The Best Way to Answer the Question “Tell Me About a Mistake You Made” During an Interview
Most of them had to deal with the dreaded “Tell me about a time you made a mistake” question during a job interview. And while the whole point of an interview is to do your best —and no one likes to reveal past failures at work—with a little prep, your answer can actually work in your favor. (What you don’t want to do is brandish.) So what’s the best way to answer this question to increase your desirability as a candidate?
Why Employers Ask
First, it’s important to understand what the interviewer really means so that you can best tailor your answer. What they really want to know is how you approach challenges, what you’ve learned from experience, and how you’ve applied that knowledge constructively in other situations. In addition to identifying your weaknesses, they try to evaluate your problem-solving skills and potential for growth. (They also want to make sure you’re honest.)
How to answer
There are a few guidelines and things to avoid when you come across this question during an interview:
- Choose a specific example of real work experience (not personal)
- Make sure the error was minor and you successfully fixed it.
- Be brief, but be prepared to provide more details.
- Take full responsibility for your mistake
- Describe how you solved it and the positive outcome
- Emphasize what you have learned and how you have applied that knowledge to avoid mistakes in the future.
What to avoid:
- Do not discuss mistakes that reveal moral or character flaws (such as lying or fighting).
- Don’t shift the blame onto others
- Don’t pick a mistake you couldn’t fix
- Don’t joke or belittle your former employer
If you love acronyms, remember the “STAR technique” described in The Future of Work :
S: Situation – Describe the situation you were in when this past work-related error occurred.
T: Task – explain what you had to do.
A: Action – tell them what happened. Describe what you did wrong and how you handled the negative situation.
R: Outcome – show the positive results and lessons you have learned from the experience.
Consider the following examples
When I first started my job, I was given a task that I didn’t know how to complete. I wanted to show that I was reliable and capable, so instead of asking for help, I did it myself. When my boss told me that this required a major change, I realized it was best to seek clarification and support when I was not sure how to complete an action item. Now I make sure I fully understand what is required of me and how to do it before attempting any task.
When I started my first job as a manager, I worked crazy hours to reach our sales goals. Wanting to show that I am a “team player”, I participated in all aspects; from forecasting and data analysis to cold calling and print advertising. I quickly burned out and realized that I needed to step back, delegate, and let my team members do their jobs so I could do mine better.
After all, employers don’t want to see that you’ve never been wrong (because it’s obviously not true). They want to see your integrity, honesty, ability to take responsibility for mistakes and how you solve problems to achieve positive results and professional growth.