How to Answer: Tell me about a time when you used your own judgement, and the result was not successful.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an ADP job interview.
14. Tell me about a time when you used your own judgement, and the result was not successful.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Interviewers want to know that they can trust you and that you can trust your own judgment. While some degree of failure is inevitable when you're challenging yourself, it's all about how you respond to that perceived failure. Following through with your responsibilities is the bottom line, but sometimes you encounter situations where it's just not possible. Think of this question as a more specific version of the common 'what is your greatest weakness?' It's an opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness, humility, and motivation to improve.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
How to Answer
Perhaps your manager asked you to do something without providing the proper instructions, and you were left to figure things out on your own. Maybe your co-worker called in sick during a crucial deadline, and you had to scramble to cover for them while maintaining your workload. When you explain the situation, focus on what you did to ensure the best results, even if the outcome was sub-par. Then emphasize what you learned from the experience and how it has helped you to improve as a professional.
Written by Rachel Hills on November 13th, 2022
1st Entry Level Example
"My mentor had once sent me an email with instructions on a project, and though there were areas I felt uncertain of the directions, I didn't want to bother my mentor, and I was in a hurry to complete my work before my vacation. I assumed I knew what my mentor was asking, completed the project, and turned it in. I had grossly misunderstood the directions, and the day before my vacation, I had to redo the entire thing. I realized that I made a mistake by assuming when I had questions, and I should have taken the time upfront to be sure I understood the expectations before starting the project. In an effort to save time, I took a shortcut that ended up costing me more time, ironically. That lesson has stuck with me, and I know it's better to ask questions and seek to understand than make a mistake and have to do the work over again."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
1st Answer Example
"I once misinterpreted a key figure and takeaway in a sales report that I was presenting to management. One of the executives pointed it out. Although I was initially embarrassed, I took ownership of my error and promised to update it on the report and send it back to all of the executives after the meeting. I've learned to not only take ownership of any errors in judgment I have but also to avoid these lapses in the first place by maintaining keen attention to detail."
Written by Rachel Hills on November 13th, 2022
2nd Answer Example
"I was working on a presentation with a co-worker, and his wife ended up in emergency surgery. I worked 14-hour days to make sure the presentation was complete, but I was in such a hurry I made some errors that reflected poorly on us. The client was not pleased. I learned that even in emergency situations, you always need to double-check your work and get someone else to review it as well."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
About the Author
When I started my career in business management, branding, and marketing, I mistakenly assumed hard work and integrity alone would get me noticed. Back then, I assumed the harder I worked, the faster I’d rise through the ranks. Yet, even in a meritocracy, this is rarely the case.
The goals of my peers competed with mine, and too often, they were better at getting noticed for their accomplishments. And, some of them were all too happy to watch me working harder, as they worked smarter, rising through the ranks faster than me. At one point, a boss of mine labeled me a stealth worker. They said they had no idea I was the one performing all that great work. If only I’d drawn more attention to what I was doing, maybe I would have gotten rewarded for it. So I learned most of my leadership skills the hard way, and the journey was long.
As a leader, my favorite part of the job came to be coaching others. I took pride in sharing the secrets to my eventual success, and offering my outside-of-the-box view of the role. Where other leaders were only in it for themselves, I was genuinely in it for the company and the team. So I taught those I mentored not only what they needed to do, and how to do the job right, but why each step was important. I spelled out how everything fit into the big picture and shared every trick of the trade that no one shared with me. Every single individual I mentored advanced far ahead of their peers, surpassing those who were only in it for themselves.
Another favorite part of the job was recruiting and building the perfect teams. For me, conducting an interview was an art form. I later volunteered my services at career fairs and trade schools, offering advice, from crafting the perfect CV and resume, to delivering a perfect interview, to negotiating a decent raise. Now I am a full-time writer, and left my management career behind me. Yet, I still love coaching others to succeed, and I love writing for mockquestions.com for this very reason.
Here’s what I said to a friend of mine whom I mentored a long time ago: “Every single thing you do, at every stage, can alter the perception others have of your professional worth. My goal is to make you look like an asset worth fighting for.”
Learn more about Kevin Downey