Describe a Situation Where Things Didn't Go as Planned
Tell us about a time when something didn't go as planned…
It is one of the most common interview questions posed to potential hires and here are five ways, including one good one!, on how to answer confidently, if not honestly…
- Be the Hero! Begin to ramble about a time when something sucked, everyone around you was a liability, the working conditions were something out of Upton Sinclair, and the only salvation in the whole situation was your unique brain! You convinced everyone to stand back, give you a wide berth and, 'THAT!, Mr. Interviewer, is how the Morristown Jamba Juice kept its doors open and customers satisfied. Very Berry indeed, sir!'
- Be Honest! Talk about a time when something went wrong and you… didn't fix it. How novel!? This was a popular one of mine. I always felt being humble and admitting that occasionally projects didn't succeed would be seen as admirable. OH HOW SILLY!? Fact: Interviewers value lies over humility. Sure, your teachers and clergy will tell you that being honest is primo but the reality is if you want to get a job and the only memories you have from your previous job, which lets be fair you'd still have if you were such a roaring success, are mostly filled with unsuccessful endings. Lie and lie again. (see: Donald Trump)
- Deny it's existence! Refute the basis of the question citing how nothing ever had gone wrong on your watch. 'I'm sorry you've stumped me.' 'That's okay, take a minute.' 'Oh, I'll need a lot more than a minute. You see, I've never failed.' 'Never?' 'Never! I'm batting 1.000. Never made a mistake. Never was part of a failure. Never dropped a pass, failed a test, lost a role. NEXT QUESTION!'
- Be profound. (And intolerable). When asked, just go quiet, stare off reflectively whether in person or not, consider it deeply, and then rephrase it as being a problem only if you allow it to be. 'Why, of course, I have had moments during my career where problems have arisen like so many dandelions in a field of otherwise perfectly ripened corn*. Hard to trim them without impacting the harvest. But in the end isn't every challenge we face an opportunity to grow? Aren't we all just attempting to achieve a perfection which isn't realistic. Why, I'm reminded of my great Uncle Rudolph who once stabbed his eye out with a snow shovel…'
- Memorize a story. True or false. Doesn't matter. About that time when the odds were stacked against you and your coworkers but you bandied together, worked late, sacrificed your son's T-ball game and hit send at 8:59a. It's boring and it may be completely fabricated but so is the idea of having a job. Making money. Buying stuff. Pretending we're all not just spinning on a bright blue ball that if not for gravity would toss us into the galaxy like Carrie Fisher.
Number 5 is the smart money. Although, if you're interviewing for a job you don't really care about getting (see my article, which I haven't written yet, on 'Why do you want this job?') then have some fun with 1–4. It can't hurt and if they can't take your brand of comedy gold then just imagine spending every day 9–5 with them?
*The aut h or knows very little about harvesting corn. As well as farming in general, computers, human resourcing, politics, acting, Star Wars and does not have an Uncle named Rudolph.
Describe a Situation Where Things Didn't Go as Planned
Source: https://mattybaetz.medium.com/tell-us-about-a-time-when-something-didnt-go-as-planned-20e319de5061
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