Recruitment rejection feedback

by | Feb 9, 2017 | Blog, Flourishing Female, Workplace Psychology | 0 comments

How often have you had feedback when rejected from a recruitment process? Too often there is none and research by Raina Brands and Isabel Fernandez-Mateo from London Business School finds this is holding women back from applying for top jobs.

Imagine if our strengths and experiences were re-affirmed in a feedback session and we were encouraged to apply for similar roles. It often doesn’t happen because the recruiting organisation doesn’t feel they owe external candidates anything. This is short-sighted. Presumably if you like their CV enough to bring them into the recruitment process once, on the whole you’re likely be interested in considering them for a future vacancy?

Even when women go for internal promotions there often isn’t a lot of feedback, and when there is, it’s usually because the individual has pushed for it. This post-rejection feedback vacuum is harming individual careers and making a rod for wider society’s back. Women’s champions, equality and diversity practitioners and the Government continue to talk about the problem of the under-representation of women and minority groups in business and politics – so let’s grasp this piece of evidence and do something with it. Let’s behave like a collective and consider what actions would be best for the whole, not just our individual businesses. We can be sure that if the bigger picture improves (more women in top jobs) our individual company vistas will be rosier (more senior female candidates for recruiting line managers to pick from).

Recruiters, this is your moment to step up. Offer 15 minutes of feedback to every ‘unsuccessful’ candidate and tell them they were right to apply and that you sincerely hope they will continue to apply for similar roles.

Final thought for all you cracking candidates – remember that if you’ve made it to the final two or three, or even got a first round interview for a big job, that’s really saying something. It’s saying it’s appropriate that you’re there, that you’re a good potential fit and that you’re CREDIBLE. 

Have you had much feedback over the years when you have been unsuccessful? Got any positive stories to tell about employers who’ve made the time? Leave your comments here and inspire us.

 

You may also like the related blog post: Resilience: 5 ways to get back up again.

 

 

 

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