What are effective ways to provide feedback to candidates from different industries?

1 Understand the industry standards

Before giving feedback, you need to understand the industry standards and norms for the role and the skills required. You can research the industry trends, benchmarks, and best practices, or consult with industry experts or colleagues. This will help you tailor your feedback to the specific context and expectations of the industry, and avoid giving irrelevant or inaccurate feedback.

2 Use the STAR method

The STAR method is a simple and effective framework for giving feedback. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. You can use it to describe the situation or scenario that the candidate faced, the task or goal that they had to achieve, the action or steps that they took, and the result or outcome that they achieved. You can also use it to highlight the positive and negative aspects of their performance, and suggest areas of improvement or alternative actions.

3 Be specific and constructive

Feedback should be specific and constructive, not vague or generic. You should give examples and evidence to support your feedback, and avoid using labels or judgments. For example, instead of saying "You did well on the technical test", you can say "You demonstrated a solid understanding of the coding concepts and applied them correctly to solve the problems". You should also focus on the behavior and skills of the candidate, not their personality or traits. For example, instead of saying "You are too shy", you can say "You could improve your communication skills by speaking more confidently and clearly".

4 Balance positive and negative feedback

Feedback should be balanced, not biased or one-sided. You should acknowledge the strengths and achievements of the candidate, as well as the weaknesses and areas of improvement. You should also use positive and negative feedback in a ratio of 3:1, as research shows that this is the optimal ratio for motivation and learning. You should also start and end your feedback with positive comments, and sandwich the negative feedback in between. This will help the candidate feel valued and encouraged, and also receptive and open to the negative feedback.

5 Adjust your tone and style

Feedback should be delivered in a tone and style that matches the industry culture and the candidate's personality. You should consider the level of formality, directness, and emotion that is appropriate for the industry and the role. For example, if you are giving feedback to a candidate for a creative role in a casual industry, you can use a more informal, friendly, and expressive tone and style. If you are giving feedback to a candidate for a technical role in a formal industry, you can use a more formal, professional, and objective tone and style.

6 Ask for feedback from the candidate

Feedback should be a two-way conversation, not a one-way lecture. You should ask for feedback from the candidate, and listen to their perspective, concerns, and questions. You should also encourage them to share their feedback on the interviewing process, the role, and the company. This will help you understand the candidate better, and also improve your own interviewing skills and methods. You should also thank the candidate for their feedback, and follow up with them if necessary.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?