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You're right, but it's also not difficult for genuine, high-quality feedback to be taken poorly. You can tell someone that they're not as good at data structure
by Kalium 7y ago
You're right, but it's also not difficult for genuine, high-quality feedback to be taken poorly. You can tell someone that they're not as good at data structures or database design or scalable systems or whatever core job skill you needed them to be. That can be highly useful, actionable feedback.
It can also readily feed into a very different framing. It's rarely difficult for a candidate to decide that whatever core reason is a fig leaf and something more ego-preserving is the real reason. I think we've all had coworkers who didn't take feedback well. I've definitely known people to whom all feedback is personal attacks. It's also, unfortunately, well-known and well-documented that people share negative thoughts more often and more readily than positive thoughts.
So, you're absolutely right. The good word can get around! There may be more risk to trying than is obvious, though.
- Apocryphon 7y agoWhy not formalize the process and include non-disparagement clauses that applicants must sign to receive feedback? Then risk of retaliation is reduced.
- Kalium 7y agoThere are definitely options, but it's worth bearing in mind that contracts are for when for things go wrong. Are you willing to sue someone for saying something bad after getting post-interview feedback? Seems unlikely to help with bad PR, but I'm not an expert. Legal might not be the right tools for this. Some industries (consulting, as mentioned by others) seem to have standardized ways to give feedback.
- Apocryphon 7y agoIt would at least deter most people from acting on anger over feedback. Those who aren't dissuaded by the contract would have acted in anger even if they didn't receive feedback.
- Kalium 7y agoNot to be disagreeable, but have you considered that now a person would have two things to react angrily to - feedback they don't like and a contract attempting to silence them? This seems to my rather inexpert evaluation like the sort of situation that, if possible, people and companies might consider avoiding. But obviously YMMV.