I've started a new job (I'm 4 weeks in) and it's going fairly well, but I'm really struggling with how much negative feedback I'm getting on my work. It's quite a detailed orientated role, and I've been doing things following the guidelines but yet are so many comments on my work on things I've not done correctly.
Lots of it are things that would be impossible for me to know (like client preferences for documents) or specific things that the senior manager wants done (like different font sizes in different sections of a table rather than all the same). Other things are just things I've gotten wrong despite my very best efforts.
I've been looking at colleagues work and they get similar feedback but the senior management just make the changes themselves, whereas they've been adding numerous comments to my work with critiques. I know it's to help me learn but I'm finding it has just knocked my confidence and made me feel really rubbish
AIBU?
To be struggling with constant 'constructive' criticism in new job?
giveupp · 16/04/2024 14:35
giveupp · 16/04/2024 19:55
I made the mistake of looking at my emails this evening and again I've had another piece of work back prefaced saying I've done a 'good job' but followed by lots of comments and feedback - some nitty gritty things and other quite substantial things. I feel like there's so many things to think about that I'll never get up to speed with it. All of the people reviewing my work have been at the company for years and they have lots of inside knowledge that's not documented anywhere for me to be able to consult. I've starting compiling it into a checklist to be able to refer to, so I am at least taking their feedback on board and trying not to repeat mistakes.
It just feels like a pang in my chest, I feel like crying. I'm soo sensitive to criticism
fozwomble · 16/04/2024 20:32
Could you flip this into an opportunity? Perhaps you could say to your manager you're in a unique position as a new starter to recognise the things you've found challenging in the role and the gaps in corporate knowledge being passed along. Say you've started documenting things as you come across them but you'd like to incorporate them into a knowledge base or updated training manual along with other things you might not yet have come across. It will support your learning as well as helping future new starters settle in quicker. Then you can proactively ask about things similar to the feedback you've been given already, potentially avoid future 'constructive criticism' because you've found the knowledge in advance, and set yourself up as someone committed to self and organisational improvement. I suspect it would be quite straightforward but turning this into something with a positive outcome will probably do wonders for your confidence and self esteem in the role anyway.
giveupp · 16/04/2024 19:55
I made the mistake of looking at my emails this evening and again I've had another piece of work back prefaced saying I've done a 'good job' but followed by lots of comments and feedback - some nitty gritty things and other quite substantial things. I feel like there's so many things to think about that I'll never get up to speed with it. All of the people reviewing my work have been at the company for years and they have lots of inside knowledge that's not documented anywhere for me to be able to consult. I've starting compiling it into a checklist to be able to refer to, so I am at least taking their feedback on board and trying not to repeat mistakes.
It just feels like a pang in my chest, I feel like crying. I'm soo sensitive to criticism
mynameiscalypso · 16/04/2024 22:18
I review a lot of people's work. It is far, far, far quicker for me to just fix things myself. But I try to be a good manager and help people to develop by giving them feedback otherwise how else will they learn? It's not personal at all. I've never reviewed a single doc (including ones from my boss) where I haven't given some feedback
mynameiscalypso · 16/04/2024 22:18
I review a lot of people's work. It is far, far, far quicker for me to just fix things myself. But I try to be a good manager and help people to develop by giving them feedback otherwise how else will they learn? It's not personal at all. I've never reviewed a single doc (including ones from my boss) where I haven't given some feedback
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