Can you share a situation when you felt that your performance was evaluated unfairly?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to assess how you handle perceived unfairness, your communication skills, and your ability to reflect on and learn from challenging situations. The interviewer is interested in understanding your problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and how you advocate for yourself in a professional setting. When answering, it's important to focus on how you addressed the situation constructively and what you learned from the experience.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project coordinator, I was responsible for overseeing multiple projects simultaneously. During a quarterly performance review, my manager highlighted that I had missed a few deadlines, which affected my overall performance rating. I felt this evaluation was unfair because the delays were due to external factors beyond my control, such as supplier issues and unexpected team member absences.

Task: I wanted to ensure that my manager had a complete understanding of the circumstances that led to the missed deadlines and to seek a fair assessment of my performance.

Action: I requested a follow-up meeting with my manager to discuss the evaluation in detail. In the meeting, I calmly explained the specific challenges we faced during those projects, providing documentation and emails that showed my proactive efforts to mitigate issues as they arose. I also highlighted my successes and how I had managed similar situations effectively in the past.

Result: After our discussion, my manager acknowledged the external factors and agreed to adjust my performance review to reflect a more balanced view. This experience taught me the importance of maintaining detailed records and open communication with my superiors, which helped me to advocate for myself effectively when necessary.