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Giving feedback on why I declined a second interview?
Here's a table-turning situation: I was offered a take-home assignment and second interview for a job I'm not interested in moving forward with, the reasons being it feels like a huge backslide in my career path (and has the pay to go with it). I wrote this afternoon that I appreciated their consideration but I would like to withdraw my application for the role.
The hiring manager / co-founder (it's a startup) has asked that I share feedback on why my mind changed and why I didn't want to continue further in the process. I should also mention, he said he would give me a $50 gift card if I completed the take-home assignment and agreed to another interview. While my mind was made up before this occurred, I thought this was really weird and soured me further against the role.
Is there any benefit to being honest, that the role is beneath what I am really looking for at this time? Should I say it was weird to offer me a gift card for completing the take-home assignment and engaging in a second interview? Or should I ghost?
21 Comments
Anonymous
11/17/20 at 6:43AM UTC
If you have the time , then you should share the feedback with them .
Also I think , its nice of them to offer you something in return for finishing the take-home assignment. Because you have made it to the 2nd round....You must be awesome so probably they might use your assignment as some sort of benchmark ...!
2
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Mia Fujii
Ladies Make it Your Time Now!
27
11/17/20 at 9:55AM UTC
Stay true to yourself do not feel forced to do anything you do not feel 100% comfortable with. The hiring manager's actions made you think that was "weird" this "soured" you towards the position even more, this just sounds like your gut is telling you something.
If you have no desire to work for that company/hiring manager now... then trust your gut... you can just stick to your decision to withdraw your application and you can decide if you do or do not want to give a reason for your withdrawal.
Note: you are not obligated to give a reason for your application withdrawal. If you do not want to work for that company still but do want to give some feedback, just give a simple response and mention that you have decided to pursue other interests.
On the other hand, IF your gut is telling you to give that hiring manager another chance to interest you in joining their company, then show interest and negotiate a higher pay... as the job offer has to meet your expectations too or move on. Sounds like deep down you know what you want to do, just do what feels best to you, you are in the driver's seat and only you can make the best call on this for what you know you need to do.
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Kara D Stroud Technology Advocate
380
11/17/20 at 9:35PM UTC
Go with your gut. If you feel comfortable giving feedback, by all means do so and be honest.
As far as the assessment and gift card I would respectfully decline. That assessment is property of the company's and can stay in a file for future reference. Also, the gift card could be considered as "payment" (IMHO)
The more time you spend on the the less you have looking for your the job you really want.
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Stephanie Chernoff
140
11/17/20 at 9:36PM UTC
The gift card offer strikes me as very strange as well, especially if it was in response to your request to withdraw your application. I probably would give the requested feedback though; something along the line of "While I find your business interesting, it seems to me that you are looking for someone with less experience and expertise than I bring to the table. I wish you well."
Depending on what the assignment is, I'd also be cautious of someone using it in the business, essentially getting you (and any other candidates who may have reached the second round) to provide them with unpaid work.
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1 Reply
MARNE PLATTVeterinarian, Corporate Exec & Realist
935
11/18/20 at 6:56AM UTC
Great wording on the answer Stephanie - perfect if the whole situation feels odd.
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hjk1020Medical & Marketing communications professional
73
11/17/20 at 9:55PM UTC
I believe that transparency, authenticity and honesty is the best way to go IF you believe that you can provide an answer that you're comfortable with.
I personally would tell him that as you learned more about the role, you realized that your goals for next role are not aligned and therefore are not the best fit for their role. If you wish to go a little bit further, then I would tell them also that this role was a step back from where you want to go for professional and personal growth--no one can judge you for that and if they do, they would definitely not have been a good fit!
Just my 2 cents :)
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Liz G-OHead of Global Employer Brand & Marketing
69
11/17/20 at 10:01PM UTC
First let me say, you shouldn't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. That said, it's perfectly reasonable, and would possibly be greatly appreciated, if you gave him your honest "it's me, not you" feedback. There is no shame in saying, "After further thought, I decided that I want to pursue something more senior, and I didn't want to invest any additional time for this role or waste your time." As for the assignment itself, I don't hire anyone onto my team unless they complete a real-world assignment to show me they can do the job. None of those assignments have ever been used outside of the interview process. Best of luck in your search!
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Anonymous
11/17/20 at 10:53PM UTC
I agree with the comments above. I would not ghost this individual though. You just never know... LOL.
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Alyson Garrido, Career CoachJob Search and Career Advancement
398
11/17/20 at 10:55PM UTC
I think that giving clear and honest feedback when asked is good job search karma since you'll very likely want the same at some point. You can take the judgement out of the equation by using the good old SBI feedback method, sharing the situation, behavior and impact on you. That way it doesn't feel like you're giving advice or telling them they are wrong, just sharing how the experience landed with you.
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Kristen YealyBetterUp | Behavioral Science | People Ops
687
11/17/20 at 11:19PM UTC
Hi! The one thing I would add in is related to the gift card itself. This is a new behavior to me, but my company has actually been talking through whether it increases inclusivity to compensate applicants for take-home assignments, as it requires time and work on the employee's end and can be prohibitive to some otherwise qualified candidates. All that being said, I wouldn't communicate that you found this behavior weird, as they may be wondering whether you are not moving forward due to the time commitment, instead of your interest level.
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Vicki YangLead with curiosity.
19
11/18/20 at 12:56AM UTC
I agree with giving feedback if you feel so inclined and would advise focusing it more on why the role wasn't the right fit for you.
As for the gift card piece, that would leave a bad taste in my mouth as well. People should be paid fairly for the work and if they were willing to offer payment that should've been made known at the beginning. I'm torn on how I feel about projects. I often like the idea because it does help us get a better idea of what the person can do, but I also believe in paying people for their work. I've seen Automattic do this well where if they require a project, they pay people for the time. It might be more work on their part but they value what they're asking of people.
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Mary MunozProduct Marketing Manager & Content Strategist
23
11/18/20 at 1:51AM UTC
I agree with many on here that giving feedback is a good idea. There's no harm in letting them know your goal is to grow in your career and that you don't feel that this particular opportunity is that next step. You can also say some nice things about anything you do like about the role or company, but it's ok to let them know it's a not a fit. If only we got the same courtesy from employers when we get turned down!
The gift card part is interesting. I worked for a company that would send a $5 Starbucks card to those that didn't advance in the interviewing process, but $50 knowing you don't want the job? Are they trying to get cheap work on something they need done? Part of me thinks you should just focus on why it's not a good fit, the other part is to see if you can find out what the offer is all about... Good luck!
1 Reply
Cinzia IacovelliMarketing Project Manager, Digital Events
295
11/18/20 at 3:03AM UTC
"I worked for a company that would send a $5 Starbucks card to those that didn't advance in the interviewing process" That sounds pretty nice, I like that :)
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Pippa
48
11/18/20 at 2:53AM UTC
I wouldn't ghost--it's unprofessional. But you aren't really obligated to give them any detailed information unless you feel strongly about it. Say thank you for the opportunity and move on. Don't forget that interviews are a two-way street: you are gathering as much information about the company as they are gathering about you. If in the gathering process you determine employment would not be a good fit, it is fair to share that. Period. That said, if you feel the the gift card offer was so weird that it could cost the employer good candidates in the future, it might be constructive to let them know that. They're a startup--they're still working out the bugs.
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Reneé ZungCareer Consultant
127
11/18/20 at 2:58AM UTC
When you withdraw your application you don’t need to explain yourself. The gift card offer was strange. More reason to move on and go with your gut
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Barb HansenCTO/Co-founder. Product Leader.
3.13k
11/18/20 at 2:35PM UTC
Don't ghost (in my opinion) if you have gone through a couple of interviews. There is no reason not to email them with your reason(s) for backing out, if you want to keep a good relationship with the person you interviewed with or the company in general. If you don't care about the company (and you would never want to work there in the future), then ghost away - you are not obligated to give an answer (as others have mentioned above).
My recent similar situation:
Early in 2019, I was in a very similar situation. I had two great interviews for a top level position at a small SaaS software.
The next step was a take-home project and then a presentation with the executive team and their board.
I decided to forgo the next round of interviews because another opportunity landed.
I emailed the company and informed them that I was stepping back from their interview process for reason listed above.
Over the last year, I have received two emails from the company, just checking in to see if I was still happy where I was and asking if I wanted to join them.
You never know what the future brings.
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Trish Fries
17
11/18/20 at 3:51PM UTC
Congratulations on being sought after! I would never ghost any employer, or criticize their techniques to encourage applications. Instead, I would offer a short note explaining that upon further consideration, "I am concerned that the position does not offer the challenges or growth I'm looking for in this point of my career."
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ChelseaCareer Coach Empowering Ambitious Women
14
11/18/20 at 6:58PM UTC
I would encourage you to provide feedback on both your decision, as well as your perception about the $50 gift card (which I agree is very strange!)
I echo the language that Stephanie Chernoff and Trish Fries suggested when explaining why you decided not to move forward with the interview process - and I would also suggest to explain briefly what specific role or level you are seeking. It is entirely possible that a more senior level role will become available in the coming months and they can keep you in mind for a different opportunity in the future.
In regard to the gift card, I would politely share that you would not be comfortable accepting that, even if you did decide to move forward with the interview. I imagine that the employer sees it as a great incentive rather than a strange offer, so it is important for them to hear feedback that it made you uncomfortable. Wishing you the best of luck!
1 Reply
Amy BucciferroConsulting is my profession, equality my passion
84
11/18/20 at 7:12PM UTC
I agree with this approach. If your soured on the role and not the company entirely, you could also request feedback what qualifications of yours prompted them to follow up after you'd declined, you may be able to translate that into a pitch for a different role.
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Joan KirschnerCopywriter – Editor – Instructor
45
11/19/20 at 3:54PM UTC
I found it very interesting to read all the comments and points of view, and I have to say I agree with everyone who has said you should be straightforward and say you are no longer interested and why.
As to the gift card, that just feels wrong, especially as I doubt the amount they have offered would be equal to the effort you would have to put in. In addition, that work becomes their intellectual property and could be used to advance ideas you might want to save for another employer.
I'm a copywriter by trade, and I have been asked on several occasions to do a "copy test" without pay, and done it. I no longer think it was right to do that. Thinking back, I wish I had countered and said I only do copy tests if there will be a reasonable amount of remuneration. I feel as though the work in my portfolio, and my reputation, should be enough. If the product or topic is something that is not represented in my portfolio, I can see doing a small test job, with pay, on a consulting basis. And, it needs to be reviewed by the hiring manager with feedback provided.
I've been burned a few times on this, having spent hours to make the best possible effort and presentation, only to hear nothing back because some anomaly occurred in the HR department and the hiring manager never even saw the work. I only found out about that inadvertently at a later time.
In all cases, I believe you should always go with your gut. If something feels wrong, in any way, leave it behind (with grace and civility) and move on.
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Anne Matsushita
26
11/22/20 at 5:06AM UTC
It sounds like the company is genuinely interested in your feedback. It's up to you if you want to share your honest opinion - there's no obligation - but it might be a nice way to help an up and coming business so they can learn and grow.
You could keep it short and sweet by saying something like the job posting was a bit misleading and your understanding after interviewing is they are looking for someone with a different skill set and experience level. You can politely decline the assignment / interview if you don't want to invest the time or energy, which I totally understand!
I would not suggest ghosting, as taking the high road will help your reputation throughout your career. You never know if this company takes off and you end up wanting to work there down the line. Or maybe the co-founder knows the next person you'll be interviewing with at a different company. It's a small world and you wouldn't want a negative perception of your behavior to proceed you. I would encourage you not to burn bridges, for your own sake.
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