tough interview questions

Tell me about a time you've failed?

Bite-sized video advice guide with Sara Adam, recruiter for sales & marketing jobs
 
This a question that can bring even the most confident of candidate to their knees. The key to answering this question is to make sure you show how you learned from your failure. So try to choose a fairly innocuous example from early in your career and show what you took away from it.  
 


Offset with a positive

"Avoid giving a recent example, as you might get bogged down in the details and find it difficult to climb out. Choose an example from early on in your career that's potentially not as complex and talk through that. Maybe you rushed a project in your first design job and as a result missed some important steps along the way, learning the value of planning and prioritisation. Or you took too long on a project and missed a deadline, taking away a lesson in time management."

Your reaction

1. Make sure you do your research beforehand, not only on the company but also your interviewer. Check out their LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook profiles.
2. Try to find out the dress code of the organisation you’re interviewing at, if it’s a creative agency where the staff dress casual you don’t want to turn up suited and booted.
3. Come with your own questions for the interviewer, not only will this impress them and show your interest in the role, but it will also make the decision making process easier for you should you receive an offer.
4. Plan your journey in advance, being late for an interview even by a few minutes is the ultimate sin and could well be a big factor in the decision making process for your prospective employer.