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Using interview feedback to get a new job

Written by: RICS Recruit
Published on: 29 Mar 2021

interview feedback

On the hunt for a job or looking for a promotion? If so, getting feedback on your performance is essential. From graduate to senior surveyors, receiving and acting on feedback from other colleagues regularly is key. Whether that's landing your dream job or earning that promotion.

So, if you’re looking to get to the next level or taking the first step on the ladder, here is some advice on how to turn feedback to your advantage.

 

Prepare and reflect on appraisals and interviews 

How long should it take to prepare for an interview? How much time does it take to prepare for an appraisal?  Probably longer than you think! Consider the questions or discussion points you want to raise beforehand. Writing them down will mean you’re more likely to put them across clearly and concisely.  Use examples from recent projects to inform the points you want to make.

Also, give yourself half an hour afterwards to reflect on what was said and make notes on how it went. This will give you a great reference tool for the future.

 

Ask for project-focused or specific feedback 

When you’re reviewing your own performance, it’s about the quality of your colleagues’ evaluation rather than the quantity of it. For job seekers, this means asking your interviewer for specific feedback. Consider sending a short list of bullet points on what areas you’d like them to comment on, or if they don’t send feedback, note a few points down about what you’d like to improve on yourself.

In general, it's really useful to take time to catch-up with others after bigger projects or having informal meetings with your team every couple of months. It will help to evaluate performance while everything is still fresh in people’s minds, so you can act on it quickly.

 

Turn feedback into actions 

You can make all the notes in the world, but if you put the objectives and goals you set for yourself away in a drawer, you aren’t making the most of this valuable insight. Think about the feedback you’ve and then set out clearly what you can do to use it to your advantage.

Set SMART goals and put them somewhere visible, whether it’s on your desk, phone or laptop, then measure yourself against them and reflect on them after a month or two. Don’t be afraid to change them based on new feedback too.

 

Ask for help from other colleagues 

You’ve asked colleagues to be honest with you, now you’ve got to be honest with yourself. It’s almost impossible to achieve your goals or act on feedback without the help of your team. So, once you’ve reflected on what you want to achieve, get your colleagues involved. You could get a friend or colleague to run a mock interview with you, or ask them to train you in their expertise. You'll get them as invested in your goals as yourself, which means you’re less likely to give up or lose focus.

 

Think about your long-term career 

Short-term goals and objectives are great. But, when you’re thinking about and reflecting on an interview or appraisal, think about the bigger picture too.

How will the feedback help you along your career path? Take the learnings from a previous interview to think about what type of job you want to apply for next. Reflect on an appraisal and whether the direction your job role is heading in is where you want to go.

Whether you’re starting out or a qualified surveyor, using feedback in all these ways and taking time to turn it to your advantage will really help you to take the next steps forward.