[notduncansmith]

It's difficult to know when to invest the time in giving candidates feedback. While I would love to do it every time, giving any feedback during the hiring process is a legal minefield and not every candidate appreciates it. In my humble opinion, any engineer who has top-tier potential will be able to derive from the questions asked during the interview process what they need to learn in able to get a job (note, I did say "get a job", not "be a great engineer" - thinking that those are the same skillset seems to be the first mistake many job-hunters make).

[paulkon]

It's no surprise that fresh graduates don't have an extremely clear idea about what employers in their field desire until multiple interviews later.

If potential employers divulge shortcomings in the interview then they may be slammed with a discrimination lawsuit.

If potential employers keep their mouths shut, then the overall incoming workforce takes longer to understand the rules of the hiring game.