Why You Should Ask Candidates How They Take Feedback in the Job Interview

Finding the perfect candidate for your team can feel like finding a needle in a haystack as you sift through resumes, conduct interviews, and assess their qualifications. Perhaps you've already found a candidate that checks off all the boxes! Or so it may seem… 

While the interview process seeks to evaluate a candidate's skills, an often-overlooked question to ask potential candidates is how well they can handle feedback and or/criticism. Questions like these can provide a unique opportunity to gain deeper insights into the candidate's character, adding a layer of intrigue to the hiring process. Here's why this seemingly simple question holds considerable weight in the hiring process.

Responsiveness, adaptiveness, and willingness to learn

While a potential candidate's skill set might seem perfect on paper, but understanding how they handle feedback can shed light on their willingness to learn, adapt, and contribute to your organization's success. In tandem with this, their response to feedback can reveal their resilience. 

Consider this: do they accept criticism with humility, viewing it as an opportunity to improve, or do they respond defensively and resist change? Candidates who embrace feedback and the chance to change are more likely to adapt to new situations and excel in dynamic workspaces. 

Commitment to personal growth

Continuous learning must occur to stay ahead of the curve, especially in today's fast-paced world. Potential candidates who are receptive to feedback demonstrate a commitment to their own personal and professional development. Candidates who can positively receive feedback and enact change when suggested understand that feedback isn't only about correcting previous mistakes; it is about sharpening their skills, expanding their knowledge, and becoming the best possible version of themselves. 

By responding positively to feedback, potential employees signal to their employers that they are willing to invest in their growth trajectory and, as a result, the success of your organization. 

Collaborative mindset

Effective teamwork hinges on open communication and mutual respect. Candidates who value feedback are more likely to contribute efficiently to a collaborative work environment. When candidates understand that feedback shouldn't only come from managers or supervisors in a traditional top-down approach, they know that feedback can flow in all directions within an organization. By contributing to a culture of feedback, these candidates promote transparency, trust, and accountability between each team member.

Leadership potential

Candidates who accept and act upon feedback demonstrate qualities essential for effective leadership. They are receptive to input from others and use feedback to guide their decision-making and actions. Leaders who prioritize feedback often incorporate this recognition within the team or group of individuals they lead, generating a culture of continuous improvement that empowers their team members to reach their fullest potential.

By recognizing candidates with a strong orientation for feedback, you can pinpoint individuals who have the potential to become strong leaders within your organization.

Conflict resolution

How candidates handle feedback has the potential to shed light on their leadership skills and willingness to collaborate, learn, and adapt, but it can also reveal their skills when it comes to resolving conflict. Candidates who constructively address feedback are more willing to address conflict constructively, seeking common ground and mutually beneficial solution-making.

In addition to having a higher acquisition for conflict resolution, candidates like these are more likely to be effective communicators, potentially fostering significantly more positive outcomes from any would-be conflict in the workplace. Conflict resolution and constructive mutuality in the workplace also have the potential to strengthen relationships, bringing more chemistry to your team or group. 

So, here are a few reasons why asking candidates how they handle feedback can be a game changer during your hiring process. Asking candidates about their approach to feedback isn't merely a formality; it's a strategic move that can reveal significant insights into their character, work ethic, and overall potential for growth.