It’s easily one of the most dreaded of interview questions, right up there with “Tell me your greatest weakness.” When Monster asked me what my best advice was, I urged job seekers to avoid spreading blame around. You surely made a mistake in a past job—we all have. Take responsibility for it, say it shouldn’t have happened, and leave it at that. There’s no reason to sugar coat it or linger. After all, interviewers aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking to see if you’ll own up to your errors.
When I’m interviewing candidates, I see the word “never” as a red flag. “I’ve never done anything wrong!” is always a lie. What I’m looking for are people who have made mistakes, then learned from them. However, do choose a mistake that you were able to correct like a pro. You can then explain what happened next to showcase how you perform under stress.
Focus on the lessons you’ve learned, how you rallied, and how that growing experience will benefit your future employer. That’s what they really want to know, so make it easy for them.
