Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work and what did you do about it?
Everyone makes mistakes. Even the most experienced, most consummate professionals can find themselves in error. Talk about a time when you made a mistake at work and what you did about it. The interviewer is interested in your adaptability and your willingness to learn and be accountable for your errors. Be honest, but be sure to provide an example that does not harm your chances of getting the job.
"Once I was given specs for a custom hopper. I met with the client, and we discussed this unusual piece. It was complicated, but by the end, I had a strategy. The customer would be back the next day for it. He normally didn't rush jobs like that, but this one was different. The project was expensive and it took me a long time to make. It was only after I made it that I realized an error. The plans he had drawn were bottom-up instructions and not the usual top-down plans. This meant that everything was reversed, but I had forgotten to flip the image as I was making it. I only realized my error as I was signing it off as complete. Right away, I told my manager my error and got to work remaking it. It took the rest of my afternoon, but I was able to have it complete, the customer none the wiser. It's mistakes like these that remind me to slow down and double-check everything. I can be fast, but when I'm in a rush, I'm more likely to commit errors. When the client came back, he ended up taking both pieces - one for the project, and the other as a sample he could use to pitch to his customers."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I once sent an email to an insurance company with a customer's information in the email, and I had cc'd the contact person at the brokerage affected by the errors. One of the contact people told me that I gave their customer's information to the other brokerages. When I saw this, I called my manager to explain to her what I did right away. She told me that was okay.
Marcie's Feedback
It doesn't feel great when we make a mistake! The important thing is to show the interviewer that you learned from your error. What did you change going forward to make sure that you didn't repeat this mistake? Also, did you apologize to the people whose information you incorrectly shared? If so, talk about how you did this. Good job!
Unlock all 31 Customer Experience Specialist questions
Unlock expert responses for challenging service scenarios and customer interaction questions.
Get Started