How to Interpret Company Messages During Interviews

The hiring process can be perplexing, from viewing a job opening on LinkedIn to submitting an application (with a cover letter! ), to interview follow-ups with human resources, to eventually receiving a job offer.

Interviewing, whether it's an in-person interview, a phone screen, or a phone interview, may be a perplexing procedure in which you have no idea how well you did.

When you believe everything went really well during your interview and you clicked with the interviewer, you get the dreaded rejection email.

Occasionally, the entire experience was awkward, but you moved on to the next stage. So, how can you decode the messages you're getting from firms from the start of the interview process until you're hired, so you know where you stand?

We spoke with Jovena Natal(opens in a new tab), a tech recruiter and founder of Clutch Talent(opens in a new tab), and Annie Li, a job search coach and talent recruiter at ACLER8(opens in a new tab), to learn how to decode messages from employers during the interview and recruitment process.

We'll go over some rejection code phrases, how to ask for feedback, red and green signals throughout the interview process, and how to break into a new industry and stand out as a novice in tech in this post.

What is the best way to read and respond to emails?

Emails and follow-up emails are the primary means of communication between job seekers and employers during the interview process.

Emails, on the other hand, are the most difficult for interviewees to comprehend since they lack visible or audible indicators such as body language or tone, which can lead to job hopefuls reading too much (or too little) into an email, particularly if it's their first time applying for a tech job.

With help from Jovena and Annie, we'll look at some code words used by potential employers, how to respond to less favourable comments, and how to properly ask for feedback.

REJECTION DOESN'T IMPLY REJECTION.

When a recruiter claims they're "gathering input," candidates generally assume they're getting bad feedback, according to Jovena. "In actuality," she explains, "it indicates that you are being considered." You would have gotten a speedy rejection if you absolutely bombed the interview."

In this context, input can imply a variety of things to Jovena. "It might be a simple thumbs up or thumbs down that they need to collect from each interviewer, or it could be a full score card," she explains. Feedback can sometimes aid with levels or team assignments."

The names of various steps in the interview process can be confusing, according to Jovena, and many steps have names that don't clearly fit with an interview style.

"Most of our clients have a phase they call a "tech screen," she says. This phase can be a screening phone call in which the candidate is grilled orally or asked about their technical expertise."

So, what are your options? "Do not hesitate to ask what the format is so that you can prepare," Jovena urges hopefuls.

Annie wants candidates to know that recruiters won't reject a candidate unless it's evident the individual won't be hired, so you still have a chance if you haven't received a rejection email.

"You're probably not their favourite candidate," she says, if "your interviews keep getting postponed, or if you don't hear back after a time (2 weeks), or if you've done your interviews but the recruiter says "we cannot make a choice until we finish all the other ongoing interviews."

If the recruiter says "we're still at the start of our hiring process for this role, so we want to speak to a few different candidates before we make a decision," Annie says, "you're not the frontrunner," because "if you're their favourite candidate, they'll make sure to have you sign before you go for other companies."

HOW DO YOU REACT TO MESSAGES THAT ARE NOT GLOWING?

Annie believes that the best thing a candidate can do, regardless of the content of a message, is to communicate immediately, clearly, and with friendliness.

"The recruiter is not the most important decision maker," she continues, "and many factors are outside our control." I hated being the bearer of bad news and having to turn down candidates I thought were fantastic."

Even if you're given bad news, if you remain pleasant, you can come out ahead since the recruiter loves you.

"Fortunately, this work allowed me to meet so many lovely individuals," Annie says. "I'm still in touch with a lot of my former candidates, and I've even become friends with some of them and helped them find new employment elsewhere."

However, Annie advises informing a recruiting manager or a member of the leadership team if you come across recruiters that are particularly rude.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK?

It's natural for a candidate to seek feedback after an interview, especially if everything seemed to be going well but you didn't win the job. However, getting input is difficult.

"Companies are frequently encouraged by their legal teams to never give detailed written criticism to the candidates to avoid lawsuits," Annie explains, "but they can still give verbal feedback."

She strongly advises scheduling a feedback call with your interviewers and recruiters, and making it easier by including your availability or a calendar link in the same message

"Not everyone will have the time," she warns, "but even one or two calls could improve your prospects in future interviews." At the end of each interview, you can also ask for verbal feedback."

However, Annie advises that if you were rejected at the application review stage, which means you haven't been interviewed yet, you won't get much feedback because of the typical workload at this stage — a typical recruiter receives 50-500 applications for each position and works on up to 5-15 positions at once.

During the interview process, there are red and green flags.

FLAGS OF THE RED FLAG

Inadequate communication

The majority of red lights for Annie stem from a lack of clear communication. She believes that if the hiring team is unable to reveal the identities and titles of interviewers, as well as a clear interview agenda, the hiring process is likely to be unstructured.

"I've seen organisations scurry last-minute for an interviewer panel, and when prospects ask for an agenda, the recruiter can't supply one because the interviewer was called in as the only person available to interview," she says.

She advises that a lack of clear communication could indicate that the employer intentionally withheld interview details in order to put the candidate under additional strain and "test" them.

"Some recruiting teams may disagree," she continues, "but employees can always prepare for tasks at work, and candidates perform better if given an agenda ahead of time, so why couldn't they prepare more for interviews?"

Changes that are not communicated

Another red indicator, in Annie's opinion, is if the employer adds or alters interview phases without providing clear reasons, as this could indicate an unstructured interview process. It's also possible that an interviewer is unwell or on vacation, so don't be afraid to inquire about why there are changes.

Information is not shared.

Annie sees it as a red signal when people withhold information about compensation until the last interview.

"It sounds to me like the employer isn't confident in the wage range they offer (probably because it's too low) and doesn't want to lose candidates early on," she observes. I've been a job seeker myself, and I understand that not everyone can afford to avoid these organisations, but if you can, do so."

Annie recognised that different teams within the same organisation might provide very distinct experiences.

"I've seen well-known organisations with incredible product, design, and engineering teams, but a severely dysfunctional recruiting staff," she says. If something doesn't seem right with the recruiters, double-check the team you're joining. As a software engineer, you may still have a terrific time at the organisation."

GREEN FLAGS

Annie emphasises that whereas red flags are usually the result of a lack of communication, green flags are usually the result of a lack of communication.

"If the recruiter communicates every single change in the interview process to you swiftly and clearly, they're doing a terrific job," she says. You can envision the type of people they'll be able to attract to this organisation because recruiters are often the first level to pass in the hiring process."

Other red flags for Annie include following up with candidates after each stage of the interview process, sending reminders for next interviews, and possibly even providing advice and constructive feedback when requested.

"A recruiter's goal is to create jobs," she explains, "so we're incentivized to support the prospects who have the best chance of getting hired." So, if your recruiter has been taking care of all of the above for you, you're likely ahead of the pack."

There are a few more things to keep an eye on during the interview process.

SUGGESTIONS FOR GETTING STARTED IN A NEW FIELD

Being someone who is easy to work with is one method to break into a new field. After all, honey is far more effective than vinegar at catching flies.

"Regardless of your level, being kind and friendly goes a long way," Jovena says. It can only help you if the folks you're talking with appreciate hearing from you."

Jovena recommends potential candidates to approach communications with empathy for those who are screening, scheduling, and managing candidates.

"Reread your emails to ensure that they are brief, straightforward, and kind," she advises. This may sound self-evident, but delays, bumps, and other obstacles frequently prompt candidates to become angry and vent their frustrations in emails to the recruiting or hiring staff."

"People forget that the interview process is just humans meeting other humans," Annie agrees. Don't write anything you wouldn't say face to face, and be honest with everyone you encounter!"

ANNIE'S ONE LAST BIT OF ADVICE

Annie urges readers to make sure they discuss any non-negotiable needs they have (relocating family, visa support, remote work, contract length or hours) in the first conversation with the recruiter.

"I appreciate your desire to improve your chances," she says, "but these are typically things that the organisation cannot change immediately." If the company is unable to match your requirements, both parties may be spending time and hoping."

"If your new employment will have any impact on your family or relationship, make sure to keep them informed from the start," she says. I've seen parents who didn't want their child to relocate to another country, family members who couldn't get a visa, and partners who fought over the pay package (I once had to negotiate the offer with the candidate's wife)."

JOVENA'S FINAL WORDS OF SUGGESTION

These are Jovena's top three communication recommendations for a more pleasant interview experience.

1. Do some research.

Candidates should do their homework on the companies they're interviewing with and be prepared to explain why they're interested, according to Jovena. Prepare good questions at each stage of the interview process. This demonstrates that you're enthusiastic about the opportunity.

2. Make sure your timelines are in sync.

"Try your hardest to coordinate timetables across interviews, and notify the teams if you're going ahead with other chances," Jovena advises candidates. Let them know that you might need to speed up if you're in the final stages of interviews with a couple of firms and a third is arranging their initial intro call."

3. When scheduling, be specific.

Finally, when it comes to scheduling, Jovena advises being specific.

"If you actually mean that you're holding open the entire day across all time zones the company works in," she explains, "'Anytime Friday' is great." It's preferable to provide three times over the course of at least two days, which you'll keep open until the interview is verified. If you’re in a different time zone, you can go the extra mile and provide times in the interviewer’s time zone.”