Good Faith Hiring

Keeping in touch: reply to everyone, and let employers know

Commitment 7 of 8GFH-E7 and GFH-C7Draft 1
Employers GFH-E7

Reply to everyone

Let every applicant know you've received their application, tell them how to ask for adjustments, and tell them the outcome. No more "only successful candidates will be contacted".

A reply within a week, and an outcome within four.

What counts

  • Every application is acknowledged within 5 working days, and the acknowledgement says how to ask for adjustments.
  • Every applicant hears the outcome within 20 working days, or is given a date when they'll hear.
Candidates GFH-C7

Let employers know

If you take another job or change your mind, withdraw. Reply to messages and offers when you said you would.

A quick note within a couple of days of deciding.

What counts

  • You withdraw within 2 working days of deciding not to go ahead.
  • You reply to messages and offers by the time you said you would.

Why it matters

Silence is the most common complaint on both sides. Candidates send applications into a void. Employers book interviews with people who’ve already taken another job. A short message fixes both, and it’s the cheapest thing in hiring.

For employers

Acknowledge every application within 5 working days. An automatic reply is fine. In it, say how to ask for adjustments, and roughly when they’ll hear more.

Tell every applicant the outcome within 20 working days. If you can’t decide that fast, give them a date when they’ll hear, and keep to it.

A short “we won’t be taking your application further” is far better than nothing. If you interviewed them, they also get feedback (see commitment 8).

For candidates

If you accept another job, or decide this one isn’t for you, tell the employer within 2 working days. One line is enough: “Thanks, I’ve decided to withdraw.”

If you said you’d reply by Friday, reply by Friday. If you need more time to decide on an offer, ask for it. Most employers will give it.

Questions

What if an employer doesn’t reply? If they say they follow Good Faith Hiring, you can point them to this page. If they’re on the adopters list and it keeps happening, you can tell us privately.

What if I applied through an agency? The agency stands in for the employer here. It should keep you informed on the same timings.

Think this should say something different?

Suggest a change in GitHub Discussions or email hello@goodfaithhiring.co.uk. Please don't name employers or people.