Let me tell you something. In today’s world, I feel that constructive criticism is very important. Having constructive feedback really helps people improve in areas that they might be struggling in. With that being said, something that really irritates me is when you get rejected and you don’t get a reason why.
It’s pretty common for individuals to face rejection every once in a while. We’ve all seen this one email that reads like: “this was a difficult decision to make as there were many great candidates, however, we regret to inform you that you will not be considered for this position.” I appreciate the communication, but the one thing that gets me everytime is “why?” Why is it so difficult for employers to give constructive feedback for those who apply for jobs or internships? I would like to know what I could improve on in the future. Do I need to refurbish my interview skills? Do I need to make changes to my resume? Am I lacking in some qualification or skill? I think it’s a bit ridiculous that we cannot explain to people the areas that they can improve in. It’s one extra sentence you need to type out in an email.
I know constructive criticism is difficult for people to digest, but how successful can a workplace be if we don’t tell people what they need to improve on? This could be as simple as telling someone, “We regret to inform you that you will not be considered for this position due to there being more qualified applicants for this position.” How difficult was that exactly? It was short, sweet and straight to the point. It’s literally like making a claim in an essay and backing it up with evidence.
Now, I do draw the line if constructive criticism is said in a rude manner or tone. The important thing to note about giving constructive criticism is that you have to keep it respectful. If you feel that tone may be an issue via email, maybe scheduling a time to meet with this person in an office would be more helpful. I just think that if you are going to reject people, give them a reason why. It’s not that hard and will help the person out in the future when they apply for more jobs.
