Describe a time you received critical feedback in a professional capacity. What happened? How did you respond?
Instructions: Writing Sample.
Write an essay responding to the following question:
Describe a time you received critical feedback in a professional capacity (e.g., the feedback was challenging to hear or harshly given). What happened? How did you respond?
○ A writing sample is an essay that demonstrates an applicant’s ability to convey ideas about receiving critical feedback and their response. While academic writing is subjective and can take on different forms, the writing sample is evaluated based on clarity of ideas, organization, use of evidence, and writing mechanics. We invite applicants to complete the writing sample in any format (e.g., narrative, creative, essay, etc.) that best answers the prompt and showcases who you are as a leader.
Length: Max 2 pages
Background Context: I have been working in residence life for the last four years, serving in a leadership capacity as a Hall Director, also known as Residence Life Coordinator (RLC). With this role, it is required for all Hall Directors RLCs to live on campus in the residence hall you supervise. Roughly 14-30 serve in this role at any given time. With this system in place, it allows you to build a sense of community.
What happened? I would often help my coworkers with tasks they asked of me, which ultimately had me stay in the office after hours to finish my administration assignments on time. My supervisor saw me twice after hours. After the second time, she asked me, “How was I utilizing my time through normal work hours?”. I explained to her that some of my coworkers would ask me for assistance on things she assigned, and I decided to lend a helping hand to my team members.
She let me know “that she understood my willingness to help but that I needed to focus on my administration assignments only and that the next time one of the team members asked me for assistance, I should direct them to her.
How did you respond?
I developed a daily routine for completing my tasks, and I would shut my office door until I had completed these tasks. My mindset shifted from helping others with their work to helping only after I helped myself. Leadership is completing what’s required first in a timely manner before assisting colleagues.
