It’s important to always try to get feedback from the Recruiter or Hiring Manager about your performance in an interview. A Recruiter can be an invaluable source for collecting feedback. The Recruiter can help you to ask the right questions and most importantly how and when to ask them. 

Interview Tips Request Feedback

Feedback helps you evaluate your skill set and learn what employers are searching for in a new hire. Feedback can also help you refine your answers to interview questions and improve how you sell yourself in the next interview. Interviewing takes practice and is not something that comes easily to everyone. The Hiring Manager may not always be forthcoming as to why you were not selected for a particular job. After all it can be an uncomfortable conversation that a lot of busy professionals won’t be so keen on sharing. A Recruiter can be an invaluable source for collecting feedback. The Recruiter can help you to ask the right questions and most importantly how and when to ask them.

Generally speaking, if you are not selected after the initial screening process such as the phone interview, the Hiring Manager might not give you a substantial answer as to why you were not selected to proceed to the next step in the hiring process. However, if you have been through multiple interviews, then you are in a better position to ask for feedback because you have established a relationship with the Recruiter and Hiring Manager.

When asking questions, try not to sound defensive and be as gracious as possible when accepting the bad news. Thank the Recruiter or Hiring Manager for their time. It is important to maintain a good relationship with all your contacts. You want the Recruiter or Hiring Manager to keep you in mind for future opportunities. Also, graciousness will take you far…the Recruiter will be more willing to share specific feedback about your skills and experience if they see that you are genuinely interested and want to learn.  Feedback gives you the opportunity to identify your skill shortages, correct mistakes and improve interview performance for the future. 

You should also evaluate yourself throughout the interview process. Try to pick up on cues from the Interviewer as to how you are doing. Sometimes when Interviewers spend a lot of time discussing the company and industry, it’s a very good sign. If you are introduced to other members of the company at the end of your interview, this could also be a positive sign. If the interview is cut short or the Interviewer doesn’t seem focused on your answers, then it might mean that you are not the right fit for the role.

If you’re not chosen for the position and the Hiring Manager calls to deliver the bad news, it’s important to remain gracious through-out your initial shock. Thank them for their time and ask them politely what qualities would have made you a better candidate for that position. Don’t appear argumentative. Express your interest in constructive feedback. If your heart is really set on working for that particular company, let them know about your keen interest and ask to be considered for future opportunities.

This blog on Interview Tips Request Feedback is part of our weekly Career Planning Advice Blog at Fusion Career Services. 

The job description never paints a full picture of the job. You need to ask the right questions to uncover if the opportunity is the right fit for you. Find out how to ask potential employers questions.

Welcome back to Part 2 of the blog series on Interviewing Employers! Interviewing your potential employer is very important, as we discussed previously the employer should impress you, to ensure you are getting into the right role. In our blog Interviewing Employers Part 1 we talked about asking general questions regarding the role, growth opportunities and culture. Today we will be asking technical questions that are more job related, that are pertinent to ask to ensure you are walking into a great opportunity…

Ask potential employers questions about duties and responsibilities

Looking at a job description it will list your required duties and responsibilities. Before accepting any new position, it is important to know what is exactly expected of you. If the requirement says that you are making outbound calls, your question to the employer is “How many calls per day (or hour) do you expect a person in this position to make?” The point is to find out exactly what is required and what is expected. This way you are not blindsided after accepting and finding out that this opportunity is really not right for you.

Ask about job requirements

Job requirements can range anywhere from an employer asking for exceptional computer skills or requiring that you travel on the job. It is important to break down your questions and find out exactly what it is the employer is looking at. In this case, lets look at travelling on the job. Ask the employer “what percentage of the time am I required to travel? Is it mainly day or overnight travel? Is it local or international travel?”. All of these questions are very important to narrow down if the opportunity is right. This will eliminate any element of surprise and can really show you if you are truly the right fit.

The Ideal Candidate

Who would be the ideal candidate for this role? In my professional opinion, I would say this is one of the best questions to ask. It puts the hiring manager in a position to honestly say what they are looking for. The job description never paints a full picture of the job. When the hiring manager gets to speaking they will open up about details, characteristics and expectations of the role and candidate. This will allow you to consider the whole opportunity in perspective and truly understand if it is right for you.

Interviewing is a two-way street. Both parties need to know what they are getting into before they make any formal decision. Accepting a new opportunity is a long-term commitment for most individuals. Ask potential employers questions before you accept an offer. Asking the right questions will ensure you are walking into the right opportunity!

Job Searching can be a very lengthy process, especially when you are searching for that right opportunity. Interview potential employers to discover if the opportunity fits!

As a candidate being granted an interview is a huge step forward in the process. Typically, candidates will take the opportunity to research the employers, see who they are and really try their best to impress them. However, candidates should also take the time to interview potential employers and be impressed by them. Below you will find a list of questions to ask with a brief explanation of why it is a good question….

Could you describe a typical day for this role?

Job descriptions say a lot about what the role requires and what skills you need. But it does not tell you how a typical day can look like. Descriptions do not tell you the volume of calls you may receive, or the amount of work there is. Asking this question will clarify what your day may look like, and will offer you more clarity in potentially accepting the role.

What are the growth opportunities for a person in this position?

This question will allow you to see where the position you are interviewing for can potentially take you. It also puts the employer in a position to talk further about the growth opportunities. Whether, they fund an education program, or they promote within their company. This question will really allow you to see your growth potential in the organization.

Could you describe the company culture?

Company culture is an interesting question because this where you can see if you will fit in overall. However, answers for this questions can be vague and it is okay to probe. If an employer answers with fun and dynamic, you can probe and ask what they mean by that. Does it mean the team goes out and participates in outside activities? Is the team a part of sports team? There are many questions that can help in finding out what the company culture is like. Be meticulous and ask the right questions, the interview does not need to be skewed in a different direction. Find out what the culture is like and if it fits within your values it will make the decision of accepting all the easier.

Finding that right opportunity involves many steps, and one of them is interviewing your potential employers. You should be just as impressed with the employer as they should be impressed with you. The questions listed above are guidelines to further questions that can be asked. In the next part of Interview Potential Employers, we will discuss how to ask job specific and technical questions to ensure you are walking into the right opportunity!