How to Answer: Tell us about a mistake you made in the recruitment process. How did you fix the issue, and what did you learn from the situation?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Netflix job interview.
2. Tell us about a mistake you made in the recruitment process. How did you fix the issue, and what did you learn from the situation?
The Goal
The interviewer is interested in your ability to identify areas for improvement and learn from your mistakes in a positive, constructive way. The goal of your response is to show the interviewer that you admit to your mistakes, repair them, and then leverage your learnings as an opportunity to improve your work.
Written by Rachelle Enns on April 19th, 2022
Pro Tip
This question touches on the value of 'Judgment,' one of Netflix's ten core principles outlined in the company's culture statement. Netflix believes that having judgment means that you:
- Make wise decisions, despite ambiguity
- Identify root causes and get beyond treating symptoms
- Think strategically and articulate what you are, and are not, trying to do
- Are good at using data to inform your intuition
- Make decisions based on the long term, not the short term
These points all describe a person capable of realizing their mistakes and being willing to find the cause and then course-correct. When forming your response, consider including some of the keywords Netflix uses since it will feel familiar to the decision-makers who are interviewing you.
Written by Rachelle Enns on April 19th, 2022
How to Answer
Accepting feedback and learning from mistakes aids in your professional development as a recruitment professional. Your continued growth also benefits your employer. Talk about a time you made an error in the recruitment process. Briefly discuss the situation, how you course-corrected, and what you learned.
You can achieve this storytelling approach by using the STAR method:
- Situation: Provide the contextual information the interviewer needs to know to make sense of your story, such as where you were working and the mistake you made.
- Task: Continue to set the stage; give the interviewer an idea of your role and responsibilities as they relate to the situation.
- Action: Explain the steps you took to fix the issue.
- Result: Talk about the specific, measurable outcomes of your actions.
Last, remember to outline what you learned and mention how the lesson you learned will benefit Netflix if they hire you.
Written by Rachelle Enns on April 19th, 2022
Answer Example
"I fully believe that people are an organization's most valuable asset. Hiring top talent is the positive result of an effective applicant vetting and candidate interview process. Early in my career, I relied heavily on assessing a candidate's previous employer references and education match. This heavy focus caused me to miss an opportunity to weigh their experiences or analyze how they executed their work. My team provided me with constructive feedback, and we collaborated to make changes to the interview and qualifying process. We quickly learned that asking deeper questions from the start would help us capture the attention of the best talent. As a result, we made more informed hiring decisions, and our employee tenure improved by 15% in six months."
Written by Rachelle Enns on April 19th, 2022