Answering the Job Interview Question: “Tell me about a time you made a mistake.”

Everyone makes mistakes, but the way each of us responds to mistakes can vary. One thing’s for sure though — people want to work with others who are accountable for their mistakes, can learn from them and are constantly improving. Answering the “Tell me about a time you made a mistake.” question authentically and effectively can be a great way to impress the recruiter. Let’s show you how.

Variations of this question

“Tell me about a time when you failed.” · “Tell me about something you wish you had done differently.” · “Give me an example of a time you did something wrong, and how you handled it?”

What the hiring manager is looking for

The hiring manager wants to see you admitting to and taking ownership for a mistake. They also want to know how you handled or fixed the situation and what you learned from your mistake including what you are actively doing to mitigate the chances of it happening again.

What your goal should be

Your goal is to show the hiring manager you are responsible for and you can learn from your mistakes. Your answer should be work-related and shouldn’t raise any red flags, meaning your error should be a one-time offense rather than a pattern and it shouldn’t have been a huge disaster. Remember, your ultimate goal is to give the recruiter confidence you can do the job well.

Preparing for this question

Start by brainstorming recent work-related mistakes that you made and handled well. Answer the below questions for each to help you know whether your mistake would be a good one to share with the recruiter.

• Was this a mistake you were mainly or solely responsible for?
• Were you able to fix all or at least some of the problems the mistake caused?
• Were you able to make changes to your environment or behavior to ensure it never happened again?

The more confidently you can say “Yes!” to the above questions, the better your chances are of nailing this answer and your interview.

After you pick which mistake to discuss, follow the below structure to craft a solid answer.

Answer Structure

Your answer should be no longer than 3 minutes and should contain the following elements:

1. Start by stating the mistake in a positive manner and in one sentence. This should take 10 seconds.
   
   Example: “Last year, I learned the value of communicating clearly and frequently.”
2. Then, tell the story using the S-T-A-R interview response method, by explaining the Situation, Task, Action and Result of your story. This step should take no longer than 2 minutes.
   
   Example:
   Situation- “As a business analyst at Citi Bank, my manager was under pressure to deliver a few different reports to execs.” (~15 seconds)
   Task- “She asked me to work on two of those reports, both of which were complicated and would take some time.” (~15 seconds)
   Action- “I worked on both of these reports tirelessly for a week. Because I knew she was busy working on other things, I didn’t bother her with the details of the reports I was trying to create. In one of the reports, I made a few assumptions that I thought were pretty safe. The day before she needed to have the reports done, I showed her my work and what I had come up with. It turned out that the assumptions I had made were not as safe as I thought and I had to pull an all-nighter fixing my work. Though it worked out in the end, I fully recognized that I had made the mistake by not communicating clearly and frequently with my manager on this project.” (~60–90 seconds)
   Result- “Now, before I work on any data tasks, I create a document for my client to make sure I understand the asks completely. In my document, I state the problem we are trying to solve, the data I am going to pull, the assumptions I’ve made, and the deadline. Since the incident I mentioned, I have yet to make a mistake on the reports I’ve worked on and my clients, including my manager, have been very satisfied with my work.” (~30 seconds)

As you can see in the example above, as you are telling your story, you need to acknowledge your mistake. Don’t try to hide it nor assume it is implied enough in your story. Call it out by using the words, “I made the mistake of…” You will get major points by doing this because the hiring manager is trying to measure your accountability.

Getting feedback

Practicing interview questions is crucial, especially with someone. It is important to get other people’s perspective on how well you are answering the question. Try using Peervuu.com where you can purchase time with a professional in your industry to do a mock interview with and or get interview tips from. The cost for speaking with these professionals can start as little as $10 for a 30 minute session.

Extra tips

• Do not blame your former manager, colleague or company. Even if a colleague was to blame for part of the issue, just focus on your mistake and fully own up to it. If you say anything negative about others, you will immediately throw up a red flag that may cost you the job.
• If you don’t have enough work experience, you should share a mistake that could easily be associated with work, such as school assignments, extra-curricular initiatives or side projects.
• Check out our related articles: Answering the Job Interview Question: “Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.” and Using the S-T-A-R Interview Response Method.

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