For recent grads and young professionals, talking about failure in an interview can feel intimidating—especially when you’re just starting to build your career. But answering this question well isn’t about dwelling on what went wrong; it’s about showing how you handle challenges, learn from mistakes, and come back stronger.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through why interviewers ask about failure, what they’re looking for in your answer, and how to turn a challenging experience into a story of resilience and growth. We’ll even provide sample answers to help you confidently tackle this question and leave a positive impression.
Why do interviewers ask about a time you failed?
Interviewers ask about failure to get a better sense of your character, adaptability, and how you handle challenges. It is important to note that they’re not focused on the mistake itself—they’re interested in how you respond to setbacks and use those experiences to grow.
Here’s what interviewers are hoping to learn with this question:
- How you fit into their team: In a workplace, mistakes happen. Employers want to hire people who can handle feedback, learn quickly, and improve over time.
- Your self-awareness: They want to see if you can openly acknowledge a mistake or failure, showing that you’re honest about your experiences. Recognizing areas for improvement demonstrates maturity and self-reflection, which are valuable in any role.
- Your resilience and adaptability: How you handle those moments matters most. Do you give up or find ways to adapt, improve, and move forward? Your answer can reveal whether you approach obstacles with a growth mindset.
- Your problem-solving approach: Interviewers want to know if you take proactive steps to solve problems, learn from your experiences, and develop strategies to avoid similar issues in the future.
How to answer ‘Tell me about a time you failed’
Choose a relevant and professional failure
Start by selecting a failure that relates to a skill or responsibility relevant to the job you’re applying for. If you’re a recent grad, this could be from an internship, a class project, or a volunteer experience. For instance, if you’re interviewing for a role that requires organization and time management, you might describe a time when you missed a deadline but learned a valuable lesson in time management.
Example: “During an internship, I was responsible for coordinating a presentation for a large client. Eager to impress, I underestimated the time required to gather and organize the necessary data, resulting in a last-minute rush that nearly affected the quality of our work.”
Explain the situation briefly
Once you’ve selected a failure, set the context by explaining the situation, your role, and what went wrong—just enough detail to help the interviewer understand the circumstances. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to organize your story. This will help you stay on track and keep the focus on the takeaway rather than on the failure itself.
Example: “I was part of a team responsible for managing a social media campaign during my last internship. I volunteered to lead a section of the project and was eager to make a strong impression. But, I underestimated the time needed to get input from other departments, which caused delays. As a result, our campaign didn’t launch on the target date, and I had to update my manager on the delay.”
Focus on lessons learned
This part of your answer is where you should spend the most time. After briefly describing the failure, transition to the lesson you took away from the experience. Explain how the failure helped you grow professionally and/or personally and what new skills or insights you gained as a result.
Example: “This experience taught me the importance of time management and the value of early communication. Although I was excited to take on more responsibility, I realized that I needed to plan realistically and invest more time for cross-team collaboration. Since then, I make it a priority to set clear timelines, communicate early, and confirm input from all team members to avoid delays.”
Highlight the positive actions you took to improve
Now, showcase your problem-solving skills and your commitment to personal growth. Focus on concrete actions that highlight your proactive approach to self-improvement.
Example: “To make sure this didn’t happen again, I created a checklist for project timelines and included weekly check-ins to ensure each team was aligned and up-to-date on their responsibilities. I also began using project management software to keep track of deadlines and tasks. On my next project, I was able to meet every milestone ahead of schedule, and the project ran much more smoothly.”
How not to answer
- Keep it professional: Use professional examples. Personal stories, unless directly relevant, might not help demonstrate your fit for the job.
- Avoid major disasters: Don’t discuss failures with severe consequences or showcase poor judgment.
- Don’t play the blame game: Avoid blaming others. Focus on what you can control and how you personally contributed to the situation.
Sample answers to ‘Tell me about a time you failed’
Example for a recent college grad
“During my junior year, I was part of the campus events committee and volunteered to lead the planning for our annual networking event. Eager to make it a success, I wanted to handle everything from the guest list to coordinating speakers and arranging the venue. However, I didn’t delegate enough tasks to other team members, thinking I could manage it all myself. As the event date approached, I realized I had overlooked securing certain permits and coordinating volunteers for the setup, which caused last-minute issues.”
“This experience taught me that successful event planning requires effective delegation and early planning. I learned the importance of trusting my team and dividing responsibilities to ensure all aspects of the event were covered. In later projects, like our end-of-year banquet, I took a more collaborative approach, involving my team members from the start, and we were able to pull off a smooth and well-organized event. I believe that this experience has made me a stronger team player who can see the bigger picture.”
Why this works:
This answer shows that the candidate can identify their own mistakes, take responsibility, and apply the lessons learned. It also highlights their project management and teamwork growth, which are valuable skills in almost any professional role.
Example for a young professional
“In my previous role as a sales associate, I was responsible for reaching out to potential clients. There was one high-potential lead I’d been nurturing, but I underestimated the importance of following up regularly, assuming they’d reach out when ready. Unfortunately, I later learned they had signed with a competitor because I hadn’t stayed top-of-mind. Missing that opportunity was a wake-up call for me.”
“I took this experience as a chance to improve my follow-up strategy. I developed a system for tracking leads and set reminders for consistent outreach, which helped me stay connected with prospects without waiting for them to reach out. Since then, I’ve consistently met my sales targets and built stronger relationships with clients by staying proactive. I believe that this experience taught me the value of staying engaged and building trust through consistent communication.”
Why this works:
This answer shows the candidate’s ability to reflect on a missed opportunity and take actionable steps to improve their sales approach. It highlights personal accountability and a concrete strategy for improvement, demonstrating reliability and a proactive mindset—traits highly valued in client-facing roles.