Tell me about a time when your performance rating differed from what you expected.

Question Analysis

This behavioral question is designed to assess how you handle feedback and manage expectations. The interviewer wants to understand your self-awareness, how you respond to discrepancies in performance evaluations, and your ability to reflect on and learn from such experiences. This question also touches on communication skills, adaptability, and your approach to personal and professional growth.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I received a performance review that rated me lower than I had anticipated. I had successfully led several projects to completion and received positive feedback from my team, so I was surprised by the rating.

Task: My goal was to understand the reasons behind the unexpected rating and to identify specific areas for improvement. I needed to address any misconceptions and ensure alignment with my manager's expectations moving forward.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with my manager to discuss the performance review in detail. During the meeting, I asked for specific examples of areas where I could improve and sought constructive feedback on how to enhance my performance. I also shared my perspective and highlighted some of the accomplishments I was proud of, which may not have been fully recognized in the review. We discussed setting clear, measurable objectives for the upcoming quarter to ensure we were on the same page.

Result: As a result of our conversation, I gained clarity on my manager's expectations and identified key areas for improvement. I implemented the feedback by developing a personal improvement plan and regularly checking in with my manager for progress updates. Over the next few months, I was able to exceed expectations and received a higher performance rating in my next review, which reflected my growth and efforts.