Tell me about a time you received negative feedback from your manager and how you dealt with it.

This question is aimed at understanding how you handle criticism and turn it into an opportunity for improvement. The interviewer is looking for your ability to accept feedback and make positive changes – essential qualities in today's dynamic workplace. When preparing your response, consider the following:

1. Think of a real example where you received constructive criticism or feedback.
2. Elaborate on the feedback you received – what was it about and why was it given?
3. Detail how you handled this feedback – did you take it positively, was it hard to swallow?
4. Describe the actions you took following the feedback.
5. Highlight the outcomes and what you learned from receiving this feedback.

This question is about your resilience and capacity for learning and development, not about the criticism itself.

In my previous role as a marketing specialist, my manager told me that although my creativity and ideas were good, but I was missing some finer details in my planning. At first, I was slightly defensive because I'd invested a lot of time and effort, but I realized it was for my benefit. I took her feedback into consideration and started focusing more meticulously on the planning stage. I also enrolled myself in a project management course to further enhance my skills. After a few weeks, my manager appreciated the noticeable improvement in my plans and organization. Receiving this feedback was a great learning curve and made me realize the importance of attention to details.

In my role as a software developer, my supervisor noted that I was delivering good work but often slightly behind schedule. His feedback was to improve my time management skills. Instead of letting it upset me, I took it as an opportunity for improvement and addressed the issue directly. I started utilizing agile techniques for better time management and breaking down my work into smaller manageable tasks. I also started proactively communicating about task progress and any potential delays. As a result, my on-time delivery rate improved significantly. The experience taught me how open feedback and direct communication can help overcome challenges and improve my workflow efficiency.