I didn’t get the job – can I still request feedback?

We all know that an inevitable part of job hunting is dealing with the disappointment of a no. For some people, they will be invited to several interviews and first receive the no after giving it their all at the interview. This can seem even more disappointing, because you feel so close to the finish line. And sometimes, we do not even know what triggered this no, so instead of learning from it, we simply lose our confidence because of it.

We recently got an email on our ask@talentree.be from one of our talents asking how she should handle the no. Just like with the previously asked questions on how to shine at the job fair and how to contact professionals on LinkedIn, we decided to share this one with you and provide you of the answer we wrote back. 

This is specifically what one of our talents asked: 

Dear Talentree team,

I recently went for an interview at a company, I have always been very interested in. I felt like I was well-prepared, confident and did well at the interview. Unfortunately, I did not end up getting the job. They simply wrote me in an email that they chose to proceed with a different candidate. This time, I really feel like I did everything right. So, I am wondering… Is it okay here in Belgium to contact the recruiter that interviewed me and ask for feedback on why I did not get the job? Maybe it can help me in my future job search…

Looking forward to your answer.

Greetings,

A confused jobseeker

 

And here goes our answer: 

 

Hi confused jobseeker,

Thank you for your email. We are sorry to hear that it did not work out in your favour. The job market can be brutal at times, and we all know the feeling of receiving that no, when we were so sure this time…

First of all, we want to commend you on wanting to seek feedback at all! For many of us, the idea of receiving feedback based on our professional performance is intimidating and frankly, just something we want to avoid. So, to answer your question, asking for feedback is a big YES in Belgium, and it is very brave of you!

The way we see it, when you don’t win, you can either let it let you down, or you can learn from it. Make it a learning experience. Ask for feedback. Most likely, the Belgian recruiters will only see you as being more motivated. How can you practically do it? We think there are certain things that should be present in your mail:

  1. You should thank the recruiter and company for giving you the opportunity to do the interview.
  2. You should briefly mention that you are sorry not to move on (but don’t make it too soppy!)
  3. You ask for the feedback, explaining that it will certainly help you with developing your professional skills and potential areas of growth.

As long as you have those elements in your email, it will surely not offend anyone, and you have done what you could to get the best out of the situation!

Good luck with requesting feedback and good luck with your future job hunt. Let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.

All the best,

The Talentree Team

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you turn lemons into lemonade.
If you have any questions, doubts or wonders about the Belgian job jungle, do not hesitate to ask us on ask@talentree.be. Maybe you can learn something from the former questions dealing with how to shine at the job fair and how to contact professionals on LinkedIn.

You might also find the answers to your questions in our thorough guide to getting a job interview in Belgium. Make sure to download it today to really take off your serious job hunting process.  

All the best,

The Talentree Team

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