How to Answer: Honesty is of utmost importance to us at BMO. Have you ever taken the fall for a situation, where it was really not your fault, in order to protect a coworker?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a BMO job interview.
4. Honesty is of utmost importance to us at BMO. Have you ever taken the fall for a situation, where it was really not your fault, in order to protect a coworker?
What You Need to Know
Taking the fall for a situation, in order to protect a coworker, is a less than ideal situation. Whether committed through a misguided sense of teamwork or an inability to communicate the facts, it rarely reflects well. It can compromise the integrity of the team and hamper the growth opportunity of the person at fault. It is likely guarantees that the person who made the mistake will repeat it. It attests to your inability to communicate effectively and presents the likelihood that you are easily taken advantage of. Talk to the interviewer about your thoughts on taking the fall for something you did not do. If this situation has happened to you, explain what you learned from it, and how you've applied those lessons, moving forward.
Written by Kevin Downey on June 20th, 2022
1st Answer Example
"I do not believe in 'taking the fall' for people based on protecting them. Transparency is always a good idea and if something went wrong then it needs to be addressed in order to prevent it from happening again. When it comes to clients, I will apologize on behalf of the company for errors. In that case, I will do what it takes to protect the company's reputation."
2nd Answer Example
"I will always help a well-meaning co-worker to save face when necessary. With that said, I will not lie in order to save a coworker from the consequences of their mistakes."