picture of their true, unscripted self.
When you share where you see them falling short, you get to see for yourself how they handle constructive criticism. That’s important information to have when you’re making decisions about who you’re going to add to your team.
Offering positive feedback helps ensure you don’t lose great candidates
Everyone likes to be liked. Sharing positive feedback creates a connection with strong candidates that makes them more willing to wait for your offer. Should another opportunity come along, you’ll be less likely to lose them to it if you’ve given them higher confidence that they might be a good fit.
Candid feedback primes your future hiring
Sometimes, you’ll have more than one great candidate interview for a position. If your silver-medalists leave the interview unsure of where they stand, they’ll likely assume the worst and never apply for a position with your company again. Feedback to those second- and third-place candidates will show them that you see their best qualities, regardless of the final choice. That connection could pay dividends in the future. The next time you have a related job opening, you may not even have to advertise the position if they’re still in the market for a new job.
Candid feedback preserves your brand
It’s a small world and technology is making it smaller. When a candidate doesn’t know where they stand, it’s natural for them to get in their heads about it. Self-doubt, anxiety, frustration, disappointment. All that tension needs a release, and if the release is a sad surprise, it may not look good for your company.
Even one scathing post online can influence jobseekers and affect your applications.
Neutralize the rumination by sharing your feedback. Whichever way it falls, candidates will feel that you’ve valued their time and energy.
Now that we’ve covered some of the benefits, let’s talk about how to provide candidate feedback well.
Candidate Feedback Tip #1: Sooner is better
The biggest stress and time saver is to incorporate your feedback into the interview. Try wrapping up every interview with a direct conversation about their strengths and growth opportunities as you see it. Address your sense of how they fit this role, and if there are other potential future opportunities if they don’t fit.
Candidate Feedback Tip #2: Keep it objective
Facts are easier for people to accept than opinions. If the candidate has shortcomings that have made you think they aren’t a good fit, you will probably have discovered them and dug a little deeper during the interview. Chances are they have probably already picked up on the gap. Rather than letting it be an elephant in the room, explain why the skill or experience they are lacking is important to your business. For example, “Our business revolves around this skill, so that’s critical for this position. You seem like you’d be a great employee, but there are some other candidates who have a lot more experience in that area, and we really need someone who can hit the ground running.”
Candidate Feedback Tip #3: Being candid doesn’t mean showing all your cards
If you’re interviewing multiple candidates, you won’t know how everyone stacks up until you’ve talked to several. Offer feedback about their specific experience, interview performance, and potential culture fit. Tell them if they’re one of your top candidates, but there is no need to get into details about the number of candidates they are up against.
Candidate Feedback Tip #4: Don’t burn bridges
It’s entirely possible that your first- and second-choice candidates will turn down your offer. Be honest and frank with candidates, and avoid telling them that you’re not expecting to extend an offer until you’ve got an offer signed from a successful candidate.
Candidate Feedback Tip #5: Be prepared for common reactions to challenging feedback
There are some very common trends in reactions when we discuss someone’s shortcomings. Be prepared to handle the common flight/fight/freeze responses:
Candidates typically react to challenging feedback in one of two ways. The first common reaction is that they’ll be quiet, appear uncomfortable, and want to wrap things up quickly. That’s okay. Giving them space is a good way to go. The second common reaction is to go into defense mode and try to disprove your criticism. This is why keeping your feedback objective is important (see Tip #1).
Speaking tentatively will soften challenging feedback, and give them a chance to correct any misconceptions you have. You’ve engaged with this person a small amount, so there’s a chance your read is off. Start with “my impression is…”, “I’m getting the sense that…”, “I wonder if…”
How they react to challenging feedback will tell you a great deal.
Giving candidates clear, objective feedback regarding your initial impressions of their fit for the position can be an incredibly positive experience with benefits for everyone at the table. It takes some courage, but it’s worth the effort.
