In short, things started pretty well but ended poorly from a candidate experience standpoint. I was contacted by an outside recruiter who performed the initial phone screen. From there, I was put in touch with an in-house coordinator who scheduled a video call with the hiring manager. The video call went well and I was asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation for our next meeting. The online presentation went well and I was then asked to come onsite and meet the team. The process of booking travel and accommodation was convenient and straightforward, however, I received a call shortly after booking to inform me the hiring manager had suddenly decided to leave the organization. This was the first red flag and in hindsight, I should have pressed the pause button and asked to speak with the new hiring manager before deciding to come onsite. I met with 6 people over a 3.5 hour period. The interviews went well and were a good mix of getting to know each other and an analysis of my professional experience. At the end of the interview, I was walked out by the last person I interviewed with and caught a taxi to the airport. I’d say it was at this point the candidate experience began to go downhill. I didn’t hear from Betterup directly but heard from the outside recruiter to inform me I hadn’t advanced to the next round. The feedback I received was that there were concerns about internal collaboration and drive (this is a specific category in the Predictive Index pre-hire assessment). I thought the feedback was generic, not necessarily accurate (I know...that’s what they all say), but I was looking forward to learning more. The next morning I spoke with the recruiter again and it was relayed to me that was all the feedback I was going to receive. In the absence of a call or even an email from Betterup, I was surprised, to say the least, and I reached out to them directly. Now, keep in mind I manage an applicant tracking software product and interface regularly with talent acquisition professionals and recruiters. I know the downside organizations used to face and to a certain degree continue to face in terms of providing feedback to candidates. But times are changing. This was a second red flag. I managed to schedule a call with Betterup. On our call, we first addressed the feedback I had received from the outside recruiter, which I would soon learn I wasn’t supposed to hear. So, essentially, it should have been no more than “you didn’t advance to the next round, see ya later”. But let’s get real here. That puts any recruiter, in particular, the outside recruiter, in an incredibly tough position. Again, I’m fully aware of the line organizations have traditionally towed in this regard (discrimination lawsuits, etc.). But it’s not the way we need to conduct ourselves today. Through strong interview training (how to avoid unconscious bias, how to record interview notes in an Applicant Tracking System that allows for feedback to be given to candidates without fear of incrimination, etc.) you can provide feedback to candidates in an open, transparent, and human manner. I realized shortly into the call there was little hope in learning more about the feedback I had received. What I found incredibly ironic, however, was the fact they actually asked me for feedback on how to improve their candidate experience. In the end, their decision to pass was most likely a blessing in disguise. Final thoughts: -The Talent Acquisition function could use additional training. -Remember, small gestures can have a big impact. -HR tech companies should be leading the way in terms of candidate experience -The hiring manager left in the middle of the hiring process...never a good sign. Here are my suggestions for improvement: -Even when working with an outside recruiting company, take the time to send a brief email to candidates who advance to the later stages of your hiring process and thank them for their time. -If your official policy is to not give feedback, handle declines in-house. It’s better hearing bad news from you than from a middleman. -If the human experience is so important, try to be a little more ‘human’ when declining applicants. It can make an incredible impression in terms of candidate experience and contributes to a favorable employer/corporate brand. -At the end of interviews, have a talent acquisition team member walk the candidate out. It’s a nice touch and helps set the right expectation in terms of communication, which is a top factor in creating a positive candidate experience