How to Answer: How do you react when your team misses a deadline?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Outbrain job interview.
2. How do you react when your team misses a deadline?
How to Answer
Missed deadlines can be critical mistakes in the software and tech industry, and can reflect poorly on you, as a leader. The interviewer would like to understand better how you react to disappointment and plans not going your way. Give an example of a time when your team missed a deadline and walk the interviewer through the action that you took. Your response will help Outbrain to better understand if your approach is the right fit for their team.
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2018
1st Answer Example
"My team is highly efficient, and we rarely miss a deadline. When we do, it's surprising. We had a very challenging client last year who made a significant amount of changes throughout the entire project and implementation. These changes caused us to miss our deadline. I took action after that to ensure a better client onboarding process. This new process made sure we dug deeper with each client at the start which has resulted in fewer mid-project changes. I would be happy to share this process with Outbrain, should I be your successful candidate."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 26th, 2018
2nd Answer Example
"Deadlines are reached as a team, and they are missed as a team. I truly believe that. When a deadline is missed, I look at how we could have moved better as a machine, to make the delivery happen on time. I do not react negatively to my team members, but I do use situations like this as learning and coaching opportunities. How does Outbrain react with their leaders in the event of a missed deadline or target?"