Tell me a time you were on a team project that failed. What did you learn from that experience?

What You Need to Know
Answer Example
Experienced Example

The Trade Desk wants to ensure success while anticipating obstacles and minimizing their impact. The interviewer would like to know how you'd contribute in this regard. We all experience perceived failures in our careers. Describe how you learned from a failure and improved your work performance after. Avoid examples where you compromised the company's assets. Avoid casting blame. Use words like 'we' and 'team' to describe your situation. Finally, explain what you learned from your experience, despite your disappointment.

"Our team was recently on a data migration project with a very tight deadline. We knew the client and their needs very well, which made us overconfident. Because we underestimated the work involved, we missed our deadline by three business days. Thankfully we had a great relationship with that particular client. Although it was late, we worked overtime and delivered an exceptional project in the end. This experience taught me never to underestimate a project and the potential roadblocks, especially when it comes to data. It's always better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around."

"I once worked for a startup IT agency that bit off more than it could chew after acquiring a huge client. We had to learn a lot of solutions on the fly, which caused a great deal of stress amongst the team, primarily comprised of junior engineers and new hires. Nobody had the seniority or tenure to feel confident taking control of the situation. I learned from this experience that every company should have a wide range of people with varying levels of experience and expertise. The knowledge that The Trade Desk keeps diversity in mind when making hiring decisions attracted me to this company."

Next Question

How to Answer: Tell me a time you were on a team project that failed. What did you learn from that experience?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a The Trade Desk job interview.

2. Tell me a time you were on a team project that failed. What did you learn from that experience?

What You Need to Know

The Trade Desk wants to ensure success while anticipating obstacles and minimizing their impact. The interviewer would like to know how you'd contribute in this regard. We all experience perceived failures in our careers. Describe how you learned from a failure and improved your work performance after. Avoid examples where you compromised the company's assets. Avoid casting blame. Use words like 'we' and 'team' to describe your situation. Finally, explain what you learned from your experience, despite your disappointment.

Written by Kevin Downey on June 13th, 2022

Answer Example

"Our team was recently on a data migration project with a very tight deadline. We knew the client and their needs very well, which made us overconfident. Because we underestimated the work involved, we missed our deadline by three business days. Thankfully we had a great relationship with that particular client. Although it was late, we worked overtime and delivered an exceptional project in the end. This experience taught me never to underestimate a project and the potential roadblocks, especially when it comes to data. It's always better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around."

Written by Rachelle Enns on June 13th, 2022

Experienced Example

"I once worked for a startup IT agency that bit off more than it could chew after acquiring a huge client. We had to learn a lot of solutions on the fly, which caused a great deal of stress amongst the team, primarily comprised of junior engineers and new hires. Nobody had the seniority or tenure to feel confident taking control of the situation. I learned from this experience that every company should have a wide range of people with varying levels of experience and expertise. The knowledge that The Trade Desk keeps diversity in mind when making hiring decisions attracted me to this company."

Written by Rachelle Enns on June 13th, 2022

Next Question