"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."

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.

"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."

"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."