One of the trickiest interview questions has to be “What do you think this company could do better?”
How do you even answer something like this? If you admit you don’t know, you risk appearing unprepared. Give a blunt critique and you might come off as arrogant or uninformed.
However, there’s an approach that'll score you serious points with any interviewer. The key to a good answer is a balanced and thoughtful response that conveys your competencies.
In this article, we'll take a look at how to give constructive criticism and offer improvement recommendations diplomatically, so hiring managers see you as someone already on the team.
Key takeaways
- Put your response in a positive frame by mentioning something the organization does great.
- Talk about a specific area of improvement that you’ve researched well.
- Provide context and examples to support your improvement suggestion.
- Focus on collaboration over criticism by presenting your ideas as opportunities rather than corrections.
- As an outsider, you can’t assess internal matters, so avoid assumptions and negativity.
Why do interviewers ask what you’d improve?
There are multiple reasons why hiring managers ask, “What do you think this company could do better?”
Let’s go over the main ones:
- Gauging your understanding of the company: Interviewers want to see if you’ve researched the hiring organization and if you’re able to identify areas of improvement.
- Testing your critical thinking skills: Your ability to analyze and come up with ideas conveys problem-solving skills that would be essential to the role.
- Evaluating your communication skills: Being constructive, thoughtful, and respectful when giving feedback is a great demonstration of soft skills and collaborative efforts.
It’s like a thought experiment or a simulation—as if you’re already hired and doing the job you’re supposed to do.
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Now, ready to start working on your response?
How to structure a competent answer in 8 steps
A really good answer that would impress any hiring manager acknowledges the company’s strength while presenting a reasonable improvement suggestion. Your goal is to offer constructive feedback without sounding overly critical.
Here’s a framework of eight strategic steps to guide you:
| Steps | Ideas and examples |
|---|---|
| 1. Do your homework: Before the interview, take time to thoroughly research the company. This ensures your feedback is relevant and well-informed. | Put your research skills to work. Check their website, products, social media, customer reviews, and recent news. |
| 2. Start with something positive: Show appreciation for what the hiring company is already doing great. This shows your opinion is coming from a place of understanding rather than critique. | For example, “First, I’d like to mention I love your brand voice—it’s engaging, and consistent across all platforms.” |
| 3. Identify a specific area for improvement: Keep your observation relevant to the role you're applying for.. | Let’s say you’re interviewing for a marketing role. You could mention how you’d refine the company’s content strategy. |
| 4. Stick to a positive tone: Always aim to highlight potential, not problems—even if your observation is about a gap or shortcoming, | Reinforce your value as someone who contributes ideas with a mindset geared toward progress and collaboration. Focus on how things could work better in a productive way. |
| 5. Speak from a place of curiosity, not critique: Frame your feedback as a thoughtful observation. Use language that shows you’re genuinely interested in how things work and how they might evolve. | For example, saying “I was curious if there’s an opportunity to…” feels much more collaborative than “You should really fix…” |
| 6. Back up your point: Use reasoning or examples to support your thoughts with a short explanation of why this area stood out to you. This shows your answer isn't based on assumptions. | You might address looking into the company beforehand as a user or a customer. You can say, “I think your website’s landing pages could be even more informative. This would benefit your SEO efforts and increase trust with users.” |
| 7. Offer a constructive suggestion: Instead of pointing out flaws, suggest a path for advancement. This approach positions you as a problem-solver, not a critic. Frame your feedback in a positive, forward-thinking way. | For example: “One idea might be to strengthen your connection with your audience by expanding your blog content to cover more behind-the-scenes stories.” |
| 8. Frame suggestions as ideas, not fixes: Present your input as a potential approach among many, not as a definitive solution. | Phrases like “One idea to consider…” or “It might be helpful to explore…” show humility and openness, which interviewers will appreciate. |
Now that we’ve covered how to approach your answer, let’s focus on the specific topics you can discuss.
Smart areas to focus on when answering the question
When giving feedback in an interview setting, not every aspect of the hiring company is suitable for discussion. The appropriate responses to “What do you think this company could do better?” should address role-specific or public-facing areas that you can reasonably evaluate as an outsider.
Depending on the role you’re applying for, here are the areas you should consider giving your opinion on:
| Area | Possible improvements |
|---|---|
| 1. Digital presence and social media: One of the safest, easily accessible areas to evaluate is a company’s online presence. | Maybe their engagement strategy could be stronger or their content is inconsistent across platforms. |
| 2. Website content or messaging clarity:Both B2B and B2C settings benefit from clear communication. | This is a great opportunity to offer feedback if you noticed the messaging felt vague, too technical, or lacked alignment with the brand’s voice. |
| 3. Market positioning or competitor awareness: One strategic insight you could offer is a comparison between the company and its main competitors. | For example, “One thing I noticed is that your competitor conducts more case studies. Adding similar content could build higher trust with customers.” |
| 4. Customer experience or product usability: Sharing observations about the user experience can be valuable if you’ve had interactions with the company’s services or products. | Consider commenting on features, accessibility, or ease of use. For example, their mobile app could be more intuitive, or the checkout process could be smoother. |
So, what would an actual answer look like?
Examples of strong answers
If you have a hard time scripting your own answer of “What do you think this company could improve?”, then reviewing some real-life examples will bring you some inspiration.
Below are responses that follow a respectful and strategic format, each tailored to a different area of potential improvement.
Example 1: Improving mobile app user experience
“I’ve had a chance to use your mobile app, and overall I think it’s intuitive and visually appealing. One area that could be improved is the onboarding experience—it felt a bit rushed and left me with questions about some features. A more guided walkthrough or in-app tips might help new users feel more confident right away. It’s a small tweak, but I think it could boost engagement early on.”
Example 2: Expanding content marketing strategy
“I think your blog and educational content are excellent, especially for helping users understand your product. One idea for improvement could be to expand into more video-based content or tutorials—especially for visual learners. This could help reinforce your position as a thought leader while also catering to a broader audience preference.”
Example 3: Enhancing customer support responsiveness
“I noticed a few online reviews that mentioned slow response times from customer support. While these may be isolated cases, it might be worth exploring ways to speed up initial replies or set clearer expectations for wait times. Even something as simple as an auto-reply with helpful resources can make customers feel heard more quickly.”
Mistakes to avoid when answering the question
Giving feedback during an interview can be tricky. It can even backfire severely if you say the wrong thing. Missteps in tone or substance can weaken your answer, while bold yet inaccurate statements can detract from your competence.
To make sure your response to “What do you think this company could do better?” lands well, steer clear of these:
Common answering missteps
- Acting like a know-it-all: Don’t lecture the company or tell them how to run their business.
- Making assumptions: There’s no point in answering based on a guess, that’s a shot in the dark.
- Discussing internal matters: Avoid commenting on the internal affairs of the organization, or any ongoing rumours.
- Being overly critical or negative: A blunt delivery can come off as arrogant and disrespectful, even if your observation is valid.
- Vague or broad feedback: General statements like “You should improve your website” or “I think your marketing could be better,” without backing up your claims make it seem like you haven’t done any research.
I have considerable experience as a hiring manager. I’ve personally asked this question during interviews. It often catches applicants off-guard, exposing a weakness in their preparation.
The candidates that stood out to me the most were those who offered constructive, well-researched feedback. They had taken the time to understand our business and weren’t afraid to suggest bold, thoughtful improvements—even if it meant challenging the status quo.
Author’s take
Conclusion
Giving an adequate response to “What do you think this company could do better?” is a perfect opportunity to show your expertise and strategic thinking. With the right approach, you can demonstrate your ability to give constructive feedback in a respectful and professional manner. This will surely grab the attention of the interviewers and position you as a strong candidate for the role.
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