Question: Describe a time when you didn’t meet a goal. What happened and how did you handle it?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Given an example of a goal you didn’t meet and how you handled it.

Follow-up questions:

What did you learn from that experience?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility)

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

The candidate’s professionalism.
The candidate’s ability to recover after a difficult situation.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Answers that reveal unprofessionalism.

Sample Answer:

Last January, I was not able to meet my quota. I reviewed my strategy and tried a different approach. I am proud to say that I hit my goal for the first quarter.

Question Source: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/