Interviews: give feedback, and turn up or cancel early

Why it matters

An interview takes real time on both sides: preparing, travelling, taking leave, clearing diaries. When someone doesn’t turn up, or hears nothing afterwards, that time is wasted, and trust goes with it.

For employers

Give everyone you interview at least one real reason for your decision, within 5 working days of making it.

Tie the reason to the role’s requirements. “Your system design answer didn’t cover how you’d handle failures, which the role needs” is useful. “Not the right fit” isn’t a reason.

Never base feedback on anything personal, such as age, accent, appearance, health or background. If you couldn’t say it in the advert, don’t say it in feedback.

Feedback can be short. A few honest lines, sent on time, beat a long report that never arrives.

For candidates

Turn up to the interviews you book, on time and prepared. Read the advert again and know which must-haves you’ll talk about.

If you can’t make it, say so as soon as you know, with at least 24 hours’ notice where you can. Emergencies happen, and so do health and disability reasons. Those are exceptions, and you don’t need to explain them in detail.

Questions

Do employers have to give interview feedback by law? No. That’s why it’s a commitment. You can ask for the personal data held about you, but that isn’t the same as feedback.

What if the feedback is unfair? Reply politely and ask a specific question. If you think it was discriminatory, Acas can help.