How to Find and Use Constructive Criticism For Your Career Growth

Constructive criticism can be one of the most important elements of your career success, providing invaluable information that you can use to identify your shortcomings and grow as an employee. Unfortunately, that vital feedback is often only provided at regularly scheduled performance reviews or when you are falling seriously short of your employer’s expectations. 

Have you ever wondered how you can get that type of feedback on a more regular basis, in ways that you can use to fuel continual career growth and improvement as an employee? 

The good news is that there are things you can do to get regular feedback from others in your workplace. In this post, we will explore steps you can take to find that constructive criticism and offer some tips to help you use that feedback to grow your career.

What is constructive criticism?

If you have ever had someone in your workplace provide helpful feedback about your job performance, then you probably recognize constructive criticism when you see it. It is important to note, however, that truly constructive criticism does more than just provide an assessment of your performance. It also provides useful information that you can utilize to make serious improvements and become better at your job. Feedback that has no purpose other than to criticize your work does not generally qualify as constructive criticism.

The role of constructive criticism in the workplace

When delivered properly, constructive feedback can be a powerful tool for employee growth, teamwork enhancement, and maintaining a mission-focused work environment. Here are just a few of the benefits that this type of feedback can provide for any workplace:

• Constructive criticism can be a great way to help employees understand their company’s expectations.

• Regular feedback can ensure that workers are focused on the right goals and know what they need to do to accomplish those objectives.

• A work culture that includes constructive criticism can help to foster a positive environment where employees share information, brainstorm new ideas, and offer assistance to one another when needed.

Of course, constructive criticism can also be a vital tool for your own career enhancement, if you can learn to appreciate its value and potential benefits. Many people learn more from their mistakes and shortcomings than they could ever learn from consistent success. In fact, success without setbacks can lead to complacency, which can stunt career growth and alter your long-term plans. When you learn to use constructive feedback the right way, you can turn every failure into a learning opportunity that boosts your professional growth.

Be proactive about seeking constructive criticism

To effectively use this type of feedback as a growth tool, however, you need to ensure that you receive it on a regular basis. The problem is that you won’t always be able to rely on management to provide the ongoing feedback that you need to ensure that you are always meeting expectations. In fact, many managers still rely on scheduled performance reviews, which can mean that seemingly minor problems go unaddressed for months at a time.

If you want to ensure that your job performance improves at a regular pace, you need to find a way to invite more regular feedback that you can use before any failure to meet expectations becomes a more serious problem. The following tips can help you to learn how to seek out the right kind of constructive criticism and ensure that you are receiving the regular feedback you need to fuel your career success.

Identify the type of feedback you want to receive

Before you ask for feedback, make sure that you know exactly what you are looking for. Do you simply want to know that you are meeting expectations or are you looking for advice that could help you become even better at your job? If you are looking to enhance your performance and advance your career, you should probably be focused on the latter. Positive feedback is always nice to hear, but it is vital to receive useful criticism if you want to make consistent improvements in your performance.

Establish rapport with your manager

Since your manager will be the one determining whether you are meeting expectations, your quest for ongoing feedback should begin there. Let your manager know that you want to receive more regular feedback so that you always know whether you are on the right track. Effective managers will be eager to provide that information to help you develop and increase your value as a member of their team.

Make sure to ask specific questions

Do not simply ask for performance feedback. Instead, ask for specific types of criticism to increase the chances that you can actually use the information in a positive way. For example:

• If you are working on a specific project and want to assess your performance, ask your manager to provide feedback related to that work.

• Questions like, “what could I do to improve my results” are more likely to elicit useful information than generic questions like “do you have any feedback for me.” As a rule, you should always try to avoid feedback questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.

• Try to focus each request for feedback on one task or project. That will make it easier for your boss to narrow their criticism to particular areas of concern. Remember, you want to create a rapport that provides a regular stream of constructive criticism. By simplifying things, you can better ensure that your manager doesn’t become frustrated by the process.

Seek criticism from coworkers as well

Experienced colleagues can also be a great source of constructive criticism, and may notice things that your superiors do not see. Try to identify one or two co-workers who you think might be able to provide that type of guidance and let them know that you would appreciate any feedback they can provide. If you directly interact with clients and suppliers, you might want to consider establishing a similar line of communication with them as well.

How to take criticism well and get the most out of it

Of course, locating sources for feedback is only part of the process. You will also need to know how to leverage that information in a way that enables you to learn from your shortcomings and improve your performance. There are a number of tips that can help you to effectively benefit from constructive criticism, including:

Always ask for examples

When you receive constructive criticism, take the time to ensure that you fully understand the feedback. Ask for examples that explain how you fell short of expectations so that you know exactly where you need to focus to make the desired improvements.

Ask for advice about how you can do better

Whenever you receive feedback, you should always ask the speaker to provide some advice that can help you achieve better results in the future. This will not only provide additional useful information but can help to strengthen your rapport with the person offering the feedback. In most instances, your earnest desire for sound advice will inspire that person to continue to offer criticism in the future.

Always express gratitude

Make sure to say “thank you” any time you receive constructive feedback, but then show your true appreciation by putting that criticism to good use. When people see you applying their feedback and advice in positive ways, they will be more likely to take an interest in your continued success.

Focus on improving skills related to the feedback you receive

No matter what type of constructive criticism you receive, it will always be related to one or more of your job skills. Try to identify which skills you need to improve to do better next time, and work on making those positive changes.

Be prepared to receive criticism that is not useful

It is also important to recognize that most people are not accustomed to consistently providing useful feedback. As a result, at least some of the feedback that you receive will be of little help to you in your efforts to make real improvements as an employee. When you receive negative feedback that you cannot use for growth, do not respond in a negative way. Instead, thank the speaker, ask for advice, and continue to do your assigned job to the best of your ability.

Summary

While it is true that most people would prefer to go through life without ever hearing any type of criticism, certain types of feedback can be essential tools for career growth. By learning how to seek out constructive criticism and effectively use that feedback to improve your job performance, you can ensure that you consistently exceed expectations and fuel consistent career growth.

Are you currently looking for a job change and wondering whether your resume tells the compelling story you need to secure that employment? Get your free resume review from our team of experts today!

Recommended reading:

• Interpersonal Skills Can Give You the Competitive Career Advantage You Need

• Most In-Demand Job Skills