How to Answer: How do you respond to feedback and criticism? Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was your immediate reaction to the situation?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Optometry School job interview.
12. How do you respond to feedback and criticism? Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was your immediate reaction to the situation?
How to Answer
The interviewers want to see that you are confident and mature enough to accept feedback and criticism in a positive way, even when it is unsolicited.
Not all feedback will be delivered in a friendly, easy to absorb manner. Think to a time when you received feedback or criticism that was bit hurtful or surprising. Discuss how you reacted in a productive way.
It is important that you highlight for the interviewers that you were able to take the criticism and learn from it. Talk about how you successfully implemented change.
Written by Nisha Yadav
Answer Example
"Last year I received a low grade on a chemistry project. When I approached my professor about the low grade, he said to me 'You can do better. I expected more from you'. I was taken aback at first but once I had time to absorb what was said, I realized that he expected more from me because he had high expectations of what I was capable of doing. It was a compliment, and a challenge, all rolled into one! I re-did the assignment with more gusto and passion the second time around. My grade improved significantly and I did thank that professor for holding me to a higher standard."
Written by Nisha Yadav
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During my undergrad, I received a low grade on a lab report. It was the first lab report I had done at a university level so while I expected the grade to be a little lower than my average I was taken aback that it was significantly lower. At first, I was quite disheartened but I approached my tutor who took the time to review it with me. I took on all her feedback and applied it to my subsequent reports which greatly improved the quality of my work and thus my grade."
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