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Account Executive Mock Interview

Question 2 of 30 for our Account Executive Mock Interview

Account Executive was updated by on March 13th, 2022. Learn more here.

Question 2 of 30

Tell me about a client that you lost and what you learned from it.

The interviewer is asking this to see how you deal with rejection. It is a part of the role and they want to know that you can bounce back and grow when cancellations occur.

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How to Answer: Tell me about a client that you lost and what you learned from it.

Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Account Executive job interview.

  • 2. Tell me about a client that you lost and what you learned from it.

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      The interviewer is asking this to see how you deal with rejection. It is a part of the role and they want to know that you can bounce back and grow when cancellations occur.

      Written by Judy Smith on March 13th, 2022

      What to Avoid

      Avoid discussing that this never happens for you. Do not share that you don't learn anything from them and that you just move on to the next call or meeting.

      Written by Judy Smith on March 13th, 2022

      How to Answer

      Share an example of a client that you lost. When an interviewer says to "tell me about" then that usually means they want an example from your previous work experience. End with what you learned from it and how you have used that lesson with your other clients.

      Written by Judy Smith on March 13th, 2022

      Answer Example

      "I lost a client in my current role due to my lack of follow-up and follow-through. I had several calls with him and he seemed very impressed with the product and service. I sold him the product which involved a three-month cancellation period if he didn't like it. I got caught up in taking on too large of a book of business due to the growth I was having and got behind on my follow-ups with recent clients who purchased. He ended up canceling after the three-month period and I realized quickly that I needed to scale back my book of business. I spoke to my manager and we found a good number of clients that worked well for me in order to be able to handle every part of my role."

      Written by Judy Smith on March 13th, 2022

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "I lost a client due to my lack of follow-up and touchpoints.
      We had multiple demo sessions with him right before the Christmas holidays and he seemed very impressed with our software and saw a need for it. He told us to circle back with him in March as his company will get started with its cloud initiative.
      That’s exactly what we did and where we went wrong. When I reached out to him in two months, he dodged me on calls, emails, and LinkedIn.
      I learned that having multiple touchpoints from January to March would’ve helped. Scheduling a call earlier, sending him biweekly emails with more information about our product to stay on his radar."

      Jaymie's Feedback

      This is a good example to share. You reflected on what went wrong and took ownership. Your response shows self-awareness and the ability to evaluate and learn from a mistake. Great job!