The Silence of the Rejecting Manager: Why Feedback Can Be Elusive and How to Elicit It
In the emotional world of job hunting, one of the most perplexing phenomena for candidates is the near-radio silence from hiring managers after they've been rejected from a job opportunity. The crickets chirping in your inbox can leave you wondering, "Why won’t they provide me with any feedback?" Understanding the reasons behind this reticence and knowing how to ask the right questions to elicit feedback is crucial. Here’s why we hiring managers tend to stay silent.
Fear of Legal Implications
One significant reason hiring managers hesitate to provide detailed feedback is the fear of legal ramifications. Many hiring managers will readily admit that they are experts within their industry or job, but not necessarily experts in navigating HR and related laws. It can be intimidating for hiring managers to share candid feedback when it can potentially be misconstrued, and as a result some organizations choose to play it safe by providing only minimal information to avoid potential litigation.
Ambiguity and Avoidance
Sometimes, hiring managers may not have precise reasons for rejecting a candidate. In fact, we would argue that many hiring managers have a decision-making process that’s highly influenced by subtle subconscious cues, intuition, and whatever fleeting impressions they gather from interactions with candidates. From our vantage point as a recruiting agency, this is actually VERY common. So, when the decision-making process is influenced by their subconscious mind, it can be challenging for them to pinpoint specific reasons for choosing one candidate over another. They may not be able to put into words why they felt one candidate was a better fit, but their gut feeling plays a significant role in the decision. In these cases, it would be difficult to get candid feedback from the hiring manager.
Concerns About Candidate Reactions & Online Reputation
The fear of candidate reactions is another significant hurdle for hiring managers when it comes to providing candid feedback to rejected applicants. They often worry about the potential for confrontational or negative interactions, which can escalate emotions and lead to complications in a professional environment. People in general try to avoid sparking defensiveness, anger, or even creating additional layers of complexity in an already challenging situation. Rejection is an emotional experience, and not everyone may receive feedback with ease, making hiring managers cautious.
In this digital age, hiring managers have a new additional concern to contend with: their online reputation. Websites like Glassdoor have empowered employees and candidates to share their candid experiences with potential employers, making it crucial for hiring managers to maintain a positive online image. Just as candidates are scrutinized, so too are the companies and individuals making the hiring decisions. Whether right or wrong, some hiring managers feel that silence is safer than delivering their opinions.
How to get the real feedback
There are no guarantees this will work every time, but try to alleviate their fears by addressing them head-on and make the focus on your NEXT interview instead of the interview you just had.
“Hello Hiring Manager, first off, thank you for the swift communication, it's much appreciated. Now, I've got a simple request that comes with a guarantee: no negative reactions, no complaints, and absolutely no arguments. Could you share your insights on how I can ace my next interview? Our conversation was valuable to me, and I genuinely value your feedback. Thanks in advance!"
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