You’ve just wrapped up an interview with a promising candidate. As they exit the room (virtual or physical), you realize you’ve made notes on their skills, fit, and potential—but how do you turn those notes into meaningful and positive interview feedback?
The truth is, many hiring managers are so focused on finding the right person for the job, that they tend to forget that interview feedback is an equally important part of the journey.
Whether or not someone gets the job, the way you deliver feedback on the interview speaks volumes about your and your company’s professionalism.
So, how can you ensure your constructive feedback is well-received by the candidate? Let’s find out. đŸ‘‡
How to Give Interview Feedback (With Examples & Phrases)
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is Interview Feedback?Â
Interview feedback is the information and insights shared with a candidate after a job interview. It can cover various topics, from their performance during the interview to how they align with the job requirements and company culture.
The goal is to provide candidates with honest feedback that they can use to improve their skills, whether they’re moving forward in the hiring process or not.
But interview feedback isn’t just for the candidate—it’s also important for you as a recruiter or hiring manager. Providing thoughtful feedback helps you fine-tune your understanding of what you’re looking for in a good candidate. Plus, it shows the candidate that you value their time and effort, which goes a long way in keeping communication open and positive.
Even if they don’t get the job, they might still be interested in future opportunities or recommend your company to others.
đŸ‘€ Bonus: Learn About a Day in the Life of a Recruiter
Summarize this article for me pleaseInterview Feedback Examples and Phrases
Effective interview feedback goes beyond a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.
Here are some common interview feedback examples and phrases that can make your feedback more impactful and supportive. đŸ‘¥
Practical feedback examples
- Your insightful answers in the interview demonstrated a deep knowledge of the industry. Consider incorporating more concrete examples from your previous experiences that showcase your skills and accomplishments
- Your passion and energy were inspiring, and you have a lot of potential. That said, I suggest focusing on enhancing your technical skills in <specific areas>, as these are essential for the position you’re seeking. Pursuing a specialized course or certification could be beneficial in addressing this gap
- You’ve got a strong grasp of the fundamentals and expressed your thoughts quite effectively. To boost your prospects moving forward, I recommend honing your advanced technical skills and seeking practical experience through relevant projects or certifications
Positive feedback examples
Here’s a sample email that can be sent to a candidate post a successful interview: Â
Subject: Thank You for Interviewing with Us
Dear [Candidate Name],
Thank you for taking the time to interview with us for the role of [Position Name].
We were impressed with your deep understanding of our industry and your clear, concise communication skills. Your ability to articulate complex concepts was particularly notable and aligns well with our team’s needs. We appreciate the enthusiasm and insight you brought to the conversation and look forward to the possibility of working together.
We are finalizing our decision and will update you soon on the next steps.
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Designation]
[Company Name]
Here are some other specific examples:
- Your approach to the interview case studies was remarkable. You pinpointed critical issues and proposed actionable strategies that align perfectly with our long-term goals. Furthermore, your willingness to step up demonstrated significant leadership potential, positioning you as an excellent candidate for a leadership role here
- Your grasp of customer requirements and skill in clearly expressing how our products fulfill those needs is remarkable. Given your track record of success in sales positions and your compelling communication abilities, it’s evident that you could make a substantial impact on our sales team’s goals
Feedback for unsuccessful candidates
Here’s a sample draft that can be sent to a candidate who might not qualify for the next round:
Subject: Update on Your Interview for [Position Name] at [Company Name]
Dear [Candidate’s Name],
Thank you for interviewing with us. After thorough consideration, we have chosen to proceed with another candidate whose experience more closely aligns with the role’s requirements. We were impressed by your [specific skill or quality], and we see great potential in your abilities.
We appreciate your interest in [Company Name] and wish you success in your career. We also encourage you to keep an eye out for future openings that interest you at [company name].
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Designation]
[Company Name]
Here are some other examples:
- While your background is impressive, additional experience in [specific area or skill] would make you even more effective in roles like this. Consider exploring opportunities to deepen your expertise in this area to enhance your future applications
- Your grasp of our industry’s basics is a solid start; however, a deeper understanding of specific challenges, such as [mention specific industry issues], could greatly enhance your ability to tackle some of the challenges that we commonly face at our company. Continuous learning and engagement with industry-specific resources could provide valuable insights
Feedback on soft skills, technical skills, and non-verbal communication
- Your ability to communicate with empathy while sharing your support for team members in previous projects is commendable and reflects a high level of emotional intelligence. That said, seeing more examples of you taking initiative in leadership would be great. To enhance this skill set, consider looking for opportunities to lead small projects or teams, even on a volunteer basis
- Your understanding of technical concepts, particularly in software development, is impressive. However, there’s room for growth when it comes to translating those skills into real-world applications. We’ve identified some key areas—like database management and optimization—where you could further hone your expertise
- During the job interview, we got the sense that you were a bit nervous. This may have affected your ability to give clear, metric-oriented answers. Consider engaging in mock interviews to enhance your comfort level and project more confidence. This can significantly improve your non-verbal cues to express assurance more effectively
Feedback on problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
- We were impressed by how logically and systematically you tackled problems. Your thoughtful questions showcased your critical thinking abilities. To build on your strengths, assessing various solutions to identify the most effective one might be beneficial
- Your analytical skills are impressive, particularly in how you dissect complex issues. You might want to explore data-driven decision-making more thoroughly to build on these skills. Getting involved in projects focusing on statistical analysis or predictive modeling can help you make well-informed decisions rooted in data
- Your creativity in tackling challenges is impressive, particularly your knack for innovative thinking when faced with tight deadlines. Consider engaging in brainstorming or design thinking to create and evaluate solutions in high-pressure situations more effectively
Feedback on leadership and teamwork skills
- Your leadership qualities and teamwork skills were evident throughout the interview. You provided clear examples of how you’ve successfully led projects and collaborated with team members to achieve common goals. Your ability to inspire and motivate others is a significant strength
- Your ability to lead is truly impressive, especially when it comes to adapting to new situations and guiding others through difficulties. Consider pursuing change management training or seeking opportunities to lead projects during transitional phases. To further develop this talent, seek targeted experiences in strategic leadership
- Your knack for teamwork is impressive, particularly your openness to hearing and integrating different perspectives. To enhance this talent further, consider participating in cross-departmental teams or taking the lead on collaborative projects involving various areas of the organization
Summarize this article for me pleaseBest Practices for Providing Effective Interview Feedback
Sharing your thoughts after an interview doesn’t have to be a hassle. Here are some best practices for providing respectful interview feedback.
✅ Be honest, tactful, and specific
Avoid falling back on clichĂ©s or vague remarks; address the candidate’s weaknesses head-on, linking your feedback to the position’s specific needs.
For example, if their technical abilities fall short of what’s required, emphasize that clearly. You might say, ‘Your familiarity with [specific technology] is a solid foundation; however, for this role, we seek someone with more expertise and experience in [specific skill].’
Keep in mind that feedback needs to be helpful and delivered with sensitivity. Instead of just highlighting areas where the candidate fell short and providing negative interview feedback, offer practical suggestions that they can implement to improve.
Focus on the most significant areas for improvement from their interview rather than dwelling on minor errors.
✅ Avoid overpromising
Setting overly ambitious expectations can lead candidates to have a skewed perception of their fit for the role. When they’re made to feel like they’re the ideal match or that their hiring is practically guaranteed, they can feel disappointed and disillusioned if an offer doesn’t materialize. This can damage the company’s reputation, as unhappy candidates may share their negative experiences publicly.
Overpromising can set unrealistic expectations for candidates about their potential fit or future opportunities. For example, telling a candidate that they are perfect for future roles without genuine prospects can lead to disappointment and mistrust.
✅ Don’t focus too much on personality traits
While personality traits certainly matter, fixating on them can distract from evaluating the vital skills and core competencies necessary for a role. This may result in hiring decisions based on charm or perceived cultural fit over genuine qualifications and expertise.
An excessive focus on personality can also create bias in the hiring process. Hiring managers may favor candidates who resemble themselves in terms of traits or backgrounds, which can hinder efforts toward diversity and inclusion.
This can also make employees feel compelled to conform to a certain personality type, potentially hindering creativity and limiting authentic self-expression.
✅ Follow up with resources
Once you’ve given your feedback, it’s really helpful to offer some resources for further improvement. If you pointed out a specific area where they could grow, suggest some practical tools or materials they might find useful.
For instance, you could say, ‘I see you’re keen to enhance your skills in [specific area]. A good place to start might be [specific course or resource]. It’s known for being hands-on and could give you the boost you need.’
✅ Organize your HR efforts with ClickUp
ClickUp for Human Resources provides a well-organized and efficient approach for hiring teams to gather notes, monitor candidate assessments, and share feedback.
Teams can ensure consistency in the recruitment process and enhance communication by having all necessary information readily available.
Build your dream recruitment tech stack with ClickUp. Here are some of the key features it offers:
ClickUp Docs
Instead of juggling different files or emails, you can keep everything in one place with ClickUp Docs. Just set up a Doc for each candidate, and each interviewer can add their thoughts and notes directly there.
And because Docs works with other ClickUp features, you can link your feedback to tasks or projects, keeping everything neatly organized.
ClickUp Brain
ClickUp Brain, an AI-powered tool, takes your interview notes and helps turn them into easily digestible and polished candidate feedback. Just input your thoughts, and Brain sorts them out, making it easy to get clear and actionable suggestions.
Even better, you can use Brain within Docs to optimize your time and effort.
With ClickUp Brain in Docs, you can enhance your interview feedback by getting suggestions and phrases that improve clarity and ensure a professional tone. When writing feedback for a candidate, the AI tool analyzes your text and offers real-time suggestions to make your comments precise and impactful.
For example, if you’re struggling to find the right words to describe a candidate’s performance, ClickUp Brain can propose phrases that convey your thoughts without coming across as too vague or overly critical.
You can also create feedback templates with ClickUp Brain in Docs. This way, everyone fills out the feedback in the same format, covering strengths, areas for improvement, and any other important points.
ClickUp Chat View
Using ClickUp’s Chat View can improve how your HR team handles candidate discussions after each interview. Here’s how you can set it:
- Create a dedicated chat channel: Set up a chat channel specifically for post-interview internal conversations. This keeps everything in one spot, making it easier for the team to find and review discussions
- Use @mentions for action items: Tag team members with @mentions when discussing specific candidates. This ensures everyone who needs to be involved is notified and can add their thoughts
- Organize conversations by candidate: Keep things tidy by creating separate threads or messages for each candidate. This helps avoid confusion and makes it easier to track discussions about each individual
- Share documents and feedback: Attach resumes, interview notes, and other important documents right in the chat. This way, everyone has easy access to all the info they need
- Assign follow-up tasks: After chatting about a candidate, assign any follow-up tasks directly in the chat. Whether it’s scheduling more interviews or further evaluations, assigning tasks helps keep things moving
ClickUp Custom fields
Create ClickUp Custom Fields to define key assessment areas, such as skills, cultural fit, experience, communication, and problem-solving. For example:
- Skills: Use a rating scale (1-5) to evaluate technical skills
- Cultural fit: Include a checkbox or dropdown to indicate alignment with company values
- Experience level: Use a text field to summarize relevant past experiences
ClickUp Integrations
Transform your interview feedback workflow with ClickUp’s Outlook Integration. Instantly turn your emails into actionable tasks right from your inbox.
You can easily create new tasks, attach emails for quick reference, and keep all your interview notes neatly organized and accessible.
đŸ’¡Pro Tip: Choose a talent management software that integrates with your interview scheduling system to streamline feedback collection and ensure all candidate information is in one place.
What’s more, ClickUp’s Gmail Integration can also turn your starred emails into tasks in ClickUp, so you never miss important feedback or follow-ups.
Centralize all your interview-related tasks and monitor the feedback process to ensure consistent communication with candidates.
ClickUp Notepad
Quickly jot down key points and action items during the interview with ClickUp Notepad. When compiling formal feedback, reference these notes so no critical observations are overlooked.
Also Read: Your Guide to a Productive Feedback Session
Remember, interview feedback goes both ways. You can also use a feedback form template to collect meaningful data from candidates to improve your hiring process.
ClickUp Feedback Form Template
The ClickUp Feedback Form Template allows you to gather insights from candidates about their experience during the application and interview stages.
Start by customizing the feedback form template to ask about the things that matter most.Â
For example, you might want to include questions about the clarity of the job descriptions, the smoothness of the interview process, the communication from the hiring team, and candidates’ satisfaction with the overall process.
Based on the insights gathered, you can implement changes to your hiring process.
Also Read: 20 Best Exit Interview Questions to Ask
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to Document Interview Feedback
Documenting interview feedback is a key part of the recruitment process. With a solid method in place, you’ll be able to capture and review candidate details more effectively.
Let’s explore the benefits of using a standard interview feedback template to gather insights for objectively comparing and analyzing candidates.
- Consistency: Ensure every candidate is assessed according to the same standards, reducing bias and promoting uniformity across interviews and interviewers
- Fairness and transparency: Evaluate all candidates based on a consistent set of skills and competencies to build a transparent hiring process. This also clarifies what aspects are being assessed
- Decision-making: Enable better data collection and analysis, leading to smarter hiring choices by spotting patterns and trends
- Candidate experience: Provide candidates with valuable feedback and leave a positive impression, regardless of the outcome
đŸ’¡Pro Tip: Use AI for recruitment to scan resumes, source relevant candidates quickly, schedule interviews, and even mitigate unconscious bias in hiring.
ClickUp also provides interview templates for efficient documentation and seamless sharing of interview feedback. Check them out below:
Interview management and report template
With ClickUp’s Interview Management and Report Template, all interview reports from various interviewers can be consolidated into a single, easily accessible location.
You can enable your team to monitor candidates, schedule interviews, and gather feedback to make prompt and informed hiring choices. As soon as all interviews conclude, capture every detail of the interview journey to produce reports filled with valuable data, insights, and recommendations.
Further, you can use the ClickUp Interview Process Template to streamline and enhance your interviewing methods, ensuring candidates are assessed quickly, accurately, and fairly. Whether you’re hiring internally or looking for new talent, this template helps you identify top candidates efficiently.
And finally, ClickUp’s Performance Review Template makes tracking and assessing interview performance simple and straightforward. It ensures a fair and thorough evaluation for each candidate, helping you collaborate with stakeholders to create detailed review documents.
Summarize this article for me pleaseSimplify Interview Feedback and Improve the Candidate Experience with ClickUp
Effective interview feedback keeps hiring decisions clear and fair by focusing on specific, objective criteria.
When candidates are given specific and helpful feedback—regardless of whether they get the job—they tend to have a favorable impression of the company and are more inclined to suggest it to others or try again in the future.
ClickUp makes managing feedback easy with its templates and features. Use ready-made forms and scorecards to keep assessments uniform and fair.
Sign up to ClickUp today and let the constructive feedback loop begin!
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