Requesting feedback if not shortlisted for interview

Margaret_Skinner

Can anyone tell me if it would be normal to request feedback from an application if you thought you matched the job description and person specification for the job? I know it's normal to ask for feedback after interview but am not sure about asking if rejected before that.

I applied for an admin job with our local health service which I honestly thought I was really suited to and was surprised to not even get an interview. I would be very curious to know why but am not sure if that would be viewed as arrogant?

Has anyone done this before?

Another_not_new_user

Do you expect a truthful answer? Because some managers are very honest and truthful in their feedback - but in my experience that is a small minority of them.

Margaret_Skinner

Very much so.

Lungboy

Most places will simply say they are unable to provide feedback on individual applications. It can't hurt to ask though.

Paully232000

You should ask yes, but I woudn't hold out much hope of getting an answer, and even if you do get an answer it will probably be that vague to be not worth reading.

FBaby

It is probably due to the number of applications they received. If there are many candidates meeting the essential requirements, they will then only consider those candidates who also meet the desirable ones. If this still leads to too many candidates to interview, they will just invite those who are the most promising, usually based on length of experience.

You can ask, but I would expect you'll get a whooly answer along the line of the above.

InsideInsurance

These days its rare to get feedback even if you only get rejected at 4th round etc let alone at CV/ application stage. No harm in asking but dont be disappointed if you dont get any or its very generic.

Even using agencies we tend to get about 10-15 applicants for each role we are recruiting for (plus those from unauthorised agencies that get binned without being looked at) and look to interview 3-4 of them. CVs dont get much air time each as we are recruiting because we are short handed and so its a fairly crude mechanism of definite nos and rough ranking of the others.

To be honest, give me a CV a couple of weeks later and ask why I didnt interview them and I'd probably struggle to remember unless there is something very obviously of concern on it. Generally its just a fact that something on other CVs appealed to me slightly more be that more relevant experience, less spelling mistakes, better tone of voice etc

shopbot

I think that if you do ask for feedback it could be perceived in one of two ways.

1. You genuinely want to know the reason to help you with other applications. If given honest feedback you'll say thank you and not dispute the reasons.

2. You believe you might have been discriminated against and might be wanting to take action over it.

Depending on this.. the answer you'll get will either be:
(a) Good, honest feedback pertaining to your application.
(b) Pretty bland and generic feedback.

I'd drop them a friendly email along the lines of "Thanks for letting me know...to help with future job applications please could you..."

SB

bristol_pilot

Extremely unlikely to get genuine feedback if you were not even shortlisted. They'd be too concerned that you are going to argue the toss about why you were not selected. If they had an internal candidate in mind but had to advertise externally due to 'policy', they are hardly going to tell you that.

Margaret_Skinner

Thanks guys. Most of you were right - at least in my opinion - I did do an e-mail along the lines of 'just wanted to help with future applications etc.' and got a reply next day that one of the selection criteria was audio typing and I hadn't mentioned this even though I matched the rest of the job description and person specification very well which was why I was surprised. It seems a very vague reason not to interview someone - audio typing is not exactly a major skill - and therefore I'm pretty sure there was an internal candidate right for the job and they were just going through the legal motions - or they had a high number of applications and had to be strict with the criteria in order to whittle the numbers down.

Either way it's frustrating but then so's life!

FBaby

It seems a very vague reason not to interview someone - audio typing is not exactly a major skill

If it was in the person specification, then it is not a vague reason, it is important for the job. If there were enough candidates matching all the specification, ie. those you matched + audio typing, then they would have scored higher which would have put them through to the interview stage.

You were actually quite lucky to get a specific response in such a short time, which shows that they really did bother to match application with person specification. Frustrating, but that's what happens with jobs which attract a lot of interest.