Why interview feedback is important
When it comes to interviews, it’s important to remember that feedback is a crucial part of the process. For unsuccessful candidates, having the ability to understand why they haven’t got the job can play a big part in helping them to prepare for future job interviews.
Our Executive recruitment team tell us how hiring managers should factor in post-interview feedback as a crucial part of the interviewing process; particularly when it comes to senior-level social work recruitment.
John Rudland, Executive Search Consultant, Adults Health & Social Care, Sanctuary Executive says:
“After a round of interviews, it can be easy to focus on the successful candidate; after all, the onboarding process needs to start immediately. We firmly believe that it is important to factor in a small amount of time to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants. It allows them to learn how they can improve their interviewing technique and it also provides a form of closure for them.
John believes that collating feedback on candidates can improve future recruitment processes for hiring managers. It allows them to formulate opinions on strengths and weaknesses to help define who they are looking for. He says:
“I would always encourage hiring managers to use the post-interview feedback process for their own purposes. You may get a much clearer idea of the type of candidate that you’re looking for by taking an analytical view. Therefore, for future recruitment you can easily speed up your job hunt and get the perfect person into a placement much quicker. The social work sector is a small community; particularly when it comes to senior positions. Reflective practice is an important part of what social workers do, and those same techniques can be used to improve interview performances.”
We know that circumstances can change priorities in a mere matter of moments. The notification of a pending Ofsted visit or the publication of a serious case review can cause an immediate end to existing recruitment practices.
Billy Holland, Executive Search Consultant, Children’s Health & Social Care, Sanctuary Executive says:
“If positions are no longer available due to changing circumstances, then it’s always polite to let applicants know. They may have invested time and money in preparing for the interview and if they aren’t informed that the position is no longer available, they may walk away with a negative impression of you as an employer. Taking a few moments to provide a short sentence or two can future-proof your reputation as an employer who cares.”
A key benefit of working with an external team such as Sanctuary to handle your recruitment is that we can work closely with clients to ensure that constructive feedback is passed on to candidates.
To find out more about our bespoke consultancy service, please get in touch.
