New York City, New York – Job applicants often find it difficult to obtain feedback from hiring managers after interviews, leaving them in the dark about their performance. The lack of feedback can be frustrating for candidates like photographer Allison Hunter, who was left without any insight into why she didn’t land a job after a promising interview. The scarcity of feedback is a common issue in the hiring process, with many employers choosing to remain silent to avoid legal risks and discrimination allegations.
The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) estimates that a single recruiter handles a median of 10-to-20 job listings at a time. With hundreds of applications flooding in for each position, recruiters often resort to automated rejection emails at the application stage. As a result, very few applicants receive any form of feedback, leading to uncertainty about their standing in the hiring process.
Some companies, however, do provide feedback to candidates, albeit at different stages of the hiring process. Marketing tech company HubSpot, for example, offers feedback to candidates based on their progress, providing valuable insights into areas for improvement. Additionally, third-party recruiters may offer feedback as they have an incentive to help candidates improve in order to secure placements and commissions.
To address the feedback gap, some individuals have taken matters into their own hands by offering free mock interviews to job seekers. For example, customer success professional Brad Davis started offering free mock interviews to colleagues and has conducted about 70 mock interviews in just four weeks. This initiative has provided job applicants with valuable feedback and a different perspective on their interview performance.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the value of feedback and the legal risks involved, candidates continue to seek ways to improve their interview performance and increase their chances of landing a job. The feedback gap remains a significant challenge in the hiring process, leaving many job applicants without valuable insights into their performance and areas for improvement.
