Question: Describe a time when your project did not turn out the way you expected. What did you do about it?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Talk about a project that didn’t go to plan. What did you do to rectify it?

Follow-up questions:

N/A

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Active Learning,Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Basic – Science and Logic,Systems – Judgment and Decision Making,Systems Analysis,Systems Evaluation

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Candidate Preparedness,Motivation/Ambition/Aspiration,Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity)

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Responsibility for Outcomes and Results of Others,Job Structure – Structured versus Unstructured Work

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Analytical Thinking,Assertiveness/Courage,Attention to Detail,Handling Ambiguity,Self Control,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

If the candidate is able to find strengths and encouragement even in the midst of disappointment.
If the candidate discusses the mistakes they have made and what could they have done to overcome those mistakes.
If the candidate has learned from this project and is confident to apply those learnings.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate avoids talking about the mistakes they may have made.
If the candidate blames their team members or other people involved in the project for the undesirable results.
If the candidate feels uncomfortable to go into the details of the mistake.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/most-common-competency-based-interview-questions