How to Answer: Tell me about a time you made a mistake that was a great learning opportunity.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Admissions Officer job interview.
2. Tell me about a time you made a mistake that was a great learning opportunity.
How to Answer
Instead of focusing on your mistake, talk about how you learned from it and adapted your behavior and approach to similar situations. Making mistakes is inevitable, and the most impactful learning often comes after failure. Describe how you learned a lesson after making a mistake in your past.
Written by Audra Kresinske on February 18th, 2022
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is eager to see if you can admit to faults and make meaning out of failure. Mistakes and mix-ups are bound to happen; they don't expect you to have a perfect past. Share a minor mistake you made, either in your academic or professional past, and share what you learned from the experience.
Written by Audra Kresinske on February 18th, 2022
Answer Example
"In college, I was enrolled in a course that I knew was going to be very easy because it aligned with my interests, and I already had prior knowledge on the subject. I decided to read the syllabus and do all of the large assignments within one week to get them out of the way so I could focus on other classes down the road as they got more challenging. I rushed into the assignments with far too much confidence and had to redo two of them because I didn't read the directions closely enough. I learned to slow down, make sure I truly understand something before jumping in, and ask for feedback to ensure I'm on the right track."
Written by Audra Kresinske on February 18th, 2022
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