Is asking for feedback after a job rejection because of very clearly failing an interview viewed negatively?
Posted by anxiousnessgalore@reddit | ExperiencedDevs | View on Reddit | 23 comments
Tldr; did really bad in a live coding interview and got my rejection literally a day later, wondering if asking for overall feedback is worth it, or if it would just look bad that I'm asking at all.
I had an interview last week for a SWE position at very small startup (10 people only) and on paper, I'm a very good candidate. I passed the screening round and first technical interview (no coding, just theoretical questions) and made it onto the third round which was live coding. Not DSA focused but more focused on problems relevant to the job. But, things I didn't know were coupled with things I'd forgotten and I ended up not being able to get through either of the two problems. I got my rejection email the following morning. I was surprised I got this far at all because there's gaps in my theoretical knowledge as well, but I also believe it may have been that I was still eventually able to arrive at correct solutions and mentioned things that I did know fairly well. Live coding though was terrible, and not being able to look anything up (such as fortran format for 3d matrix indexing fml) and not being able to figure it out on time really just ended up in me not doing great at all. And if I was in their position, I would have rejected me too. Live coding however really is the bane of my existence lol.
That said, this role may have been the only entry level role in this particular application field that I've seen in the year and a half that I've been applying for jobs, and it's what I want to end up working on in the future as well.
I want to ask for feedback somehow so I know what to improve generally, or for the last interview I had, what parts of my code were correct (not wrong lol, a lot of it was wrong 😭). I'm just worried my feedback would be that I couldn't code the solutions for the problems. Would this be something looked down upon? Also i had a different interviewer each round so I'm not even sure who to email at this point.
(Also what I won't do though is act desperate and tell them I could do better when I'm not being stared at through a screen and I can look things up, even though I do wish I could tell them that I can ramp things up really fast and do well)
Nitrodist@reddit
If they rejected you, you're never going to talk to these people again. You can ask for feedback. It's ok!
anxiousnessgalore@reddit (OP)
That's mostly true, but what if I want to apply here again 😭
Significant_Mouse_25@reddit
I always ask for feedback. Always.
BandicootGood5246@reddit
Either way it's quite normal. They don't have to give you a proper answer and often won't. If you phrase it that your keen to learn what can help you in future you might get best results but don't count on much
Sheldor5@reddit
they won't make notes about you asking and they won't remember you anyway
yolk_sac_placenta@reddit
Well, the fact that you have a reject after an interview is a lot more of a negative mark then asking for feedback.
I've asked for feedback before, never gotten it, it's unlikely you will, but not harmful to try.
It's very likely that whatever you think went wrong is what went wrong.
Recent_Science4709@reddit
The only time I’ve interviewed for the same job years down the road the guy didn’t remember me
Nitrodist@reddit
Honestly it would show maturity. Humility too.
Material_Policy6327@reddit
Yeah at my place we don’t look down on folks that failed once asked for feedback and later did well. It’s the supposed know it alls who fail then act all annoyed that they failed we have issue with
anxiousnessgalore@reddit (OP)
Okay thank you, I appreciate you.
ScriptingInJava@reddit
Then being prepared more by asking for feedback and internalising it will only help. Realistically you won't get a response, if you do then happy days.
gautamb0@reddit
Ask for feedback and keep in touch. Startups at that size have a whole of lot of challenges of their own, and things are much more flexible and negotiable than at large ones. Even if they try to have rules on paper, in practice they’ll be very willing to break them if it helps their chances of survival.
anxiousnessgalore@reddit (OP)
Thank you, I appreciate this! Definitely going to draft a nice email. I do know the major reason I didn't go through was me completely bombing the live coding but I'll still ask about any other feedback they had based on my other interviews too and if they have any advice so that I'm at the level where they would be willing to hire me in the near future (though of course in better words haha). They seemed pretty laid back given that I had kind of fumbled some answers in the earlier calls too so hopefully this could help keep doors open. This is a niche I really really want to work in so I'd love the opportunity to work there tbh
Nofanta@reddit
Yeah, annoying for sure.
Firm_Bit@reddit
Who cares.
But they probably won’t give it. If they do it’ll be a canned response.
They’re not gonna spend time or risk a suit for your sake.
serial_crusher@reddit
If they're not going to hire you, they already see you as negatively as matters. Another drop in the bucket won't hurt things, and might help.
Don't just ask for feedback though. Identify the areas where you know you messed up and briefly explain your plan to address those before asking if there's other areas you can improve. Frame it as a thank you letter and an appeal to their egos.
Something like:
There's possibilities like they thought you were a good candidate but just too junior; or somebody internally is like "yeah why are we doing these stupid 3d matrix transformation leetcodes when our product is a ruby on rails app?", so a well crafted email might get you a foot in the door for the next opportunity that comes up.
LakeEffectSnow@reddit
It's fine to ask, there's just a REALLY low probability of them responding to you any way other than "we don't comment on internal hiring decisions"
Material_Policy6327@reddit
Only assholes would think it’s a negative. I try to give feedback if folks ask because I’m gonna take that as a sign of someone who at least wants to learn from the experience
SpaceBreaker@reddit
It doesn't hurt, but don't expect anything solid like the truth.
Alternative-Item-547@reddit
username checks out. Ask away, 90% of the time you wont get feedback but when you do its very valuable.
anxiousnessgalore@reddit (OP)
HAHAHAH oops 💀
But okay I think I might ask. Hopefully I do get a reply, I'd k!ll to work there lol.
Silly question but there was a different interviewer for every round. If it was you, would you ask the person who's been managing setting the interviews up or the person who I had the really bad interview with?
Nitrodist@reddit
Send a friendly note to both 👍
CyberneticLiadan@reddit
I ask for feedback when I'm not sure what went wrong. If I knew that I bombed a coding interview, I wouldn't bother asking for feedback, I'd just try to solve the problem on my own time and analyze why I couldn't solve it in the interview. That said, there's not really a downside to asking politely.