71: During your performance reviews, what criticism do you hear the most?

No one likes to be criticized. But as a young professional, you will experience the barbs of negative feedback in both your personal as well as professional life. Here the interviewer is on the look out for your accountability and professional character. Generally this question is for people with experience. You shouldn’t answer it directly by saying all the criticism you had faced during your tenure, rather try to mould the answer to show your positive attitude towards the critics.

Always remember “You can’t please everyone, so just please yourself. You are your best critic. Some people are just not going to like you. Accept it.”

You can answer as:

1) I believe criticism should be dealt with positive attitude because it gives us information on how to improve. The criticism I heard during my tenure was to voice my opinions, ideas and suggestions in group meetings. My manager always liked my suggestions whenever I personally met him, but in group meetings I usually let him speak. Now, I feel more confident that I can suggest my ideas and opinions in groups.

2) My boss has always appreciated my work and told me that I did my projects well and within the stipulated time. But he asked me to send more updates and that too frequently so that he can report to his seniors and managers.

3) My colleagues criticized me for being an introvert. I usually go to office and concentrate on my work. But I took the criticism positively and now I am trying to interact with people around me and simultaneously concentrating on my work. I realized that I have to be social.