Interview Feedback
The most crucial part of the recruitment and selection process is the feedback to the applicants, the good quality and constructive feedback gives an opportunity to the employee to improve upon his grey areas.
Delivering Feedback
The feedback should properly adhere to the criteria agreed to by the employer and specified in the form focussing on why the applicant did or did not meet these criteria.
Feedback can be given orally also if a request has been made. Rejected applicants should be encouraged to seek feedback when they are informed about your decision.
Content of Feedback
The Feedback should clearly relate to the core competencies required for a particular job i.e. the expertise, knowledge and attributes required as listed in the person’s specification.
The feedback should provide
- Clearance to the extent to which the applicant proved his ability matches each competency.
- Propose ways in which the applicant could learn new skills, expertise, develop a particular knowledge or learn to acclimatize different behavioural patterns and attitudes.
- Don’t make judgements, thoroughly describe what the applicant said or did and the impact it had on you or others.
- Be specific rather than general; try to explain to the applicant with concrete examples.
- Focus on how an applicant can improve his behaviour, the basic purpose of feedback is to make applicant learn from his shortcomings so suggest practical ways to correct any shortcomings.
- Time is the essence; feedback should be given as soon as possible after a request has been received from the applicant.
- Don’t beat around the bush, give clear and quick feedback. Ensure the applicant understands the feedback.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses; give adequate time to each strengths and weaknesses of the applicant and make him understand the difficult message with much ease.
Summarising Your Feedback
Ensure that you thank the applicant for his interest in the post after the delivery and summary of your feedback. Also, explain that being unsuccessful on this occasion should not deter him from applying to other positions that may arise in future.