To be struggling with constant 'constructive' criticism in new job?

[giveupp]

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

That doesn't sound like constructive criticism. It literally sounds like pointing out how it should be done so you learn as you obviously don't already know. Try not to take it to heart, and congratulations on your new job.

Sounds like your being micromanaged.

"I've been looking at colleagues work and they get similar feedback but the senior management just make the changes themselves."

Have words with them about this because you are being singled out. You could tell then that unless they change thier nitpicking/micromanaging you will be consulting HR regarding the harassment policy.

Hope this helps

i hate this, no matter how well intentioned it makes you feel crappy. So I’ve been trying to learn to reframe things in my job. In this case I would switch it back on my manager to put the emphasis on them by saying “as I’m new to the role
im aware that I’ve not got the corporate knowledge to format documentation to the organisations liking, it would be very helpful if you can provide me the corporate guidance on document standards and formatting. As a team play I don’t want my work won’t be so onerous for management to review and waste their time needing to mark out discrepancies.”

This way it’s not about your feelings it’s about you wanting to be effective and productive for both you and your colleagues benefit.

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

Tell them you’re not psychic, and while you’re compiling a list about different clients’ font preferences etc, it would be easier all round if someone produced a document with the necessary information, so people don’t have to keep critiquing your work, because you’ve had to do it without the necessary information!

These people are correcting you. They could just change it themselves but they're giving up their time to feed back. (Those other managers you mention don't give a stuff about the people working for them)
I know it hurts but you need to turn this to your advantage and run with it. Client like things a certain way? - then set up client prefs documents. Start a "house style" document as you're learning how they like things.
And then make sure you big yourself up by saying I realised x y and z are easy not to be aware of so look what I created. But make sure your name is embedded somewhere in it!
And don't beat yourself up about mistakes - just learn from them.

You need to not take it personally or it will drive you mad

your 4 weeks into a detail orientated role…
of course you won’t know everything some people are helping you out

Take the advice, make the changes, if in a few months it’s the same then look for another job

If it's all in their heads and not on paper, how do they expect you to do your work? Ask them for written guidance if they're so hung up on the detail, otherwise they need to accept if it's not important enough to write guidance on then they need to leave you have agency to do it as you please

It's always horrible being new and not knowing your way round. When you think about it, this will have happened in each new school you started, every new job you've had, new places you've lived, everywhere.

Give it 6 months of gritting your teeth. And if it still feels crap, leave. But think how pleased you'll be when you just get comments like 'Great work'.

You'll pick it up. And the more they tell you, the quicker the time comes where you feel confident.

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.

Thank you all. I think I'll definitely suggest to my manager about making some kind of house style document. They're quite a small company though, so I'm the first new starter they've had for a while and not sure when the next will be lol... I hope they aren't disappointed with me and realise how much there is to learn and pick up.

Assuming they are not making personal criticisms or sweeping statements, then they are simply describing a gap between what is needed and where the work currently is. As you say, they're helping you learn. Think of it as improvement for the process/output, not a criticism of YOU.

Great suggestion. And do try to toughen up OP, none of this sounds unusual or unfair to me.

You're so new and they're advising on how to work. You say they changed other employees work but possibly cos it was easier than saying it again to them.

Continue as you're going with taking notes and keeping it as a guide for any other new starters. You sound like a great employee to me taking notes and wanting to do well. As a PP said, in 6 months time all you'll see is "great work" or there'll be less or no advice for you as you'll be doing it all right🙂. Good luck.

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

I'm in exactly the same position. I used to be in a senior role where I did the training & knew everything. Stupidly took time off to raise a family. Now in a job in a different industry & being trained by a 21 y/o who micromanages EVERYTHING - but doesn't understand the job herself. Management works remotely & doesn't give a sh*t unless I don't get something done. There's no standards or processes - all client & work info is in their heads. But I got in trouble yesterday for emailing instead of posting something! They'll throw you under the bus in a heartbeat to protect themselves.

I'm constantly in trouble, being corrected & told to do things a certain way. Even how to type simple emails. It's causing me huge anxiety and I hate going there everyday. Never any positive feedback.

The issue is some people don't know how to train. I've so many holes in my training it's ridiculous. Shown something once briefly & told to do it 3 weeks later with no support, then negative feedback. No priority setting, overwhelmed with work but told to take my time.

Its a terrible training technique. No wonder the last hire left quickly & another colleague (who knows her role well) is looking for a new job.

I'm sticking it out for 6 months & if it doesn't improve I'm out. I've been out of work for a while so the resume needs padding first!

it's all about the attitude. If you're getting positive feedback then it's probably going to be ok. If not, then, it's toxic.

It’s part of learning the role, it’s not criticism.

Are you keeping a log of all the feedback so you don’t make same error? You do need to toughen up. Our work is the same for new starters. They have so much to learn, and it’s 3 months before they are off 100% quality assurance. We always encourage never to see it as negative. I mean I guess if they are feeding back same things and you still make same mistakes month down the line then maybe that’s an issue. But how else will you learn what the company wants?

I don't disagree and feedback is a really healthy thing in general but I'm going to slightly go against the grain: there is a point at which constructive criticism tips over into micro-management. It's not always clear where that line is but there can be too much feedback.

A really good manager will find a balance between genuinely constructive feedback and letting minor things go, particularly if they are subjective, in the interests of supporting someone's self-esteem.

I work somewhere which is very big on feedback and it's definitely a net positive. I've learned a lot from it. But if I'm honest, there are one or two among the senior managers who very clearly get a buzz out of pointing stuff out for it's own sake even if it's petty and irrelevant to the final picture. An awful lot of being publicly dressed down for style things which are not widely agreed and not ultimately that important.

Sometimes it's more constructive in the long term to focus on the positive and highlight the one or two really important things than to provide a character assassinating inventory of picky little faults. It just leaves people feeling really beaten down, which is what's happened to the OP. Less can sometimes be more here.

There’s a knack to giving feedback, and not everyone has it. It sounds like you’re not getting enough positive comments, which means you’re more likely to see the corrections as negative and personal.

On the one hand, it’s not personal (I hope!), so you need to try to reframe how you’re seeing it (if it is, in fact, personal, start looking for another job). On the other hand, you need some positive feedback to go with the negative.

Can you schedule a one-to-one with your line manager to discuss your general progress? If your manager is any good, they will give you some positive feedback. If you manager doesn’t do this, start looking for another job.

This 100% - if they don't tell you how will you ever know. You can't learn without if there is no reference doc available. Great idea to create one.

It’s hard as a manager if someone is struggling with this stuff, fonts, grammar, style typos etc they should not appear on a doc sent to a senior manager, it should be a source of pride - presentation incredibly important - you don’t want to be in a room when a client picks up a load of typos in a document - you get the basics wrong how do they trust you with everything else. You might want to have a think about the way you are seeing things - you need to set higher standards for yourself, figure out strategies, ask if the client likes things presented in a certain way before you start writing - stop expecting other people to spoon feed you - ask your peers what a senior manager needs, ask your peers how they do it - writing out a checklist of the rules is a good start. Have you got a coach? a work buddy? talk to them - you need to stop feeling to got at - you need to pick up on the details, you need to want to.
We’ve had sloppy work presented to us by contractors - fonts, bold italics titles colours all over the place they should have known better the senior person at our company spent their Sunday fixing it as it was due 9am Monday morning - it has an impact and it can hit the bottom line very quickly. Working in a client based role is hard and you need to be tough - I think everyone remembers getting bollocked for sloppy presentation - not the done thing anymore but it still frustrates - I hope you are being well paid - if not - there are easier jobs.

It’s really hard starting a new job. There’s so much to learn, relationships to build etc. Although it’s an ongoing process I truly believe it takes a year to completely settle in. The fact that you’re being told the work is good shows to me that they’re not concerned at this point. Also they are probably emailing it so you have points of reference for when you’re doing the next piece of work for that client. As long as you’re referring back to them and aren’t being asked to make the same adjustments twice, try not to worry.

I sympathise OP. I could have written your post except I've been here 2.5 years. Lately I can't seem to do anything right. I've been told 'you should know it by now' whichi stung. Even when I personally think something is my best work ever, I get a looooooong email with everything that is wrong with it. It's really hard not to get upset. Even when I try to improve, I've barely even started before another criticism comes in. I feel like saying "give me a chance". It doesn't help that redundancies are rumoured - I worry I'm literally in the firing line. The PP suggestions of creating a checklist to refer back to is a good one and one I've done myself so hopefully things will get better for us both.

Fixing things yourself as a manager means the other person doesn't learn. It is the same in our workplace. But it is needed.

We have style guides and templates for this reason.