Giving negative feedback is a highly sought-after skill from the communication toolbox. Not everyone uses it well, so you should ask well-crafted construction interview questions.

LiveCareer points out, “Giving negative feedback requires honesty, thoughtfulness, and tact.” Candidates who demonstrate these qualities in an interview reveal the extent to which they are leadership material. Their answers will tell you how well they can work with and motivate a team.

Many employees find themselves unable to give and take feedback. Their inability to use two-way constructive feedback can prevent your construction business from making the positive improvements you want your managers and leaders to bring about.

Construction interview questions that reveal acceptance of constructive criticism

The best time to determine whether an employee can give and take feedback is while they’re still a candidate for the job.

Great questions ignite conversation. We’ve listed nine of the best construction interview questions for you here:

  1. If you and a co-worker disagree about a work process, how would you resolve it? At what point would you bring in your supervisor?
  2. Tell about a time you persuaded someone on the job site to agree with your decision. What happened?
  3. When would you speak up to make a point?
  4. Has there been a time when you could not meet a deadline? What happened?
  5. Give an example of a time when you had to deal with change — in change orders, materials delivery, or a situation of your choice. How did it go?
  6. What would you do if you had two critical projects that both required your immediate attention?
  7. How do you work with multiple personalities to accomplish a single, unified mission?
  8. Based on prior feedback from a supervisor, what’s something you’ve been working on?
  9. If you saw someone on your team doing something incorrectly, how would you handle the situation?

You want to allow the candidate to express themselves thoughtfully, tactfully, and honestly. Remember that asking open-ended questions with no definitive yes or no answer will give you the most insight into the candidate’s ability to give and take feedback. Avoid “stacking” the questions – asking more than two questions at a time.

The goal is to see how well they use their communications skills. Listen for specific, concrete examples that reveal genuine experience. Then decide if their answers resonate with your company culture.

If you’re unsure of what to look for, a professional recruiter could help.