Three things the candidate should expect from the employer before, during and after an interview.

What 3 things should the candidate expect from the employer before, during and after an interview?

1.    1.  “Yes, we’d like to continue the conversation” or “No” within five business days after each interview.

2.    2.   An understanding of the pay range for the position before their first in-person interview.

3.   Time allowed in the interview for the job-seeker to ask questions.

I have not included post-interview feedback explaining why they didn’t get the job.  The exception to that however is when the candidate is presented by a recruiter.  It is part of the recruiter’s job to serve as a resource and advocate to the candidate.  Part of that service is being able to provide feedback to candidates regarding their interviews.  What I’m referring to is things such as:

1.      The candidate came in unprepared.

2.      The candidate was not properly dressed for the interview.

3.      The candidate gave us the sense that they were not truly interested in the position.

4.      The candidate had no questions for us.

5.      The candidate used profanity.

6.      The candidate was argumentative.

The potential possibilities could go on and on.  But these are types of things that the recruiter can discuss with the candidate to help coach them on their preparation or presentation skills.  Or can tell the recruiter that this is not a candidate they should even be representing depending on the actual feedback.

Not providing specific interview feedback directly to the candidate is not because job applicants can’t handle the truth or would rush to find a lawyer and try to sue every employer who didn’t hire them once they find out the reason.  But instead, truthfully, hiring decisions aren’t typically clear-cut.

You might not appreciate the feedback. You might feel that it was too subjective, but hiring is subjective. It has to be, because knowledge jobs aren’t cut and dried.

It can be very tough to choose between two competent job applicants. Sometimes one person gets the nod because they sent in a thank-you note or because they have glowing references from two vendors the company does business with.

That information is private. The Human Resources Manager can’t tell you, “Two of our vendors spoke highly of the person we hired, and none of our vendors recommended you.” The information that came from those vendors is relevant to a hiring decision.

A job search can be full of disappointments. There’s a lot that employers can do to make the experience more pleasant for job-seekers.

You deserve to know promptly when you’re not getting a job that you’ve interviewed for, but not necessarily the specific details of the hiring decision. Most likely, you didn’t do anything wrong in your interview — it’s just that someone else gave the hiring manager and his or her colleagues a stronger feeling that they understand the role and can step into it and make a difference.

Go over the interview and think about what you said and what they said and what you’d do differently the next time. That doesn’t mean you messed anything up.

Scot Dickerson, CPC | President | Capstone Search Group