Job hunting can be grueling. Many candidates complain that the worst part of the experience is giving everything they have to perform well in an interview and then never hearing back from the hiring manager.

Giving feedback after interviews is very important for a business’s reputation and its future success. Here’s why.

Create a Good Impression – Even when you are telling someone that they haven’t been successful, thanking the candidate for his or her time can still get a positive reaction in the long-term. Sending a standard, form letter to an unsuccessful candidate is not great, but it’s better than saying nothing at all.

When a candidate is left hanging, this is not only inconvenient for them but it shows disrespect from your firm. It is very likely to prevent them from applying again, even if they could be perfect for another role within your organization.

A poor candidate experience will also affect your business in a wider sense. Candidates share their job-seeking experiences with their network. Their feedback can discourage potential candidates from contacting you.

You may also lose customers. People are increasingly connected via the web and use peer recommendations to make purchasing decisions. Negative feedback on social media can spread quickly and damage your reputation.

Provide Closure – Holding out for a role can prevent a candidate taking other opportunities. If they are unsuccessful, letting them know promptly can give them a chance of success elsewhere. They will appreciate that you made the effort to let them know.

You Can Help Candidates – By providing brief and constructive feedback, you can help candidates improve their future applications. This might be particularly beneficial for candidates who have great credentials, but could improve other areas, such as interpersonal skills or interview techniques.

Be Courteous – Job-hunting takes a lot of preparation, persistence, and resilience. Feedback after an interview is good courtesy. When someone takes the time to offer their services to your firm, it’s polite to acknowledge their effort by following up afterward.

Hiring managers’ feedback does not need to be essay-length. A brief acknowledgment with one or two points is better than silence.

Providing feedback is time-consuming, but it’s important. The way a business treats its candidates suggests how it treats its staff.

Putting a system in place will reduce the time and effort required for providing feedback to candidates. It’s worth the investment. If a hiring manager can create a good impression of the business by providing prompt, customized interview feedback, this creates a good impression for the firm that can be beneficial in the short- and long-term.