Providing Effective Applicant Feedback
Information for Managers
Introduction:
Hiring decisions involve informing successful applicant(s) that they will be appointed to the position l
and informing the remaining applicants they have been unsuccessful. Providing feedback to
unsuccessful applicants about their performance in the hiring process is a key role for the hiring
manager and sound best practice. In addition, identifying areas where a person can improve will help
the person prepare themselves for future opportunities. This document will take you through
considerations on how to effectively provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
Why Provide Feedback:
As a hiring manager, you are accountable for your hiring decisions and best practice involves providing
effective feedback to applicants. Providing feedback to any applicant who requests it, including external
applicants, is an opportunity for you to create a positive outcome for what could be a future employee,
and can play a role in avoiding dissatisfaction with the assessment process. Often, the applicant just
wants to understand how your decision was reached and how they could have improved.
Unsuccessful employee applicants shall be notified of the results of the hiring decision and can request
feedback within five calendar days after receiving the final notification of the hiring decision. This is the
first step of the Staffing Review process. Providing effective feedback may address any questions or
concerns the employee has about their performance in the competition process. If satisfied with the
feedback provided, an employee may feel there is no need to proceed to the nex steps of the staffing
review process.
When to Provide Feedback?
You can give feedback at any time throughout the assessment process (e.g. short listing, testing, etc.).
Keep in mind, however, that unsuccessful employee applicants have the right to receive formal feedback
at the end of the hiring process as part of the Staffing Review Process even if you provided feedback
earlier on. Respond to all requests for feedback as soon as you can; the longer the delay, the more
concerned the applicant may become about the feedback and the longer the hiring process will take to
finalize. If a formal request for feedback by an unsuccessful employee applicant is made as Step 1 of the
Staffing Review Process, responding as soon as possible will determine how quickly you can confirm the
appointment of the successful candidate.
How to Provide Feedback?
Preferably, provide your feedback face-to-face or by phone. Feedback meeting should take
approximately 15-30 minutes but be sure to allow sufficient time to address all concerns the applicant
may have. Note that it is not a requirement to provide feedback in writing. A conversation allows for
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Providing Effective Applicant Feedback
Information for Managers
better focus on specific areas with an explanation of the overall process and in particular how the
applicant’s individual performance compared to the established assessment standards.Providing
applicants with feedback on their performance should be done with sensitivity, professionalism and the
positive intent of helping. Be prepared to discuss any information pertaining to applicant candidacy that
would help them understand your decision. Be open and honest, but tactful, and focus on the
applicant’s performance in the hiring process and what they need to do to develop and improve. You
may need to remind the applicant that your decision was based on merit; that is, that it was based on a
process designed to appraise applicant knowledge, skills / abilities,competencies and past work
performance and that the same hiring process was consistently and fairly applied to all applicants.
Take the time to listen to the applicant’s views and structure your explanation to address any concerns
they may have. Although they may not agree with all your points, if your comments are presented
openly and the applicant understands the rationale behind your decision, they are more likely to be
satisfied with the overall process. The feedback conversation can be made easier by taking notes
during the entire staffing process - from documenting your shortlisting decisions to documenting your
rationale when scoring the written or oral assessments and past work performance.
What information can I share?
The information you discuss during the feedback meeting should relate only to the applicant requesting
feedback. Information about other applicants is not to be discussed during the feedback meeting.
Information about the results of the applicants’ assessment is typically provided verbally. Under the
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act an applicant can formally request access to any of
their personal information gathered in the appointment process.
Tips on Providing Feedback:
Focus on answering the applicant’s questions and concerns and preparing them for future hiring
opportunities. Generally, provide an explanation about the overall process as well as information on
how their individual performance was rated against the established assessment standards.
The feedback session could be structured as follows:
1. Explain the overall process, including the selection criteria used and methods used to assess
applicants against job-related requirements.
2. Review the applicant’s areas of strength. .
3. Discuss areas for improvement, with specific examples of where the applicant’s responses and
results could be improved. For example, compare their answer to the answer expected.
4. Discuss ways the applicant could improve their skills and abilities to become successful. For
example, provide tips on focusing their resume to the job requirements, or identify training and
development opportunities that may develop and enhance the required skills.
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Providing Effective Applicant Feedback
Information for Managers
5. Summarize by letting the applicant know how they did overall and what you see as their strengths
and potential for future employment.
Key points:
1. Prepare notes ahead of time by reviewing the applicant’s hiring documentation (resume, results
from questionnaires or tests, interview notes, etc.)
2. Make it an opportunity to share information.
3. Provide feedback on the positive aspects of the applicant’s performance as well as areas for
improvement.
4. Be approachable, open, honest, constructive, realistic and future-oriented as well as tactful.
5. Stay focused on what is relevant to the discussion: the requirements of the position, the merit
criteria, how you assessed the qualifications and results of the applicant’s assessment.
6. Stick to the facts and ensure that you can support your statements.
7. Be specific rather than general. For example, review the applicant’s answer with them rather than
just saying they fell short on their response.
8. Focus your comments on observable, job-related skills, abilities and competencies.
9. Listen carefully to applicant questions and concerns and provide the opportunity for them to explain
any concerns.
10. Maintain a non-defensive and non-confrontational manner throughout the discussion.
11. Consider deferring a contentious or heated discussion, to allow time to reflect and to address the
issue at a later time and with assistance, if necessary.
12. Offer encouragement and end on an optimistic note with ideas for improvement.
Important Consideration:
Not all feedback sessions will go smoothly. An applicant may disagree with your feedback or be visibly
upset. By using good listening and communication skills and by being calm and objective, you can assist
the unsuccessful applicant to understand that their lack of success is not a reflection of their personal
value. Sometimes the person will simply need to express their feelings and frustrations on their lack of
success. Addressing the underlying issues will significantly affect the applicant’s satisfaction with the
feedback session. If you have the sense that an unsuccessful applicant remains concerned about some
aspect of the feedback, you may wish to arrange a follow-up session, to allow time to reflect and to
address the issue at a later time. Seek assistance if the issue is beyond what you are comfortable
dealing with.
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Providing Effective Applicant Feedback
Information for Managers
Documenting Your Feedback:
Just as you document your competition, also document all your feedback discussions. You may need to
refer to these notes as well as copies of correspondence if a staffing review is requested. This
documentation will also be used in conducting the Deputy Minister internal inquiry into the
appointment and, if applicable, will be used by the Merit Commissioner in their review of the
appointment decision.
Questions? Need more assistance?
Contact AskMyHR
Last updated: April 2015
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