Client feedback is useful when it identifies the role criterion, the evidence that informed the response, and the next action. “Not a fit” is a starting point for clarification, not a complete instruction for the next search.
Ask for specific feedback
| Feedback received | Useful clarification |
|---|---|
| Too junior | Which responsibility needs greater depth? |
| Wrong background | Which job requirement is not established? |
| Interesting | What should the next interview explore? |
| Missing detail | Which fact is needed before a decision? |
Keep the client's actual wording available, then record the clarified meaning separately. Do not paraphrase a vague response into a stronger rejection reason than the client supplied.
Distinguish candidate evidence from brief changes
Fictional example: the client rejects a candidate because they now want direct budget ownership, although the original brief required reporting experience. Record that as a possible change to the requirement and ask the role owner to confirm. It should not disappear into the candidate's rejection note alone.
If the criterion was already agreed, determine whether the submittal lacked evidence or the candidate's experience did not meet the criterion. Those situations lead to different next steps: clarify the record or adjust sourcing.
Close the candidate-specific action
Record whether the client wants an interview, more information, a hold, or no further consideration. Use the agency's actual stage definitions. Assign any question back to a person who can obtain the answer and set an agreed date where appropriate.
Do not leave an interested candidate waiting while internal notes imply a decision was made. Follow the agency's communication process and preserve the distinction between client feedback and what has been communicated externally.
Use feedback to improve the next write-up
If clients repeatedly ask for the same role-relevant detail, consider adding it to the template. If they repeatedly ask for information that is outside the current screen, revise the process or clarify expectations rather than fabricating the missing answer.
Connect any approved change to the search brief change log. Use the candidate evidence matrix to make future reviews easier. Recruit Recap can organize selected client meetings into custom notes for recruiter review, but feedback classification and subsequent candidate decisions remain the agency's responsibility.