How to Correctly Answer “Tell Me About a Time That You Failed”

"Tell me about a time that you failed" is a behavioral interview question that allows job seekers to discuss the silver lining in their most difficult professional situations. With this question, you can:

• Take responsibility: A potential employer or recruiter might ask this question to see how well you can adapt to negative situations and take responsibility for your actions.
• Assess risk: This question helps identify red flags and is a great way for an interviewer to survey habits and see if you are self-aware.
• Rebound: An employer is trying to see how you bounce back from failure and turn failure into a learning opportunity.

Discussing how you’ve failed during a job interview can be difficult. One of the most common ways to answer a behavioral question such as, “Tell me about a time you’ve failed” is using the STAR method.

This method allows you to tell a brief story about a difficult situation in a way that the hiring manager can easily understand, assess, and measure your resiliency. Using the STAR method, you would outline the task or problem at hand, and describe the approach taken to accomplish the task or solve the problem. In closing, you would discuss the specific results you achieved on behalf of the company or organization and how you grew professionally from that situation.

Hit the key points of what went wrong, and quickly move on to what you accomplished or resolved. You should tell a unique and cohesive story that showcases your wins. It's best to have several examples prepared.

When asked to describe a time when you’ve failed, select a real failure, be professional instead of personal, make sure it's clear why you’ve selected that particular incident to discuss, and make it positive in the end. Your answer should demonstrate your work ethic, while offering self-critique in a succinct and constructive manner. Here are a few sample answers:

• Describe a mistake you made while completing a task. In this case, you should explain your mistake but also include how you were able to turn it into a learning experience. For example, you may have gotten a project deadline mixed up, which held up others on your team. From this you may have learned the importance of being extremely organized by either setting calendar reminders, touching base with team members to ensure you’re all on the same page, or even implementing several methods to track deadlines so you have a foolproof plan.
• Describe a time you didn’t meet a specific result. You won’t always be able to deliver on results, but it’s important to tell an interviewer how you bounced back. For example, maybe you fell short of your goal of landing 10 clients. In an interview, you can explain that you bounced back by asking several of those clients you didn’t land to describe why they chose not to go with you. Then, you can detail how you used their feedback to inform your new strategy.
• Discuss an incident where you forgot something. You can even turn forgetting something into a positive. Let’s say you forgot presentation materials. Instead of panicking or canceling the event, you went through with the presentation, and you were still able to close the deal because you had thoroughly prepared and could engage your audience with a compelling story.

When talking about failure, it’s easy to get too negative. Here are few other things to watch out for:

1. 1. Carelessness: If you select a story that makes you sound careless, it can seem as though the problem hasn’t been solved.
2. 2. Blaming language: Own up to your mistake. When you choose a story, you should try to avoid blaming others for your mistake. Be cautious about tearing down a previous coworker or manager.
3. 3. Too big a failure: If you pick your biggest failure, it may be too hard to prove how you bounced back, which might paint a negative picture of you and your abilities.
4. 4. A lengthy story: Keep it short. Going on too long about the failure can unintentionally take away from other points of strength during the interview.
5. 5. Being unprepared. Speaking on the fly about failure can be risky. Before the interview, do a mock interview with friends or family. If you prepare and rehearse your answers, you’ll be ready to present your failures in the best possible light.

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