Can I ask an employer why I was rejected when I thought the job was perfectly suited for me?

jobbend

Coming from the recruiting side, I answer this a lot in my work. What people fail to realize is that they are being compared to a pool of people, all of which have been screened to fit the job. That means there are likely others who feel they are "perfectly suited" as well.

Because I respect my employer and coworkers as well as the integrity of the process, I generally will let people know that a better fit was found. If candidate skills are identical - then it comes down to culture fit.

If however, you were rejected due to a background check, credit check or other legal checks, you generally have the right to know what came back that stopped the process, and the company is obligated to give you the source of that information.

Bottom line, If you were a candidate in my process and"demanded" information from me, that would be a red flag for any future position with my company. Asking for help understanding what didn't fit may get you information - but it's no guarantee.

Judy

You can ask them politely why you weren't hired. They don't have to give you an answer, and no the Freedom of Information Act doesn't apply. Expect an answer such as "we found a candidate that more closely met our needs" - and that might just be the exact truth.

Interesting that you say "when I thought the job was perfectly suited for me" rather than "I thought I was perfectly suited for the job". Between that and your thought of demanding, not just asking, them for feedback, look at your attitute a little, you might be coming across badly, and that would affect hiring decisions.

Jerome P

i dont know if i would demand but go to the interviewer and explain due to the economy you was wondering what you could work on for better skills. You want to know exactlyw why they didnt pick you so you know what to do on the next interview. Might show self confidence and he might find a position for you after all if not you'll know what to look for.

Leigh A

Yes. However they're under no obligation to reveal anything if they don't wish to.

McDoom

You can contact them and ask for feedback, and this is not uncommon. They're under no obligation to give it to you, though.

texas c

The is no law that the business must tell you but you can ask.
Don't expect an real honest answer back though.

Richard M

There is no way you can force them to provide information. Period! That's the simple bit. You can ask, however. My experience has shown that employers don't mind someone asking. They may not give you an answer that you like and there is no way you should try and open a discussion or argue with them. You may think you were the right person for the position but you didn't interview all the applicants.
Ask! If they give you an answer, great! Try and learn from the answer. If they don't answer, well, I guess you can learn from that too. The lesson may be that the company is not open and forthright and you really would be better off not working there.
Anyway, good luck in your hunt.

David C

You're free to ask but they don't have to give you anything. If they do, they might just feed you some BS that you're over qualified... meaning that they'd have to pay you more because you're qualified to do more.

not too sure.. have u asked them?

ultraryder

You can ask but they are not required to tell you anything,any way they could just give you some B.S. anyway about how someone else was better suited for their needs.As far as credit report goes,whenever one is run on you,you can get a copy for free,however it will not tell you if that is why you were denied a job.

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