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We all know the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. This is also true in different iterations.
One such iteration is to never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself. This was the topic of conversation on a Reddit thread where a user shared a form email response to their job application.
The email was to inform the user that they didn’t get the job and it was topped off with, “due to the large number of applicants, we are unfortunately unable to provide individual feedback on your application.” In short, we don’t want you, and we won’t explain why.
The screenshot next to this form response was another form email from the same company, this time asking the applicant for their time in a five-minute survey to provide feedback to the talent acquisition team.
So, they’re not going to hire the person, they won’t tell them why, and they have the nerve to ask for a favor?
Don’t be this company.
If you won’t take the time to give feedback when asked, don’t ask for feedback. It’s that simple.
That’s essentially the same as telling a friend you can’t help them move (for no good reason) and then asking shortly down the line that they help you move. It’s a bit of a slap in the face.
Now, I’m not saying every company should offer feedback on each applicant. There’s simply not enough time in the day for that. Just don’t ask for what you won’t give.
With situations like this where you apply for a position online and an unknown number of other applications are flooding in, the reason you didn’t get the job could be as simple as there was someone better suited by 0.0001 percent.
The best time to request feedback in this process would be in an actual interview setting, where you ask the employer if there’s anything on your resume or application that they’d like you to expound on. Don’t explicitly ask for “application feedback” as that comes off unprofessional.
Finding the right person for the role is a process and something that should be treated with prioritization. However, it’s not the time to get feedback you can boast on your Glassdoor page unless you’re taking the time to dish it out yourself.
