How to Get Feedback When You're Rejected

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Thank you very much for this article. I recently had couple of failed interview and this question is exactly what I want to ask. Before read this article, I'm not very sure how to write the email politely and professionally. Thank you for the advice. I will give it a shot today.

DP of OH 4:22PM October 20, 2011

Thanks Alison. This was immensely helpful to me.

Michelle of CO 12:18PM September 19, 2011

Recently interviewed and had thought I was a perfect fit. Your advice on the next step is very helpful to me... I am still interested in the position and would like to maintain a professional relationship with the hiring manager. Keep up the good work, we all need some guidance sometime.

Anonymous of WA 12:51PM August 20, 2009

I've always received some canned response from recruiters, HR, whomever. They've never given me any honest feedback. Generally speaking, unless you get really lucky, I wouldn't expect a response.
If I was applying for this job through a connection via networking, then perhaps asking your friend for information might help. They might be more candid via that direction. I applied at one company through a friend, and he got some feedback from them and simply forwarded it directly to me.

Michael of CA 12:28PM July 07, 2009

I keep getting fishy reasons for rejection. Once, I got rejected after a series of interviews when they were about to make an offer. I asked for a reason and it was I didn't have the skills they needed. Another explanation from another company - I got rejected after an interview because other candidates had more experience. They put another ad they hiring for this position just the same day I got this explanation. It looks like they're reading from the same internet source, which says to never explain the real reason.

of CA 7:07PM October 28, 2008

It's an ambitious idea and may work in the ideal world. Most certainly will not work in the real world. I tried it. Once through a recruiter; once through the HR. In both place, the bottom line was: not the best fit. But so realistist or objective feedback as to where I under or overplayed; how I need to develop me for the next opportunity.
It may be a good thing for the fresh graduates, but not so useful for experienced individuals.

dg of PA 10:18PM October 23, 2008

I have never seen the rejection note.
You have a generic hr@ email address, a first name only of the HR staffer in the interview and no contact ever after the interview

Elliot Ross 4:36PM October 21, 2008

I like your advice about the tone of "voice" when you ask. A job seeker has to be sincere in wanting to know what went wrong. Otherwise, the manager will detect defensiveness and will likely not respond.
Alison, I think you're an exceptional manager the way you take time to help job seekers, even if it's not to your immediate benefit. That's to be admired!

Susan Ireland of CA 11:10AM October 21, 2008

I guess it's worth asking for when you actually get feedback. I've had interviewers tell me to "check out [my] college career center if [I] wanted feedback," implying in a way that it isn't their position or in their interest to do so (which frankly, I know it really isn't). If I was motivated enough to ask them directly and politely for their personal opinion, don't you think I would've exhausted all other resources prior to asking? Maybe that's a bit of a stretch for someone to assume...

Camille of VA 9:47AM October 21, 2008

While I agree with you about asking for feedback, I find myself asking for it less and less. I do all you say, including the sincere thank you when they respond, but almost always either receive no response or something so vague as to be unhelpful ("We had so many great applicants", etc.). I actually had a person respond to my email inquiry the other day by saying that I had so many great program ideas, could I please email those to her, along with others I might have, but no, you just aren't the right "fit" for the job! So I've pretty much given up on the feedback thing, unless it is an interview I felt went very well.

Discouraged Employee Wannabe of PA 11:48PM October 20, 2008