I’ve noticed an influx of especially unhappy candidates lately.  Is it the types of positions I am working on? The state of the economy?  The looming holiday season?  I can’t really say.  It is very clear though; candidates are getting anxious and even more disappointed then usual when they do not get a job. 

I have a standard line I use when telling candidates that we are no longer considering them for a position.  “I appreciate all the time that you have invested in our search.  At this point, we are pursuing (or have chosen) candidates that are a closer fit for the position.”  If the candidate was truly a top performer, but just not right for this role, I’ll follow that line up with, “However, I’ve been impressed with you throughout the process and would be happy to consider you for something with another one of my clients.  If you ever see anything with my name on it that you are interested in, don’t hesitate to call.”

I’ve refined this over the years and it works very well.  Unfortunately giving specific details about why someone wasn’t chosen just doesn’t work out well for anyone.  The candidate automatically becomes defensive.  (I’m sure that right now some candidates are reading this and saying to themselves, I was NOT being defensive!)  It is unlikely that any feedback that received from me will be more valuable than the feedback from other sources.  Talking to former managers, coworkers, even friends can likely give some valuable thoughts on areas you can improve.  

Even if I had some nugget of knowledge, I can not share it with candidates because I have a responsibility to protect my client.  Unfortunately in today’s litigation happy world, it has become unsafe for companies to provide specific feedback for fear that their words will be used against them. Although I do not think that this is a huge disservice to job seekers.  I doubt many job seekers’ lives have been changed by the feedback they received during an interview.

This all comes to mind because I have found myself not using my standard line lately and the results have not been good.  So if you are undertaking a hiring adventure on your own, feel free to use my line.  And to use it effectively, don’t give in to pleads for specific feedback.  It only leads to more and more frustration for both you and the candidate. 

Check out this article from Workforce Management for more discussion on the issue.