AIBU to feel annoyed with this question?

[2coldinscotland]

I had an interview yesterday for a medical secretary. I was well prepared , went for a visit beforehand to see round centre. Had prepared myself to answer usual questions but was thrown by this one " Please tell of a time when your work was critised by your boss; what was situation, how did you deal with it, & what was outcome " I truthfully told of a time recently when I received an email from manager . While I was speaking I felt I was digging a big hole for myself and once over I knew I wouldn't get job ( I didn't get it). I don't know what that question told them about a candidate. What your thought mumsnetters ?

You needed to think on your feet and devise a rather marvellous out come for your mistake and how the situation was salvaged OR the lesson you learned and why it won't happen again. Preferably the latter.

I've recently had an interview and one of my questions was "tell me a time when you've received criticism from a colleague and how you dealt with it" i explained that i was told i spent too much time in my office after customer interviews, i thought i was being efficient doing all the appt admin straight after but to my colleague it seemed unhelpful so instead i did all the admin whilst still with the customer and left my office with the customer and helped out in the rest of the store. The outcome was i spent longer but more productive time with customers, helped my colleagues more and felt more organised myself. That seemed to pass the question and made me and the colleague come out looking good. Did you use the STAR principle? (Situation, task, action, result) helps me keep a structure to my answers in interviews. Good luck for your next job, this one wasnt meant to be but doesn't mean you wont get the next job

I think it's a reasonable interview question - I've come across similar. They want to know how you'd handle criticism and whether it'd cause conflict.

I think it's a good question. But I would suspect not getting the job is a lucky escape!

I'd guess they were looking for the candidate to be able to:

• describe the situation in a concise, intelligible, unemotional way
• react to it constructively: resolve the issue and put steps in place to avoid a similar conflict in future
• assess the outcome in a measured, business-driven way

Negatives would probably be defensiveness on your part, or any indication that you 'triumphed' over your boss in a way not compatible with being a 'team player'.

I had that question once and I gave an example and she was like a dog with a bone about me thinking through what I did/should've done better. I did get the job and she wasn't someone I worked with but another of the panel who I went on to work closely with said she thought the questioning got a bit OTT!

Thank you for your replies. I haven't heard of STAR happy but will remember it for future. Feel so disappointed I wasn't successful but annoyed at the question .

Very standard interview question from HR types and good for assessing self awareness, ability to respond to feedback and manage work place relationships.