How to Answer: Describe a time when a project deliverable you were responsible for failed. How did you handle the situation?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Project Manager job interview.
11. Describe a time when a project deliverable you were responsible for failed. How did you handle the situation?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
All project managers experience failure at some point in their career. Interviewers ask this question to determine how a candidate reacts to the conflict and pressure that usually accompany these difficult situations. Your response will help them to decide whether or not you have the leadership skills necessary for success if offered the open position.
Written by Karrie Day on May 3rd, 2023
How to Answer
Walk your interviewer through the details of the failure scenario you experienced with your team. Include a description of the impact of the failure and then break down the steps you and your team took to resolve the issue and prevent it in the future, if applicable.
Remember to include a description of how you address the emotions of you and your team during failure scenarios. While it is imperative to assess the facts of the situation and develop an appropriate plan of action, interviewers value candidates that are able to demonstrate poise and leadership during times of failure.
Written by Karrie Day on May 3rd, 2023
Answer Example
"I was the PM for a solution that sent batch purchase transactional data to Peoplesoft for billing. We deployed the solution overnight and excused the team after the initial tests were successful. My tech lead called me an hour later in a panic after he noticed that the process was running continuously instead of making a one time monthly update as designed. This meant that our process was essentially flooding Peoplesoft with a bunch of erroneous transactions that would cause huge problems if they remained.
My initial reaction was a sick feeling in my stomach when I realized the impact of the situation if we did not resolve it quickly. PeopleSoft had a monthly billing process that was set to run the next day and we only had a few hours to fix whatever was broken. I took a few breaths and then began working on a plan of action. I reminded our tech lead that we would be able to think better if we calmed ourselves, so we took a moment and then dug in. We made a list of who to call and wake up and gathered a team to help us figure out the cause of the problem.
We quickly identified the cause as a setting issue with the job we were running. We made that adjustment and then worked on a series of data scripts to fix the incorrect data we sent over. Our analysts helped us to define the parameters for the fix and our testers made sure the numbers were correct. I called our customer to apprise them of the situation and let them know we were working hard to resolve the issue. We were able to get the last-minute changes out in the morning just prior to the PeopleSoft service running.
I thanked everyone for their quick action and willingness to jump in and do whatever was necessary to address the issue. Our customer was complimentary of our commitment to fixing the issue instead of just pursuing a rollback as that would have put the project a month behind. I made sure the entire team was allowed to rest the next day and I stayed awake to make sure things looked good in both systems for the rest of the day. I was fried by the time it was over, but I was very proud of my team for our quick action and the calm we showed under pressure."
Written by Karrie Day on May 3rd, 2023
About the Author
I began my professional career as an IT Business Systems Analyst. I enjoyed the role, but I knew early on that I wanted to explore project management after moving through the analyst ranks. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to partner with several talented project managers while I was working to grow my own skill set. I learned a lot from them about how to approach strategic planning, communication, conflict resolution, and how to motivate various personality types to perform their best under pressure. I learned even more from their failures.
It was clear that project management was as much an art as a science, and I eventually got my shot at taking everything I had observed over the years and blending it into my own style for steering projects and programs successfully. While project management was not my ultimate career goal, I greatly value my time managing projects. I have utilized the skills I worked to refine in project management in every position I have held since. For example, I use the communication, strategic thinking, and tactical planning skills I regularly leaned on as a project manager each time I work with one of my coaching clients.
Whether working as a project manager is a career goal of yours, or you fell into it through circumstance, you’re in good company. Over 16 million professionals claim the title of project manager, and project management isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the number of project managers is expected to grow by 7% over the next 8 years according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics. According to the Project Management Institute, the global outlook is even more impressive boasting up to 33% growth through 2027. Regardless of the specific location, there will likely b a strong demand for project management skill sets in the years to come.
As a coach and writer for MockQuestions, I want to help you successfully navigate your upcoming interview for a project manager position. While some project manager skills are specific to the industry, location, and types of projects involved, many skills and behavioral traits are universally applicable to project management roles. This article will help any project manager prepare for a successful interview, and I encourage you to check out all of our sets dedicated to project management listed below.
Learn more about Karrie Day