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How do you respond when your peers or supervisors give you feedback that is meant to help you improve? Can you share a situation?
The interviewer wants to know how you feel about feedback, if you can learn from it, and if you want to get better.
- Acknowledge that feedback is important for continuous improvement.
- Show that you listen and understand the feedback provided to you.
- Demonstrate how you apply the feedback to enhance your skills and performance.
- Illustrate your ability to use feedback constructively across multiple teams or projects.
- Emphasize your openness to learning and adapting from feedback.
- Avoid suggesting that you are resistant to feedback or that you have never received constructive criticism. Refrain from focusing on negative emotions or getting defensive when discussing the example.
Sample Answer 1
As a Principal Software Engineer, I consider constructive criticism an integral part of refining systems and processes across teams. When I receive feedback, I thoroughly evaluate the suggestions and look for patterns that may benefit the broader engineering teams. For instance, during a retrospective on a complex project, it was highlighted that while my technical leadership was effective, I needed to ensure more comprehensive knowledge sharing with junior teams. I acknowledged this feedback and initiated a series of cross-team workshops to disseminate vital information, ensuring consistency and alignment across projects. This not only improved the junior teams’ understanding but also facilitated smoother project integration.
Sample Answer 2
I deeply value constructive criticism for the insights it can reveal, especially in a high-level role like a Principal Software Engineer. When supervisors or peers provide feedback, I reflect on it to identify areas where broader team processes can be optimized. For example, feedback once indicated that my focus on delivering cutting-edge solutions sometimes overshadowed the importance of scalable practices for future-proofing. Leveraging this, I worked with cross-functional teams to develop a scalable framework that balanced innovation with long-term sustainability, vastly improving project outcomes across departments.