An interesting article that I think fits in well with the current discussion on hiring, interviewing, etc for SWE and other similar positions.
All too often in the past I've been rejected, and wrote an email or other letter to the company and hiring manager thanking them for their time and consideration, and asking them for feedback on what led them to my rejection, and how I could do better.
Not one has ever answered those questions, so I am left feeling frustrated on how I can improve myself for future interviews and job opportunities. The best I can do is reflect on the interview, think about what my own strengths and weaknesses were during it, and try to recall anything else that I might have said or done that reflected poorly on my candidacy. Then work to fix those for my next interview.
Eventually with perseverance, I've always managed to land a new position, but it would have been much easier with feedback. I couldn't even imagine getting offers for introduction to other openings, or even mentoring. If only such opportunities were made to candidates, what a difference could be made!
Look at it from the company's viewpoint. Giving you any feedback other than 'not a fit' is risky with basically zero gain for the company.
Many people don't take feedback well, some will attempt to argue or enumerate via a review site the details on why they believe the company made the wrong decision.
Any feedback has some risk of being construed as discrimination. The accusation alone can have huge negative impact on a company's reputation. Better just not to risk it.
Sometimes feedback can leak company info, IE we're looking for a candidate with more experience in X because .. left or we're starting work on Y product. This is also a risk esp. in the not unlikely event that the candidate ends up working for a competitor.
I'm a hiring manager, and I don't see any possible good that can come from getting into this discussion. Give them the decision, wish them luck, and hang up the phone. If they want/need feedback, they should get it from friends, family or job search counselors (if they are long term unemployed), not from the company that just rejected them. That's just cruel.
Grellas commented that companies used to provide that feedback all the time. Just that as freedom of association was changed by the amendments following the Civil Rights Movement, it became legally untenable for companies to continue doing so.
Yeah, I found this to be a weird article. What kind of world does this guy live in? Maybe help out someone you see as very high potential but is coming across in some odd way, but the majority of people I see rejected for these jobs the answers is “we don’t think you are good enough.”
This sort of article makes me think of the "are software engineering salaries bimodal" article from a while back (danluu: https://danluu.com/bimodal-compensation/); primarily because it feels like advice for a different world.
I don't care if I don't get the job. Applying for jobs is like dating. If they don't want you, you didn't want it anyway. There will be other jobs.
Unless you set your entire life on working at Google or whatever and then fail. Then, sure, go and roll into a ball in the corner and cry.
That's a completely self-imposed situation, though. Setting appropriate expectations is key to happiness in life.
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[ 36.3 ms ] story [ 579 ms ] threadAll too often in the past I've been rejected, and wrote an email or other letter to the company and hiring manager thanking them for their time and consideration, and asking them for feedback on what led them to my rejection, and how I could do better.
Not one has ever answered those questions, so I am left feeling frustrated on how I can improve myself for future interviews and job opportunities. The best I can do is reflect on the interview, think about what my own strengths and weaknesses were during it, and try to recall anything else that I might have said or done that reflected poorly on my candidacy. Then work to fix those for my next interview.
Eventually with perseverance, I've always managed to land a new position, but it would have been much easier with feedback. I couldn't even imagine getting offers for introduction to other openings, or even mentoring. If only such opportunities were made to candidates, what a difference could be made!
Many people don't take feedback well, some will attempt to argue or enumerate via a review site the details on why they believe the company made the wrong decision.
Any feedback has some risk of being construed as discrimination. The accusation alone can have huge negative impact on a company's reputation. Better just not to risk it.
Sometimes feedback can leak company info, IE we're looking for a candidate with more experience in X because .. left or we're starting work on Y product. This is also a risk esp. in the not unlikely event that the candidate ends up working for a competitor.
Here's the post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1989713
I don't care if I don't get the job. Applying for jobs is like dating. If they don't want you, you didn't want it anyway. There will be other jobs.
Unless you set your entire life on working at Google or whatever and then fail. Then, sure, go and roll into a ball in the corner and cry.
That's a completely self-imposed situation, though. Setting appropriate expectations is key to happiness in life.