Every candidate involved in the hiring process appreciates feedback during each stage of the process. Feedback lets the candidate know exactly what is going on and where they stand.
After all, communication is a cornerstone of any successful endeavor that involves other people, and finding a new job is one of those endeavors.
So is finding a new employee.
The fact of the matter is that company officials at potential new employers are just as appreciative of feedback as are the candidates they’re considering for employment. To forget this is to jeopardize your chances of receiving an offer from that company.
Here’s a story to illustrate this point, a tale of “The Offer That Got Away.”
Once upon a time, a candidate called me about an opportunity, so I presented that candidate to my client. The phone interview went well, and the hiring manager at my client wanted to meet the candidate face-to-face.
However, the candidate knew that they were about to receive an offer of employment from another company, so they neglected to call the hiring manager back for two days. During that time, the hiring manager scheduled interviews with other candidates.
Unfortunately, the offer that the candidate received from the other company wasn’t what they expected, so they finally called the hiring manager back – but it was too late. Not only had the hiring manager moved forward with other candidates, but they also didn’t think that the candidate was interested in the opportunity, since the candidate waited so long to call.
The end.
So what’s the moral of the story?
Providing feedback throughout the interviewing and hiring process is crucial for candidates. After all, you want feedback from the hiring manager, and providing it yourself is simply a professional courtesy. Doing so also eliminates confusion – and more importantly, miscommunication – that can result in a missed opportunity.
Remember, it doesn’t matter which offers you expect to receive or how many offers you expect to receive. The goal is to receive an offer of employment from every company you’re seriously considering.
What’s the worst that could happen? You could be entertaining three, four, or even five offers, all from companies for which you want to work.
Now THAT’S a story with a happy ending.