Think of a time a manager offered you criticism, constructive or not. What was the criticism, and how did you react to your manager?

"A few years ago, I compiled a report as part of my first audit of client records for our rehousing program for displaced families. The process had not been outlined previously in the manual for my position, so I utilized our CRM system to run a report of active clients. The day before the audit, my supervisor asked to see the report, and I shared it with her. She complimented the information on active clients but informed me that the auditor would also like to see information about recently-inactive clients. She encouraged me to contact the auditor if I had any questions about reporting in the future and provided me with his contact information. This was simple constructive criticism that encouraged me to no longer be shy of asking for help. Now, I am more vocal when I have questions about a task."

"When I first began my role as Volunteer Coordinator, I would turn away potential volunteers if we had no space for them; I would put them on a waiting list and assure them I would contact them as soon as I had opportunities available. My manager complimented my customer service manner, but she also recommended that I never turn anyone away. She demonstrated how I could think outside the box for ways to engage that potential supporter. If there were no available opportunities, I could use that as a chance to engage them as potential donors, for example. This helped me view volunteers more generally as 'supporters' and begin thinking of ways to get them involved outside of their usual volunteer activities."

Avoid sounding defensive or overly negative in your answer. It is critical to demonstrate to the interviewer that you welcome constructive criticism and embrace it as a way to continue your professional development.