Does the company have to give you the reasons why they have rejected your job application?

Question

Job hunting, excitement, waiting, waiting, and more waiting, and finally, that 3 line email. Not being successful is no problem, but I can kind of get annoyed when they do not give you any details, only a blank 'no'. Does anyone know whether the company actually has any obligation to give you the details on request? Or are they absolutely free to turn you down without any explanation? Any extra obligations for firms that advertise themselves as 'equal opportunities' employers? Thanks, folks.

Answer 1

There is no obligation on their part to tell you why you've failed to get the job. You can always ring them up and ask for feedback, though. They might tell you some home truths you'd rather not hear ...

Answer 2

You could phone them up and ask why your application didn't make it to the interview stage.

They do not have to tell you but most companies will try to help .
Usually applicants are rejected as they don't fill in the forms properly.
If thye send out a job specification make sure you meet all these specifications and ensure you mention it in your application they have to give you an interview if you hit all the Job specification points. Good luck

Answer 3

Actually, Dani was the only response you received that was close to the correct answer.

For example, if you were required to sign a background check authorization form as a condition of the application, then you do have the right to inquire as to the status, if any, of such a check and whether or not it was performed.

It may mean that you have to have your credit report pulled, but if you find an inquiry from the company, you are required by law (FDCPA) to have had notification of pre-adverse actions before being turned down for the position.

While generally an employer is not obligated to inform you as to the reason, a blanket no in this situation is not appropriate as there are valid statutory requirements which apply in specific circumstances which do require notification.

Answer 4

Why would anyone give you an explanation? There is no benefit to a company to do that and it leaves them open to law suits.

When you apply for a job and go through the interview process, observe the work environment, the kind of people who are working at the company, the way they dress and conduct themselves. Listen to the person who interviews you. From your observations, you can come to some conclusions about what the company might be seeking in a new employee.

That information may help you adjust the way you present yourself at the next interview.

The hiring process is difficult to understand. You may be selected over more experienced people because the person who interviews you just feels comfortable with you, or you may be eliminated because you remind them of someone they like but would not want to work with everyday.

An employer has no obligation to tell you why you were not selected, and you have no obligation to tell them why you chose to decline their offer for employment. It works both ways.

Answer 5

Companies have no obligation to tell you why you were rejected. There was a time when you might be able to get an HR person on the phone to explain how you could at least become a better candidate next time, but those days are probably behind us. Companies have no special obligation to explain their decision to you even if they bill themselves as 'equal opportunity.' If you feel that you were discriminated against due to some protected class then they may have to provide some kind of answer to EEOC, but probably not in your lifetime.

Answer 6

This would depend. As a Manager of a small charity, I occasionally recruit staff. We advertise and can get up to 50 applicants. We usually shortlist and interview about 5 candidates. Usually, one of them gets the job and we offer feedback to the 4 unsuccessful candidates. We could not possibly give feedback to the remaining 45.

It is also true to say that we get applicants who do not meet the essential requirements in terms of the person or job specification and for that reason they are not shortlisted for interview. Hope this helps?

Answer 7

They do not have to give you reasons they are rejecting your application. Also, if you are just submitting applications via internet then I wouldn't even call for feed back b/c they probably have received hundreds of applications and send out the overall no response to most. Maybe bring your resume to some proffessionals to help you and give you tips on how to improve it. Once you start interviewing and they turn you down then you can call and ask their reasoning.

Answer 8

no..they dont have to give a reason. problem is..for every job advertised - there are hundreds of applications...so the company have to draw up a short list of possibilites. ...otherwise they would be interviewing forever more!

my friend's daughter, trained in the legal profession..and she has literally applied for hundreds of positions..and it took nearly 2 years, and many interviews for her to get a placement in a law firm.

her studies are on going...but she is placed. it has been a very difficult time for her & she felt quite rejected at times...so my advice is..dont give up - these days, it takes time - but you will get there in the end - think positive! good luck!

Answer 9

No, they owe you nothing legally or morally. However, you can try calling them and asking for their opinion/advice on what you should work on to make you a better applicant. Some employers will take the time to do that, but most won't.

Answer 10

Only if you're rejected for certain reasons. The Fair Credit Reporting Act for example, states that if a prospective employer has denied you because of a damaging credit report then they must inform you of such. Otherwise, it depends largely on the state that you live in.