How to answer the interview question "How do you handle feedback from a supervisor?"

You've spent hours preparing for your interview, and it has paid off. The job interview is going so well. However, the next question really stumps you.

The interviewer asks you, "How do you handle feedback from supervisors?"

You think for a minute, not sure what to say. Why are they asking me this question? What do they REALLY want to know?

So, how can you answer this question in a way that shows that you can take action on feedback constructively?

This question is designed to help determine whether you're the kind of person who has a growth mindset or fixed mindset. Ultimately, they're looking for candidates who demonstrate a growth mindset. They want to know if you're coachable.

A growth mindset is the ability to reframe perceived failures as opportunities to learn and grow.

Your goal is to answer this question in a way that shows your professional maturity and the skill to take appropriate action.

The next step will help you construct an answer to show them you have the qualities to positively receive feedback.

Let's take a look at how you can answer this question to demonstrate a growth mindset in the interview. The mnemonic S.A.R. (Specific Feedback, Actionable Steps, Resulting Outcomes) will give you the structure you need to provide a great answer:

• Specific Feedback: Describe the negative feedback you received.

• Actionable Steps: Explain the actions you took to implement the feedback you received.

• Resulting Outcome: Highlight the results of your actions, any lessons learned, and how it benefited the workplace environment.

S: "When I was working in customer service, my manager pulled me aside and explained that I was sometimes too harsh with customers."

A: "I watched some helpful YouTube videos on customer service techniques that helped me adopt a more friendly and flexible tone with customers. I practiced them in front of the mirror and then started using them at work."

R: "After a few weeks, our customer satisfaction scores improved by 3 points. The experience taught me to have empathy for customers."

Read the following example from a job interview. See if you can spot which parts of S.A.R are missing:

"I was told by my supervisor that I had misunderstood a project objective and that my proposal would need a rewrite. I reviewed her comments on what would need changing and wrote a new proposal."

How can the candidate from the above interview improve their answer?

Choose the answer that best adds a resulting outcome:

A. "The second proposal was approved, which made my supervisor happy and saved me from having to discuss the error any further."

B. "The revised proposal ensured the project stayed on schedule, and the experience taught me to proactively ask for clarifying examples at the start of a project to ensure total alignment from day one."

C. "I learned that I should spend more time reading my supervisor's initial emails so that I don't have to do the work twice next time."

Taking the time to remember S.A.R. and prepare for your interview can be a game-changer.