What went wrong? Why didn’t they like me? Will I ever get a job? These are the kinds of questions you might be asking yourself following an unsuccessful interview.
The whole job searching process can be a significant learning curve with new experiences and feedback along the way. Being unsuccessful at interview is part of this and it can understandably knock your confidence, especially if you don’t know why you weren’t offered the position.
The good news is most employers are happy to offer some interview feedback and even if they aren’t it can’t hurt to ask. In order to improve for next time, you will need to find out if and where you went wrong and here’s how:
Timing is everything
The best time to get feedback from an employer or recruiter is straight after they tell you that they don’t want to hire you. If this is via email, you should reply asking for feedback within 24 hours of receiving it, or if you receive a phone call you have a great opportunity to ask there and then.
Ask the right questions
Rather than putting the interviewer on the spot and asking why you didn’t get the role try asking a more constructive question about how they might suggest you can improve, what did they think your weaker areas were and do they have any advice.
Don’t get defensive
When requesting feedback you need to use the right tone and ensure that you don’t suggest that you think the employer has made the wrong decision (even if you do)!
Anything that will help you improve your interview performance is worth considering and it will definitely help you land that great opportunity in the end!
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