can I ask for feedback on why I was rejected without an interview?

A reader writes:

Do you have any guidance on asking for feedback on a job application when you weren’t selected for an interview? I’m aware that I’m unlikely to get a candid answer and perhaps some of my frustration is borne out of feeling like I’m continually applying for jobs where I meet all of the criteria, and can provide examples, but not really getting anywhere.

You can try, but you’re unlikely to get substantive feedback. You’re more likely to get someone willing to give you feedback after an interview because at that point they’ve talked with you one-on-one and there’s more of a connection. Even then, a lot of managers won’t give you any truly meaningful feedback (and sometimes understandably so). Getting it when you haven’t been interviewed is much harder.

Partly that’s because so often the decision came down to “your application was fine but we had a ton of applicants and others were just stronger.” And partly it’s because if the issue was a weakness in your resume or cover letter, most hiring managers won’t want to get into that kind of feedback with someone they don’t even know. You’re most likely to get it if the answer is something very straightforward like “we’re looking for five years of experience with X and you only have one” — but that’s also the kind of thing you don’t generally need them to tell you if their job posting was detailed enough. And even then, they still might not take the time to say it because replying to rejected candidates isn’t usually a high priority relative to other things the hiring manager is juggling.

You’re better off asking for feedback from people in your network who work in your field at a more senior level. Ask if they’d be willing to look over your application materials and see if they spot ways you can strengthen them. Those are people who already have a connection with you, so they’re more likely to offer something helpful.

Also — if this doesn’t apply to you I apologize, but more than 95% of the time when someone tells me they’re having trouble getting interviews and I ask to see their resume and cover letter, they haven’t done the stuff I’ve listed here (even when they tell me they’ve read it). So that’s one place you could start.

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