How to Talk About Failures in a Behavioral Job Interview

When faced with behavioral questions about failures and challenges in a job interview, it is essential to approach the topic with self-awareness and a willingness to learn from your mistakes.

Rather than trying to avoid discussing difficult experiences, use them as an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to grow and improve as a professional. Focus on the valuable lessons that you learned and how you applied them to future situations.

Remember, it is perfectly acceptable to admit to making mistakes, as long as you can show that you have taken the time to reflect and learn from them.

Here are some examples of behavioral questions related to failures:

• Tell me about a time when you couldn’t complete a project.

• Tell me about a time when you had a project that had to change drastically while it was in progress.

• Tell me about a time you had to handle a crisis during a project.

• Tell me about a time when you were under a lot of stress and it negatively impacted your work.

• Tell me about one thing you’ve done in your professional history that you wish you would have handled differently.

• Tell me about a major setback you’ve had. How did you deal with it?

• Tell me about a time when you received tough or critical feedback.

• Tell me about a time you were dissatisfied with your work. 

• Tell me about a time you made a mistake that cost your company time and/or money. 

• Tell me about a time when you had a deadline you were not able to meet.

STORYTELLING STRUCTURE

The STAR method is a popular structure you can use to answer behavioral questions. It helps you to clearly articulate the situation, task, action, and result of a specific experience. 

In my coaching sessions, I use the STARC method, which adds the step of Connection. This helps you to directly connect your experience to the job for which you are applying.

Situation:

• The Situation step of the STAR method involves describing the specific context or background of the experience you are discussing. This could include details about the setting, the people involved, and any relevant circumstances that led up to the event or situation.

Task:

• The Task step involves describing the specific responsibilities or issues that you were faced with during this experience. This could include any challenges or problems that you had to address, as well as any goals or objectives that you were working towards.

Action:

• The Action step involves describing the steps or process that you took to address the task or issue. This could include any strategies or tactics that you used, as well as any decisions or actions that you took.

Result:

• The Result step involves describing the outcomes or results of your action, as well as any lessons or reflections that you took away from the experience. This could include any positive or negative outcomes that resulted from your action, as well as any insights or lessons that you learned as a result.

Connection:

• The Connection step involves clearly explaining how the lessons and skills you learned from that experience will help you be better at this job. By doing this, you can show the interviewer how your past experiences are directly applicable to the role you are seeking.

Example

Here is an example of how you might use the STARC method to answer a behavioral interview question about a failure:

• S: I was working on a complex project at my previous job, and it required coordinating with multiple team members and meeting tight deadlines. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to complete the project on time.

• T: My task was to lead the project team and ensure that all deliverables were completed according to the agreed-upon schedule.

• A: I tried several different approaches to get the project back on track, such as reallocating resources and adjusting the scope of the project. However, despite these efforts, we were ultimately unable to meet the deadline.

• R: As a result of not being able to complete the project on time, we had to report the delay to our supervisor and our client. We also had to revise the timeline and budget for the project.

• C: I learned the importance of careful planning and realistic project management, which has been a great asset to me as I’ve moved into more leadership roles.

Overall, it's important to be honest and authentic when discussing challenges and failures in a job interview while framing them in the most productive way possible to highlight how they will help you avoid making those same mistakes in the future.

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