Candidate feedback experiment: How to deliver a personalised candidate experience at scale

Over a six-month period, Sapia offered a personalised candidate experience to all potential hires in its system, as explained by CEO, Barbara Hyman. Sapia’s strategy? Simple: give feedback to every candidate on the same day they complete a text-based interview through Sapia’s AI software.

The candidates we engaged with varied in age, from 16 to 80, and encompassed individuals from both non-English speaking and Indigenous origins. The constructive feedback we sent to job seekers highlighted their individual strengths and offered guidance to improve future interview performance.

The result, as Hyman shared with Shortlist, was remarkable. 99% of candidates conveyed satisfaction with the interview process, and 70% of candidates said they would be more inclined to vouch for the company as a preferred employer. In addition, 95% of candidates claimed to cherish the interview feedback and described it as “empowering, instructive, and eerily precise.”

Since conducting this experiment, automated feedback has been incorporated as standard into the Sapia.ai chat interview experience. 

What is candidate feedback?

Candidate feedback gives job seekers insight into their professional strengths and weaknesses.

According to Hyman, candidate interview feedback should be more than an automated email stating, “Thank you, we’ve received numerous applications, but might not respond.” Instead, interview feedback should be defined by mutual benefit and help improve the overall candidate experience.

Hyman adds, “Ghosting applicants is now inexcusable. The feedback firms offer via human intermediaries often lacks substance. Receiving a call to inform you’re not aligned with the company culture – what does that convey? It’s a significant evasion.” Sapia aims to solve this problem.

Why is candidate feedback important?

Documented interview feedback will help you build a stronger employer brand, attract top talent through word of mouth, reduce candidate drop-out rates, and more.

1. Builds stronger employer brand

Candidates who receive thoughtful feedback view your company more favorably, even when they don’t get the job. When you invest in meaningful feedback, you transform potentially negative experiences into positive brand building opportunities that candidates remember and share. This approach protects your reputation and creates authentic advocates for your business among job seekers.

2. Attracts top talent through word-of-mouth

Candidates who feel valued and respected throughout the feedback process are more likely to recommend your organisation to other talented professionals. This organic recruitment channel often brings in higher-quality candidates who already have a positive impression of your company and values.

3. Reduces candidate drop-out rates

Over half of job seekers say employers fail to update them on the progress of their applications. Providing timely, personalised feedback addresses this core frustration and keeps engaged candidates in your talent pipeline. And for unsuccessful candidates, meaningful feedback can help maintain their interest in future opportunities. And as mentioned above, generate word-of-mouth.

4. Demonstrates company values in action

The way you treat candidates during the hiring process reflects your organizational values. Companies that prioritise feedback show a commitment to people development and transparency, and respect for an individuals’ time and effort. This alignment between stated values and actual practices builds trust, while attracting talented candidates who share similar principles.

5. Creates competitive advantage in tight talent markets

Most companies fail to give candidate feedback. So, companies who do provide feedback stand out. By offering effective interview feedback when others don’t, you differentiate your organisation and create a memorable candidate experience that drives better hiring outcomes.

3 types of candidate feedback: Positive, negative, and constructive

There are three kinds of candidate feedback to know about: positive feedback, negative feedback, and constructive feedback. Let’s take a closer look at each and share examples:

Positive interview feedback examples

Positive interview feedback highlights what candidates did well and reinforces their strengths. It builds confidence and maintains engagement with your employer brand. For example:

• “Our team was impressed with your excellent communication skills and ability to articulate complex ideas. You also asked thoughtful questions that showed genuine interest in our mission.”
• “Your problem-solving approach during the case study was top level. You broke down the challenge systematically and presented creative solutions we hadn’t considered.”
• “The examples you shared demonstrated strong leadership abilities. Your experience managing cross-functional teams aligns well with what we’re looking for in this role.”

Negative interview feedback examples

Negative interview feedback identifies areas where candidates fell short of requirements, but should be delivered graciously to maintain goodwill. For example:

• “While your technical knowledge is solid, we felt you struggled to communicate complex concepts in simple terms, which is essential for this client-facing role.”
• “Your experience is impressive, but we noticed some hesitation when discussing leadership scenarios. This position requires someone who can confidently guide a team from day one.”
• “Although you showed enthusiasm for the role, your responses lacked specific examples of how you’ve handled similar challenges in previous positions.”

Constructive interview feedback examples

Constructive interview feedback combines honest assessment with actionable advice for improvement, creating a more valuable candidate experience. For example:

• “Your analytical skills are strong, but consider preparing more concrete examples of how you’ve applied data insights to drive business decisions. This would help you better showcase your impact in future interviews.”
• “You demonstrated good cultural fit, but your technical presentation could benefit from more structure. Try using frameworks like the STAR method to organise your responses and highlight specific achievements.”
• “Your positive attitude and passion for the industry are clear. To strengthen future applications, focus on connecting your enthusiasm to specific business outcomes and measurable results from your previous roles.”

How does Sapia give feedback and improve the hiring process?

Sapia’s award-winning candidate feedback reports show that job seekers benefit from honest feedback regarding their individual attributes. But what exactly do candidates learn?

• Insights about their personality
• Important questions/topics to reflect on
• Tips to improve future interview performance

Candidates aren’t the only ones who benefit from Sapia’s in-depth analysis. Recruiters also receive valuable insights about each candidate’s character and technical skills.

• Is the candidate a strategic thinker?
• Do they have the skills to complete duties?
• What cognitive abilities do they possess?
• Do they have the capacity to lead others?
• Can they work well with other employees?
• Are they capable of effective self-management?

Overcoming the fear of detailed interview feedback

Employers were initially hesitant to use Sapia’s automated candidate feedback feature.

According to Hyman, “They thought that if you give interview feedback, you’ll risk a whole lot of candidates calling up and asking, ‘Why didn’t I get the job?’ Or candidates would disagree with it and it would undermine their trust in the recruitment process. This might diminish their employer brand.”

Their apprehension stemmed from the belief that offering candidates feedback would lead to numerous inquiries like, “Why wasn’t I selected?” Or that candidates might contest the feedback, thereby eroding their confidence in the procedure. This could tarnish their corporate image.

These anxieties were dispelled when recruiters examined the feedback that candidates left regarding their experience, which encompassed their agreement with the feedback and whether they’d endorse the organisation as an employer or retailer, as a majority of Sapia’s clients are consumer brands.

“We could present to our clients the candidates’ perspectives on the feedback. This effectively allayed employers’ fears and debunked the myth that feedback poses a ‘hazard’,” says Hyman.

She concludes, “In reality, candidates perceive feedback as a token of appreciation. This sentiment significantly enhances the company’s reputation.”

Give constructive feedback to candidates at scale

Candidates crave feedback and growth. Thanks to Sapia’s smart use of personality science, every candidate in our platform receives personalised feedback and coaching they can use to improve.

The result? A brilliant candidate experience that builds employer brands.

Once you’re set up with Sapia, you’ll build engaging recruitment funnels that generate 90%+ completion rates and amplify trust in your company. Book a demo of Sapia today to learn more.