Tell me about a time that you made a poor decision.

How to Use

Interviewer: Tell me about a time that you made a poor decision.

Kevin: When I was first working as an auditor, there was a problem with one our client's accounts. I tried to contact the client, but no one answered the phone. I looked for a solution to the problem for 6 hours, but I couldn't find one. Finally, the client returned my call and I found out the mistake was just a simple typo.

Interviewer: Oh no! That is terrible.

Kevin: I know. I wasted 6 hours looking for a little detail that was not important.

Interviewer: What did you learn from this mistake?

Kevin: I learned two things from this experience. First, I learned not to worry too much about the very small details. Second, I learned that I should not be afraid to ask my senior colleagues for help. When I told my senior colleagues that story, they all laughed at me and told that they could have told me that and saved me six hours if I had asked.

Interviewer: Well, sometimes, you need these experiences to learn.

Kevin: I completely agree. I have never made the same mistake again.

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