The Feedback Dilemma: Ethics vs Risk

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The Feedback Dilemma: Ethics vs Risk

HR Heretics

Feb 25, 2025

Transcript

Kelli and Nolan talk about candidate feedback during hiring processes and debate whether companies should provide feedback to rejected candidates, especially those who've invested significant time in interviews and assignments. They discuss recruiter bandwidth challenges and liability concerns while advocating for human-centered feedback approaches, especially for onsite candidates, plus advice on requesting feedback gracefully.

*Email us your ‘Dear Heretics’ questions: hrheretics@turpentine.co

**For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/

HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.

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KEEP UP WITH ANNA, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDIN

Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/
Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro
(00:13) The Core Issue: Lack of Feedback After Extensive Interviews
(01:00) The Reality of Lean Teams and Bandwidth Constraints
(02:15) The Liability Concern: Company Policy Against Sharing Feedback
(03:00) A Shift in Perspective: Treating Candidates With Respect
(04:06) The Importance of Feedback After On-Site Interviews
(04:20) Setting Candidate Expectations: Establishing a "Contract"
(05:49) Clarity of Identity: Defining Company Approach to Feedback
(06:55) The Long-Term Impact of Thoughtful Candidate Experience
(07:13) A Practical Approach: Phone Calls for On-Site Candidates
(08:47) Sponsor: Metaview
(10:41) Importance of Live Feedback
(11:01) Worst-Case Scenarios and the Skill of Giving Feedback
(12:41) Recruiters as People People - Navigating Difficult Conversations
(13:29) The Need for Recruiters to Develop Hard Conversation Skills
(14:00) HR BP skills on the recruiting team
(14:44) The Candidate's Perspective: Managing Expectations
(15:32) How to Ask for Feedback
(16:28) Expanding Your Network and Paying it Forward
(18:11) Don't Underestimate How Small the World Is
(18:34) Wrap

Discussion about this video

“HR Heretics” | How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies

After a decade+ of “blitz-scaling” companies, HR, talent, and People leaders now face an uncertain economy that has already seen big booms and busts. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact?

Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners – Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors.

This show is for those who are ready to ditch conventional wisdom and figure out from first principles what works for their culture, business model, and industry, with the goal of building a resilient and enduring company. You’ll come away with real guidance for seeing around corners, building enduring companies, and carving out an impactful career – plus a newly-honed bullshit detector.

Topics frequently touched on in this season include: building high performing cultures, compensation negotiation, performance reviews, company design, equity, M&As, recruiting the best talent, and how to manage your own psychology as a people leader.

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