INTERVIEW COACH
Rachelle Enns
Rachelle is a job search expert, career coach, and headhunter who helps everyone from students to fortune 500 executives find success in their career.
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Tell me about a time that you failed. How did you get back up again?
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OUR COACH SAYS
We all fail at things from time to time. There is no need to be ashamed of defeat. Instead, what the interviewer is looking for is evidence that you can bounce back from perceived failure.
Behavioral-based interview questions that begin with 'Tell me about a time...' are best answered using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer.
Give an example of a time when the outcome was not what you wanted it to be, but you were able to recover. Perhaps you were better off in the end, or you learned a valuable lesson.
Behavioral-based interview questions that begin with 'Tell me about a time...' are best answered using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer.
Give an example of a time when the outcome was not what you wanted it to be, but you were able to recover. Perhaps you were better off in the end, or you learned a valuable lesson.
Example #1
"(Situation) One of the bigger perceived failures that I can think of was not graduating as soon as expected, with my university degree. (Task) I had detailed plans laid out and was eager to graduate with my degree in 2018. (Action) I encountered a few personal factors that pushed my graduation date back one year. It was a bit embarrassing at the time, but I made the best of it by keeping a positive mindset. (Result) In the end, I am thankful that I could complete my degree at a comfortable pace. I finished with excellent grades as well."
Example #2
"(Situation) My former employer put me through a last-minute advanced Excel course that I ended up failing. (Task) I was unprepared for how challenging the course was, and should not have agreed to begin with an advanced-level course. (Action) I told my boss that I was not excelling in the class. We discussed this failure together and realized that I was not yet ready for the advanced level coursework - I was more of an intermediate level user. To fix the situation, I studied online for a few weeks and then re-took the course when I felt more prepared. (Result) This approach worked much better, and I finished with 92% the second time around."
Example #3
"(Situation) Last year I had a larger staff turnover percentage than usual. Hiring the wrong person is an expensive and time-consuming mistake, so I was undoubtedly frustrated and discouraged. (Task) As a seasoned Manager, normally, my hiring process is airtight, but it is not perfect. (Action) Rather than lose confidence in my abilities, I engaged the Human Resources department in simplifying our onboarding and training process. (Result) Since this change, we have not lost any employees in the last 18 months, which is a fabulous record for our company."
Example #4
"(Situation) A few months ago, our group had a marketing campaign that completely flopped. (Task) It was up to me as the Marketing Director to get down to the heart of the issue. (Action) I called a group meeting. Then, as a team, we broke down each component of the project until we knew where we went wrong. In retrospect, I could have done better by breaking down the clients' vision further, from the beginning. (Result) We re-did the campaign, and the second time around, it was a major success."
Example #5
"(Situation) Earlier in my career, I was not good at graciously receiving feedback. (Task) Had I been able to receive feedback without becoming defensive, I believe that I could have grown in my career much faster. (Action) Last year, I took a workshop on giving and receiving feedback, which helped a great deal. (Result) Now, I understand how to have these types of conversations and how to implement the constructive criticism that I receive."
Example #6
"(Situation) I had a misstep in my sales career a couple of years ago. You can see the short stint at Company ABC on my resume. (Task) Before joining their organization, I should have asked more questions regarding their success level and how their current results reflect their future goals. (Action) The company was in serious financial trouble, and I was unaware. They went into receivership, and I lost my job. (Result) Now, I ask many more questions before joining a new company. My success and the company's success should go hand in hand."
Example #7
"(Situation) Last year, I missed a major marking deadline. (Task) I was newer to my teaching career and, although it is a steep learning curve, that was no excuse. (Action) I have spent the past eight months working on my time-management skills through online workshops. (Result) I took that missed deadline very hard. I do not like to disappoint anyone or fall short of expectations and will never do that again."
Example #8
"Currently, I handle anywhere from three to thirty calls per hour, on a twelve-hour shift. This volume means that I can take upwards of 350 calls per shift, as a Police Dispatcher. I love working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment not only because I enjoy the challenge but also because the days go by so fast. Rest assured, I am ready to meet the needs and volume of your department."
Example #9
"At my last role, I was an usher at a local movie theatre and a customer complained that the picture wasn't in the correct screen ratio for the previews. The movie started at the point when they came to complain, so I apologized and rushed upstairs to the projector room to correct the issue. Later on, they complained to corporate and said I should have done more. I agreed, I should have stayed after the movie ended and apologized again to the patron and if they were still unhappy offered them free tickets to their next visit."
Example #10
"I was tasked with increasing standardized test scores for math by 25%. I worked hard all year and was able to increase it by 19%. So I looked back on the year and took stock in the things that I could do better. I asked teachers for feedback, and I asked the principal for feedback as well. I even sent a survey to the students' parents. I took all that information and identified areas of improvement. Then I made a plan to improve on each area and invited school leadership to give me feedback and suggestions."
Example #11
"I remember the first time I had to talk to a parent regarding a student who was caught pushing another student. However, the parent was not that amenable to meeting with the school due to her busy schedule. I was a bit too assertive when talking to her which angered her, and so she didn't attend our initial meeting altogether. I apologized sincerely, and explained to her the urgency of the meeting, and we were able to settle the issue. So if I could redo that incident, I would have been more diplomatic when I first talked to her so we could have settled the issue sooner. Because of that, I realised that I should also learn how to talk to parents because it is a part of my job."
Example #12
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Anonymous Answer
"I had a misstep in my career a few years back. I joined an organization that was in financial trouble because I didn't ask the right question, and I was blinded by my ambition to get experience in that particular field. After a year of struggling, the company laid off the majority of its sales team, and I was one of them. While my first reaction was deep relief, it brought me to square one. I've learned a great deal about what to look for and the types of questions to ask when choosing employment."
Rachelle's Reply
It's very good that you learned from this misstep; now, knowing which questions are best to ask in an interview. Your example shows how well you picked yourself up and kept going, despite an experience that would cause many others to tuck tail and find a new industry.
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Anonymous Answer
"Last year I gave our external counsel to act for us in a matter and to enter appearance. A month later, I was served with an auctioneer note to satisfy a decretal sum; in that matter, I learned that we lost the case. The external counsel had not entered an appearance, and I had failed to monitor that. The person was able to get a stay of execution and entered appearance; however, I learned that your finger should be on the pulse for litigation straight from the instruction letter. I am happy to report that I have slashed litigation by 70% and effectively managed all our cases through proper diarization and follow up on regular reports issued to me."
Rachelle's Reply
You show an excellent result after the fact - proof that you learned a great deal from the initial situation. Great answer.
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Anonymous Answer
"When working at one of my previous companies, I got laid off due to the economy. I felt like a failure and that I did something wrong, so it took me a few weeks to get over it. I started looking for a new job and ended up finding a better job that I wouldn't have found had I not been laid off from the company where I got laid off from."
Kristine's Reply
Great answer! You describe a difficult situation that ultimately led to a good outcome. You may want to elaborate on the reason you were laid off to help the interviewer understand what was happening in your company. I incorporated a suggestion on how you could handle this, but you should revise it based on your experience.
Kristine's Reply
"When working at one of my previous companies, I got laid off due to the struggling economy and lower demand for our products and services. I felt like a failure and that I did something wrong, so it took me a few weeks to get over it. I started looking for a new job and ended up finding a better job that I wouldn't have found had I not been laid off."
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Anonymous Answer
"At work, I accidentally requested one of our shippers to load a product into the wrong trailer, once I realized the trailer was gone, we had to bring it back; it was loaded correctly this time. From this mistake, I learned always to check and to make sure this doesn’t happen again."
Rachelle's Reply
Double-checking your work is very important - this is a great lesson to learn.
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Anonymous Answer
"The time I remember failing was a time when I was being dictated by management to have a plc program completed within a time that was far too short. Though I let management know that I could not complete the project in that amount of time, they didn't believe me and moved forward towards the deadline, which I could not meet. I gave them a presentation of the program, the functionality, and what it lacked due to the short deadline and the amount of time I needed. After hearing the presentation, management gave me the time I need, and technically the project was completed successfully."
Rachelle's Reply
It's good that you did what you could in the time that you were given; rather than just give up. Your answer shows tenacity!
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Anonymous Answer
"A time I failed was when I was a freshman, and I didn't make the soccer team as I was hoping. I used that defeat as a means of getting back on my feet working extremely hard during the JV season, and the next year I made the varsity team. It was a failure that pushed me to be even better and it worked. I took my failure as a success in the end because it was the driving factor into me becoming a better soccer player."
Rachelle's Reply
Good for you! You sound confident and determined, characteristics that any interviewer will love to hear.
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Anonymous Answer
"I can recall the experience last year while I was working with a potential employer in the media and communication industry. I brokered the relationship and was working on a project to recruit a full-time media communicator for the company. Unfortunately, none of the eight candidates we referred met the expectations of this employer. I apologized to the employer for trying to help not being able to fill the position at the time. However, I always kept their business needs in mind and got in touch with them four months later when I came across a new candidate who might be very promising for their business. I sent off the portfolio again, arranged a job interview, completed the reference check, and arranged the wage subsidy agreement. To this day he is still working there, and the employer is very pleased with our services."
Rachelle's Reply
This example is wonderful, and it shows that you care about your clients enough to remember their needs even months down the road. Well done :)
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Anonymous Answer
"When I was 21 years old, I took a stockbroking exam. I had no finance background when I took the exam. I moved forward with my exam studies and successfully passed it the second go around that same year."
Rachelle's Reply
This is an excellent example as it shows you tried again. Good!
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Anonymous Answer
"I didn’t get a high enough score on a test to make it onto the first group of people for a position; so I took it again and move up into the first group to be considered for employment."
Rachelle's Reply
The fact that you picked yourself up and tried again is precisely what the interviewer wants to hear. Perfect!
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Anonymous Answer
"When my business failed, I liquidated it. I went back to college and earned a degree, studied design, and I'm now pursuing my new career and loving it."
Rachelle's Reply
Try offering more of an emotional uptick at the end. I have added a sample, below.
Rachelle's Reply
"I had a business fail; however, after liquidating all assets and taking a look back, I learned more about operating a successful business than I would have by completing a business degree. I look forward to taking this knowledge and applying it here."
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Anonymous Answer
"During my internship year, a patient was brought to me to scan, I did the examination, and my report came out normal. The same patient was brought a few hours later, and my head of department repeated the scan and picked a pathology. I felt terrible and sad, but it was an eye-opener for me. That situation reminded me that I still have a lot to learn and never to stop reading and refreshing my memory."
Rachelle's Reply
There is always more to learn, and the important thing is that you learned from the situation and strengthened your skills as a result :)
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Anonymous Answer
"When I became pregnant with my daughter, I had to sit out a semester of nursing school. I felt like a failure, how could I go back and finish with three kids, one a baby? I started to see my pregnancy as a blessing, and I knew if I really wanted to finish nursing school, I would. I had my baby in September 2018 and graduated in May 2019."
Rachelle's Reply
Good for you! That must have been very hard, but you did it. You should be very proud.
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