Job vacancies and feedback for unsuccessful candidates in recruitment processes: FOI release

Information requested

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I would like to request information regarding the Scottish Government’s policy and practices on providing feedback to unsuccessful applicants for job vacancies.

Specifically, I request:

1. Copies of any formal policies, guidance documents, or internal procedures relating to the provision of feedback to candidates who are unsuccessful at any stage of the recruitment process.
2. Details of whether providing feedback is mandatory, discretionary, or subject to specific conditions.
3. Any internal guidance or training materials provided to hiring managers or recruitment staff on how and when to provide feedback.
4. Any data held on the proportion of unsuccessful applicants who request feedback and the proportion who receive it.
5. Any recent reviews, audits, or evaluations (within the last three years) of recruitment practices relating to candidate feedback.

Response

Our feedback is provided in a consistent, fair, and evidence-based manner that aligns with the principles of transparency and accountability in the recruitment process. Hiring managers ensure that all feedback is timely, clearly linked to the assessment criteria, and focused on objective, job-related behaviours observed during the interview and assessments process. Feedback will outline both strengths and areas for development to support candidates in understanding their performance and improving future applications. All feedback is delivered professionally, uphold confidentiality requirements, and reflect organisational standards for respectful and inclusive communication.

1. & 3. Please find attached the various PDF documents which are available to hiring managers, candidates etc to help with requesting and providing feedback.
Feedback Training for Hiring Managers
Giving Feedback to Candidates
Requesting Feedback

2. In addition to the publicly available recruitment guidance, the Scottish Government’s central Resourcing team provides specific operational guidance to Hiring Managers regarding the provision of feedback to unsuccessful candidates. This internal guidance is as follows:
Internal Candidates

• The Resourcing team expects Hiring Managers to provide feedback to all internal candidates, regardless of the recruitment stage at which they were unsuccessful (application, interview, or assessment).
• This expectation applies whether the vacancy was advertised internally only or advertised externally to both internal and external applicants.

External Candidates

• If a vacancy is advertised externally and a candidate is not an existing Scottish Government employee, the provision of feedback is not mandatory.
• However, Hiring Managers are strongly encouraged to provide feedback to external candidates who reach the interview or assessment stage.
• The Resourcing team recognises that high application volumes may make it impractical or overly time-consuming to offer feedback to all external applicants. As such, the provision of feedback in these cases is encouraged but discretionary.

4. The Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested regarding data on candidates who seek or receive feedback. This information is not retained centrally, as feedback is provided directly by individual hiring managers on an as-requested basis and is not recorded centrally.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

5. The Scottish Government has not undertaken any audits, or evaluations within the last three years that focus specifically on the provision of candidate feedback. While no targeted work in this area has been carried out, recruitment activity is governed by established HR guidance, training and subject to routine oversight to ensure compliance with organisational standards. Accordingly, the Scottish Government does not hold any information falling within the scope of your request.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
However, we are continually reviewing our training and guidance on providing feedback as part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202600513184 - Information Released - Annex

File type

PDF

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4.2 MB