How to give peer interview feedback that people can use

Updated October 2026 · 373+ words · By MatchMyInterview Team

Feedback fails when it is vague or when it is cruel. The job is to describe what you heard and what would make the next answer stronger.

Start with the situation. Quote the question. Note the time you spent on it. Then describe the answer in plain language: what was clear, what was missing, and where you had to guess.

Separate skill from nerves. Someone can know SQL and still ramble. Someone can be calm and still skip the constraint. Ratings on MatchMyInterview exist so those are not mixed into one “overall vibe” score.

Use examples. “You jumped to an index before asking about write volume” is usable. “Improve your fundamentals” is not. If you cannot point to a moment in the session, you are not ready to rate that skill.

End with one next action. A single drill beats a list of ten books. Suggest they redo the same prompt in 24 hours, or rewrite their project story in 90 seconds.

If you disagree with your peer’s self-view, say so politely. Evidence only works if evaluators are honest. Do not inflate scores to be nice. Do not punish someone for an accent, a slow network, or a topic outside the agreed role.

A simple template: (1) what went well, with one quote, (2) what to change next time, with one drill, (3) scores on the rubric, (4) optional resources. Keep it under 200 words. Long essays rarely get reread.

Calibrate your scale. A 5 should mean you would send this person into a real round on that skill with little coaching. A 3 means competent with gaps. A 1 means the skill was not demonstrated. If everyone is a 5, the portfolio becomes noise.

Write in the language you used in the session. If the interview was in English, keep feedback in English unless you both prefer another language. Clarity beats polish.

Never paste the other person’s answers onto public social media. Feedback on MatchMyInterview is for the two of you and for the evidence model. Public shaming is a policy violation.

If you are new to interviewing others, it is fine to say so. Read the question out loud. Take ten seconds before you probe. Good interviewers are curious, not theatrical.