How to Answer the ‘Time You Failed’ Interview Question

Almost every job interview includes the question: “Tell me about a time you failed.”

It’s a behavioral question designed to reveal an applicant’s level of self-awareness. How you answer this question is more important than what your answer actually is. Joel Schwartzberg, a professional presentation coach and contributor for Harvard Business Review, broke down exactly how applicants should answer the question, along with examples of what to say.

HIGHLIGHT LEARNING & REALIZATION

When answering “tell me about a time you failed,” it’s important to show what you’ve learned from failure and how you’ve turned failure into growth.

“Start by looking for moments of revelation, realization, course correction, and improvement,” Schwartzberg says. “Those moments can be presented as a ‘story of failure’ if you share them chronologically.”

Here’s an example from Schwartzberg:

Three years ago, we were doing A, but realized the result fell short of the goal. Things were just not working. Many saw it as a failure, but we also saw it as an opportunity to improve, so we did a thorough analysis and realized that B was a better tactic. We activated it, and now we’re seeing a greater C.

In this example, the failure is immediately followed by the solution. Answering the question this way allows you to highlight what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown.

“Don’t let the failure and its impact linger and possibly damage your reputation — emphasize the correction and let it take the spotlight,” Schwartzberg says.

WE – NOT ME

Answering the question with “we” rather than “me” can convey a story that’s more relatable and highlight your ability to work well with others.

“If you say ‘I’ all the time, the interviewer may conclude that you are a lone wolf, incapable of working with others,” Gerald Walsh, a career coach, says in a LinkedIn blog.

A few examples:

“I didn’t realize” to “We didn’t realize…”

“I didn’t foresee that result” to “Our team didn’t foresee that result”

“I didn’t know” to “My colleagues and I didn’t know…”

DON’T DEFEND

When telling a story of failure, avoid defending or rationalizing the decision. Rather, Schwartzberg says, your answer should highlight learning, correction, and elevation.

“Deliver a compelling story that reflects your dedication to improvement, and that failure will become a footnote, not a focus,” Schwartzberg says.

Here are defensive responses to avoid:

“It didn’t set us back that much, but many people overreacted.”

“I was right all along — they just didn’t see it.”

“My mistake was actually beneficial in the long run because…”

Sources: Harvard Business Review, LinkedIn