The Feedback Manifesto
Something is broken in hiring processes.
You know it if you ever stared at your phone waiting for a call that never came. If you prepared for an interview for days and then... silence. If they said "we'll call you" and never did.
80% of candidates never receive feedback. Eight out of ten people walk out of an interview without knowing what they did well, what they could improve, or why they weren't chosen.
That's not normal. It shouldn't be.
We're not talking about a 20-page report. We're talking about one minute. An honest assessment. Telling someone: "You did this really well. You could improve this."
That changes careers. That changes lives.
What we believe
We believe every candidate deserves to know where they stand.
Not as a favour. Not as an exception. As the norm.
We believe giving feedback is an act of professional respect.
The person sitting across from you in an interview has invested time, energy and hope. The least they take away is an answer.
We believe the interviewer has more power than they think.
One minute of your time can change someone's career direction. One minute. No more.
We believe transparency builds better companies.
Organisations that give feedback attract better talent, because they prove something you can't fake: that they care about people.
We believe this won't be fixed with good intentions.
It gets fixed by making feedback so easy that not giving it becomes the exception.
We know it's not easy
If you interview candidates, you probably already know. You know you should give feedback. You want to.
But you arrive at the office with six interviews this week, three pending reports and a hiring manager who needs your decision yesterday. Feedback stays on the "I'll do it tomorrow" list. And tomorrow brings six more interviews.
It's not a lack of will. It's a lack of time, tools, and a system that doesn't force you to choose between doing your job and doing the right thing.
KoManao exists to close that gap. To make giving feedback so quick it fits between two meetings. So that intention you already have — that drive to give something back to the candidate — doesn't get lost in the noise of everyday work.
One link. Seven clicks. One minute. And that candidate who left your office not knowing, now knows.
Your values are already there. We just remove the obstacles.
Why KoManao
In Hawaiian, ko manao means "your opinion". That's no coincidence.
In Hawaiian culture there is a principle called kuleana — the responsibility that comes with privilege. If you have the ability to help someone grow, you have the responsibility to do it.
There's another word: mahalo. It's not just "thank you". It's recognising that what someone did for you has real value.
KoManao was born at that intersection: your opinion has value, and sharing it is your kuleana.
Our commitment
We're not a big HR corporation. We don't have investors telling us what to build. We're an independent, small and stubborn project, built with a single obsession: that no candidate is left not knowing.
Keep feedback accessible and frictionless. No account, no password, in one minute.
Always protect the confidentiality of the process. What you say as an interviewer stays between you and the candidate.
Never sell data. Never monetise anyone's frustration. Ever.
Build in the open, with honesty. If something doesn't work, we fix it. If something is missing, we build it.
Treat every feedback for what it is: an act of professional generosity that deserves recognition.
You
If you interview candidates and believe they deserve an answer, this is for you.
If you were ever left without feedback and want others not to go through the same, this is for you.
If you believe a hiring process doesn't end with "we'll call you", this is for you.
Sign this manifesto. Not because we ask you to — but because you know it's the right thing to do.
Ulu koʻu honua me ko manao.
My world grows with your opinion.
Mahalo nui loa.
Sign the manifesto
Committing to the principles of the Feedback Manifesto is a public act. You need a KoManao account to sign — it's free and takes 30 seconds.
By signing you agree to associate your name with the manifesto. You can choose whether your signature appears on the public wall and you can revoke it at any time.