Introduction

The job interview process can be a nerve-wracking experience for any candidate. After hours of preparation, researching the company, and practicing your answers, you finally get to sit down with a representative from the organization and make your case for why you're the best fit for the role. But once the interview is over, the waiting game begins. It's not uncommon for candidates to feel left in the dark when it comes to feedback, and that's where this guide comes in. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the most common interview feedback phrases, what they really mean, and how to respond to them.

The Importance of Feedback

Giving and receiving feedback is essential for the growth and development of both the interviewer and interviewee. It allows for clear communication, and helps to ensure that both parties are on the same page. Additionally, it allows for both parties to identify areas of improvement, and work towards becoming better professionals.

Giving Feedback

Giving feedback can be a daunting task, but it's important to remember that it's a necessary part of the interview process. It's important to be honest and direct, while also being tactful and constructive.

When giving feedback, it's important to focus on specific examples and behaviors. This will help the interviewee to understand exactly where they can improve. Additionally, it's important to provide both positive and negative feedback. This will help the interviewee to understand their strengths, as well as areas for improvement.

Receiving Feedback

Receiving feedback can be just as nerve-wracking as giving it. But, it's important to remember that it's a necessary part of the process. It's important to be open-minded and receptive to feedback.

When receiving feedback, it's important to listen actively and ask clarifying questions. This will help to ensure that you fully understand the feedback being given. Additionally, it's important to take the feedback with a grain of salt. Not all feedback will be applicable to your situation.

"We'll be in touch."

This is one of the most common phrases you'll hear after an interview. It's also one of the most frustrating, as it gives you no indication of whether you're still in the running for the job. In most cases, this phrase is used when the interviewer is still making a decision or has yet to schedule follow-up interviews. If you hear this, it's best to wait a few days before following up. If you don't hear back after a week or so, it's likely that you haven't been selected for the next round.

"We're still interviewing other candidates."

This phrase is similar to "we'll be in touch," but it gives you a little more insight into the hiring process. It means that the interviewer is still considering other candidates and hasn't made a decision yet. If you hear this, it's a good sign that you're still in the running for the job. However, it's still important to keep your expectations in check and not get your hopes up too much.

"Your qualifications are impressive, but..."

This phrase is often used as a way to soften the blow of rejection. The interviewer is saying that they were impressed with your qualifications but didn't find you to be the best fit for the job. It's important to remember that this doesn't mean you're not qualified, it just means that there was someone who was a better fit. If you're really interested in the job, you can ask for feedback on why you weren't selected and use that information to improve your chances in future interviews.

"We're going in a different direction."

This phrase is often used when the company has decided to change the direction of the role or the team. It's usually not a reflection on your qualifications or performance in the interview. If you hear this, it's best to thank the interviewer for their time and move on.

"We're looking for someone with more experience."

This phrase is often used when the interviewer is looking for someone with a certain level of experience or specific skills. If you hear this, it's important to remember that it's not a reflection on your qualifications or performance. It's simply a matter of the company looking for someone with a different set of skills. If you're really interested in the job, you can ask for feedback on what specific skills or experience you lack and use that information to improve your chances in future interviews.

"You're overqualified."

This phrase is often used when the interviewer believes that your qualifications and experience are too advanced for the role. It's important to remember that being overqualified doesn't mean you're not qualified for the job. It simply means that the interviewer may be concerned about your long-term commitment to the role or that they believe your skills and experience may not be fully utilized in the position. If you're really interested in the job, you can address these concerns by expressing your desire to learn and grow in the role and how you plan to apply your skills and experience to benefit the company.

"We'll keep your resume on file."

This phrase is often used as a polite way of saying "no." It means that the interviewer is not interested in hiring you for the current role, but they're willing to keep your resume on file for future opportunities. If you hear this, it's best to thank the interviewer for their time and make sure to follow up with them if you're still interested in working for the company in the future.

"We're impressed, but we're going to keep looking."

This phrase is similar to "we'll keep your resume on file," but it gives you a little more insight into the hiring process. It means that the interviewer was impressed with your qualifications and performance but they're going to keep looking for other candidates. If you hear this, it's a good sign that you're still in the running for the job, but it's still important to keep your expectations in check.

"You're not quite what we're looking for."

This phrase is often used when the interviewer doesn't believe that you're the right fit for the role or the company. It's important to remember that this doesn't mean you're not qualified, it just means that there was someone who was a better fit. If you're really interested in the job, you can ask for feedback on why you weren't selected and use that information to improve your chances in future interviews.

Conclusion

Receiving feedback after an interview can be a confusing and frustrating experience, but it's important to remember that it's not personal. The interviewer's decision is based on what's best for the company and the role, not on your qualifications or performance. With this guide, you'll be able to decode the most common interview feedback phrases and make sense of the madness. And remember, keep your chin up and always strive to improve, you never know what opportunities may come your way.

How Hume Can Help

Hume is an innovative interview intelligence platform that helps hiring teams unlock the full potential of their interviews. With Hume, you can record, transcribe, and summarize your interviews to gain valuable insights and make more informed hiring decisions.

One of the key benefits of using Hume is that it allows you to access more objective data from your interviews. Instead of relying on subjective notes and memories, you can refer back to the recorded interviews and transcripts to make sure you're making the best decision for your company.

Hume also helps train interviewers to perform better. It allows interviewers to review their own performance, identify areas of improvement, and learn from their mistakes. With Hume, your interviewers will be able to become more effective at identifying the right candidates and make a more informed hiring decisions.

Additionally, Hume will help your team move faster through the hiring process by providing accurate interview summary that can be shared with the hiring team, allowing them to make more informed decisions.

In summary, Hume is a powerful tool that can help hiring teams unlock the full potential of their interviews and make more informed hiring decisions. With Hume, you'll be able to access more objective data, train your interviewers to perform better, and move faster through the hiring process. So if you want to take your interview process to the next level and gain a competitive advantage, give Hume a try.