Posted by Brian McCullough
If you have career or job search question you would like answered on this blog, click here to Ask Brian.
Reader Sarah from Iowa writes:
“Do I have the right to ask an employer why I didn’t get hired for the job? I was interviewed and the interview seemed to go well.”
Brian answers after the break…
Brian Sayz:
I mean, “right” might be too strong a word, but you can certainly ask. And the employer certainly has the “right” not to tell you.
First things first… maybe you should think twice about asking. It makes you look… what’s the word… needy? Desperate? Do those words remind you of dating terms? They should. If someone asks you out, and you say no… what would you think of that person if they came back to you and said, “Can I ask you why you turned me down?”
But if you really think you can gain something constructive from asking, here’s the tack you should take: Approach the person you interviewed with and stress that you really want to work for his/her company and really intend on applying again down the road. Make it seem like you’re gathering information that well help you apply more successfully next time. Invite the interviewer to offer you critiques or advice.
And expect the interviewer to most likely offer you platitudes… Ever hear the phrase, they’re just not that into you? You can always just move on to the next job…
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