Question: Describe a time when your manager was not satisfied with your work. How did you handle the situation?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Tell me about a time when your boss was not satisfied with your work. How did you handle the situation?

Follow-up questions:

How would do things differently next time?
What did you learn from this experience?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Active Listening,Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Social – Social Perceptiveness

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Information Ordering,Cognitive – Oral Comprehension,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Conscientiousness (Work Ethic),Big 5 – Neuroticism (Emotion Regulation),Personal Improvement (Growth)

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships,Interacting with Others – Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (Conflict Management),Mental Processes – Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Face-to-Face Discussions,Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Supervisor,Job Structure – Consequence of Error,Job Structure – Level of Responsibility (Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Organization Results),Job Structure – Work Accuracy (Importance of Being Exact or Accurate)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Cooperation,Humility,Patience,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

There are two things to look out for. Look out for communication, conflict resolution, and relationship skills. On the other hand, look out for the ability to accept mistakes, correct them, and learn from them.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Look out for negative responses, bad relationships with a manager, or a lack of accountability.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: Unknown