You have just finished interviewing a candidate and it went really well. The conversation flowed naturally, the answers were crisp and to the point and the motivation was clear and rational.
What do you do? Usually, you jump in and start making arrangements for the next step in the process. You let the candidate know that the experience was positive and you are looking forward to next steps.
What if the conversation was not so good? Do you quickly let them know? Probably not.
Sometimes, you want to get a second opinion. You think maybe there is some common ground but you are not sure about the delivery and communication style.
Mostly, we don’t give feedback on the less-than-positive candidates because we don’t want to give bad news. And it’s true. Telling someone they are not getting the job can suck.
But it doesn’t have to.
You can always find something positive to say about a conversation. Start with that. Then describe what’s missing from the candidate’s experience that you feel will pose a risk to their success in your organization. Make it clear that you liked what they had to offer but it just was not right for what you need right now.
Most candidates will appreciate knowing what was missing (although once in a while you will get a “crier” but that will just further solidify your decision).
All candidates will appreciate that you took the time to call. It is shocking to hear how many candidates, having invested time to prepare for, get to and participate in an interview, never hear back at all. Nothing. Nada. Niet.
That not only leaves a bad taste in their mouth but it can provide the impetus to get on glassdoor or monster or twitter to let the world know what happened.
It only takes a few minutes to reach out. Take the time to do it right.
Recruiter's Couch 