QUESTION 25 OF 30

Tell me about your biggest failure and how you recovered.

Everyone has failed at some point in their career. The important part is how we pick ourselves up and bounce back after the perceived failure. Many failures can be traced back to negative thinking, insecurities, lack of research, unproductive behavior, restricted thinking, poor communication skills, and lack of passion or goals. Give the interviewer an example of a time when the outcome was not what you wanted or expected, but you were able to recover. Discuss what you learned from the situation.

"One of the bigger perceived failures was right at the beginning of my post-secondary career when I did not graduate when I was expected to. I encountered a few personal factors that pushed my graduation date back one year. It was embarrassing at the time, but truth be told, I am thankful that I could complete my degree at a comfortable pace. I finished on the Dean's List and am very proud of that accomplishment."

"For the first three years of my career, I was terrible at graciously receiving feedback. Had I been able to receive feedback without becoming defensive, I believe that I could have grown in my career much faster. Last year, I took a workshop on giving and receiving feedback, which helped a great deal. Now, I understand how to have these types of conversations and how to implement the constructive criticism that I receive."

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Merrill Lynch Mock Interview

Tell me about your biggest failure and how you recovered.

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30 Merrill Lynch Interview Questions & Answers