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Staff Software Engineer

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.

Do:
  • Express a positive attitude towards receiving constructive criticism.
  • Highlight your ability to listen actively and understand the feedback given.
  • Show how you use feedback as an opportunity to improve and enhance your skills across multiple teams.
  • Provide a specific example relevant to your role, showing how you've integrated feedback into your work.
Don't:
  • 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

In my role as a Staff Software Engineer, I understand that receiving constructive criticism is crucial for my growth and the success of the projects that span across multiple teams. I welcome feedback as it provides different perspectives that can improve our collaborative efforts. For instance, during a cross-team architectural review, a colleague pointed out that my approach to service integration could lead to increased latency. I took this seriously and worked with architects from different teams to optimize the design, resulting in improved system performance and better inter-team alignment. This feedback not only enhanced the project but also helped me refine my architectural skills.

Sample Answer 2

I consider feedback as a valuable resource for personal and professional development. When I receive constructive criticism about my work or leadership across multiple teams, I make it a point to understand the concern and incorporate the insights into my approach. For example, when some team members expressed that project goals weren't clearly defined, I took the initiative to establish more detailed project charters and shared them across teams. This fostered greater clarity and collaboration, aligning everyone's efforts towards our objectives more effectively.