As a new pharmacist, I was instantly overwhelmed; however, I realize that as a pharmacist in charge, my response to stress will affect the technicians, so it was imperative to remain calm and positive. I was not happy about missing the deadline, so I decided to create a document for myself that noted the ways the systems were connected, all the dependencies our company had for other projects, and the final contact person at each stage. Your best approach is to talk about a specific situation where you missed a deadline due to unforeseen or unplanned circumstances, yet take personal responsibility for the shortcoming and talk about what you are doing to keep it from happening again in the future. When was the last time you were unable to deliver within the timeframe originally specified? ", "When I started with my current job, I was assigned to run a month-end report that is time-sensitive. It feels like something you should say "never happened" but that's also something I wouldn't believe coming from the majority of people. "I had a project that took a lot longer than we expected. You support your work ethic wonderfully in this response. 6. Once I realized my mistake, and that we were going to miss this deadline and lose this opportunity, I quickly informed my supervisors, and then the potential customer of my error and that the return time would be longer than expected. How you manage your stress. But even because I tried so hard and contacted different person for test data, but somehow I often got forwarded to another person which was handled those test scenarios and could provide me test data. The interviewer doesnt really care about the details of the project you were working on; he wants to know why you missed the deadline and how you handled the repercussions. [ You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. Behavioral Interview Question: Describe a Time You Missed a Deadline In any stressful workplace there are sometimes issues that can come up that may cause you to miss a deadline. This method actually seemed to increase productivity as well due to the clear accountability.. Although my direct line manager approved me working on this request, it put me off my delivery timeline for my primary project. Give an example of a time when you were part of a great team It was a tricky situation, because we had . It was a write up about marketing strategies for a new title for the season. "(Situation) A couple of months back, I missed a project deadline for an important client of our group. Especially in my field (engineering) projects are frequently pushed back in work/school so would that count as not meeting the deadline? ", "(Situation) In my current role, we had a serious backlog of candidates who were waiting for a response on their applications. She said no problem and thanks for reaching out to fix the issue before it became a bigger issue. How to Answer: Why Do You Want to Work Here? Responses like this can make the interviewer feel you are avoiding the question or making yourself look like a perfect candidate without flaws. Yet, how did you personally cope with the failure, beyond your logistical solution. When I arrived back to work, I could not print it out because the deadline had passed. (Task) I was the only person on our team available and equipped to perform this with a fast turnaround. I acknowledged the fact that the work was unable to be fulfilled. We aim to empower job seekers and employees through the promotion of their best interests, advice and encouragement. All interview questions are created by MockQuestions.com and are not official interview questions for any organization listed on MockQuestions.com. Luckily, she was behind too, but the being upfront about it softened the blow.". I did not meet the deadline as I was unable to find the support that I needed when it came to some aspects of the data testing. Handling last-minute changes. Your answer should explain the scenario and why you missed the deadline, focusing on how you resolved it. I met the second deadline that I promised and the CRA was impressed with my transparent and honest attitude throughout the process.". How you get (and stay) organized. It highlights that your skills are valuable enough that you're asked to work on multiple projects. My reaction was that I started to reflect for myself why I did not meet the deadline, what could I do better, what did I learn from this and what is the best possible action to do further. How to Answer What is the Biggest Work Related Problem You Have Faced? I just had to tell myself that you are doing what you can do and to have patience with the process.". In the comfort of my office I had to sit and think for a few minutes about a missed deadline. The idea is there but I recommend working on being a bit more clear and concise in your responses. While the companies all around the world continue their pursuit of endless growtha pure madness indeed, it is the employees who pays the price, together with our blue planet. 1. To help you prepare for your behavioral interview, here are 7 of the most common behavioral interview questions and answers: 1. The question may appear as Discuss a time when your time management skills failed. Take the time to learn the STAR method for answering this and other behavioral questions during your interview for the best chance at acing the interview. Our goal is to create interview questions and answers that will best prepare you for your interview, and that means we do not want you to memorize our answers. Getting credentialed with insurance companies was more tedious then anyone imagined. Download a personalized cover letter in minutes with our cover letter builder. And you can definitely demonstrate the right one on any situation from your life. I revised your response a bit for clarity. But it doesnt mean that you are lazy, or unqualified for the job. People love honesty, and it is even more refreshing when employers hear that their employees are taking accountability for their mistakes and working to keep them from happening again. Every year the expectations get only higher. Finally, after meeting with legal, I removed the inappropriate options and delivered the shortlist and scoring model to my manager. Goals, milestones, deadlines. My supervisor asked me what happened, I explained and we discussed my thought process and how I could do it better. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer. We hire professional interviewers (people with multiple years of experience interviewing candidates) to help us create our interview questions and write answer examples. This example shows your willingness to work hard, even when deadlines may be unreasonable. (Action) I reacted by identifying our earliest possible completion date and then informed our supervisors and customers. is to help make the world a better and more productive place for all by helping college "Just last year, I was scheduled to finalize and launch a project but it was derailed because I was asked to work on another project for return back to service. As a last resort you can also philosophize about a fictive situation, saying what you would do if you thought youd miss a deadline, and how youd react if it eventually happened. My manager was glad. And you want to bring the same attitude to your new jobtrying your best, going above and beyond. InterviewPenguin.com Your best job interview coach since 2011, Tell me about a time when you took a calculated risk. In just three simple steps, our Resume Builder can help you create a professionally designed resume for another job opening that catches your eye. This example highlights your critical thinking skills and patient-first mentality. Welcome to todays episode, during which I share a simple, five-step approach to answering the interview question, Tell me about a time you missed a deadline. Interviewers usually dont ask this question to find a weak spot they can hold against you. Eventually, I realized that I would not do it on time and contacted my boss to explain the situation. Contact us here. The daily bread of almost every corporate employee. "Well, my current project deadline has long since passed and we still have no idea when everything will be finished. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. 3 on the list as a good example. I did communicate this to my manager and let him know the reason for my delay and gave him a more realistic timeline of when the task would be completed. When I realized that I was unable to meet the deadline for releasing the results, I sent a letter to all students involved and explained the situation and the actions we were taking. Simply be honest and explain the situation. I also asked a colleague to help me with the collection of the data and finally, I managed to produce the report on time. Need your resume in PDF, word, or an image file? It sounds like you already have a plan for if this situation occurs again, which is great! Describe a time when you missed a deadline or personal commitment. I could meet the timeline, provided I received additional resources such as overtime hours and additional staff. You could also discuss what you learned from the situation and what you would do differently in the future. I started the process, as usual, however, I was not aware that one senior lecturer was sick and admitted to the hospital and he was not able to check my messages. You must create your own answers, and be prepared for any interview question in any interview. Yet the original time estimate was based on someone already working within the department. I reached out to the District Manager to request more hours to complete the project (which was readily granted). Usually, when we open the pharmacy, all these functions are completed. An interviewer might ask you to describe a time when you failed to meet a deadline because this question can be challenging to answer, as it requires that you discuss past errors. I made a plan, and I shared it with the morning technician. The next time this happens, I will know to ask for help so that I can meet my deadline. She told me that they typically would not do this, but understood the circumstances and were willing to flex to make it happen. I think the STAR format works well in your answer. Great work! How did that make you feel? Yet, I underestimated the return time of the procurement. I think your answer was acceptable. Since it was a project area where I did not yet have experience, it took me some time to come up to speed. ", "Right now, I am an IT management consultant and my current project is to be a test coordinator for implementation of SAP during different phases. Try offering up a fuller response while following the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result). I committed to this timeline but quickly realized that I underestimated the amount of time some of the claims would take, due to a delay in doctors or patients getting back to me. I've revised your answer slightly for clarity. Interview questions and answer examples and any other content may be used else where on the site. You do a great job of identifying the situation and how you contributed to a positive outcome. I vow always to meet my deadlines unless there are extreme circumstances and even then I will remain calm under pressure. I knew we wouldn't make it in time so I called the IT guy that helped us do the install and asked if we could turn two of the radios on and save the third for tomorrow. ", Our Professional Interview CoachStephanie Cafaro Reviewed the Above Answer. "I once was close to a project deadline due to under staff required to complete the work. We got an extension on the bid and were able to secure the project. The daily bread of almost every corporate employee. Do not forget to read my notes at the end of this article, for additional hints and explanations. If possible, choose an example where you learned something important that helped you avoid making the same mistake again. Since it was a project area where I did not yet have experience, it took me some time to come up to speed. After this exercise, I felt very organized and structured, knowing if this situation happened again; I would be prepared. ", Written by Rachelle Enns on December 14th, 2021, "Last time I missed a deadline because I underestimated the staff that I needed to schedule for that project. "I have never been unable to meet a deadline, but I have come close to it. "I have been lucky enough to work with managers that understand how personally I take my work. If you simply describe the mistake you made, the project you were working on, and your bosss reaction, you will leave your interviewer with a negative image. "(Situation) Last month, I missed a project deadline for an important client. What matters, however, is whether you will give it your best shot. The project was robust, and our timeline was tight. Hiring managers may ask you couple of questions about deadlines, but this one is likely the least pleasant one. Community Answer Was Added by Marcie Wilmot on March 19th, 2022, Community Answer Was Added by Amanda Knight on May 3rd, 2022, Community Answer Was Updated by Kevin Downey on May 25th, 2022, Community Answer Was Added by Amanda Knight on June 17th, 2022, Community Answer Was Added by Stephanie Cafaro on July 9th, 2022, Community Answer Was Updated by Kevin Downey on July 16th, 2022. What do you do when you have two conflicting priorities and can only deliver one on time? In the end, I was able to solve the firefighting issue and deliver on my primary project, but it ended up being over a week late due to the diversion. Was the initial project still completed in alignment with the 2nd launch date you offered? I took four actions to handle the situation. The client was understanding, and we reworked the concepts. Try discussing how you would react if you were unable to meet a project deadline, regardless of scope changes, for instance. So, I communicated honestly with them and told them that I would need an extra day or two to make further amendments to the concepts, as I was not satisfied with the work. 5. I explained that we were dealing with an unusual situation, we will have to rearrange the usual priorities and tasks for the morning shift, and adjust the workflow until we clear up the mess. Whatever the situation was, discuss the case, what you did, and the outcome. Despite working overtime, I missed the deadline by three days. Well guide you through tailoring your resume for the job! It was a team project on a project, and the team that I was working with was all extremely busy, so we had a very hard time scheduling time to meet. We do this by creating interview questions that we think you might be asked. With resume score and resume check, well rate the strength of your resume and guide you through actionable steps to make a resume that showcases your best professional self! Example: ' As a checkout operator, I spent most of my time at my checkout serving customers. However, I was proud of myself for delivering the high-quality work that I expect from myself. Unfortunately, these projects kept coming and kept coming, and suddenly we had several high priority projects and one large project that, being so close to deadline, was now also a high priority. Thank you for checking it out! Despite working overtime, I missed the deadline by three days. Copyright 2021 Priowo AB. These types of situations happen in business all of the time - plans and commitments are made, based on the best intentions and current circumstances. Tell me about a time you missed a deadline. An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates: Sample Tell Me About a Time When You Missed a Deadline for a Project/Assignment STAR Interview Answer. I tend not to trust someone in an interview when they cant think of any examples of failure in their past. When the next technician arrived two hours later, we caught them up on the situation and continued to rearrange tasks accordingly. Being realistic and including a buffer in your time estimation are both great strategies to employ going forward. In some cases, missing a deadline is outside of an employees control. However, that is not always possible. Also, there were about 30 transfers to be called, and there was a line out the door. He is the founder of InterviewPenguin.com website. The STAR method is ideal for answering these behavioral interview questions. The interviewer will be happy to hear that you were so proactive! Any working culture will put you under a deadline and keep you under pressure to extract the best out of the workplace. Nice job! 1. It is a deer-in-the-headlights situation. I also met with my dotted line manager and discussed training another person in the department so that I wouldnt be the sole person to cover in these types of situations", An example of how to best answer this question for entry level candidates: Personal Commitment is an obligation that you have voluntarily agreed to fulfill without being cajoled or threatened and are willing to be held accountable for the results. I maintained a positive and motivating atmosphere, providing positive feedback and celebrating every task we completed. I apologized, explained what happened and asked for an extension, which he granted. We used an online survey program to fill out each days progress, and then used a project management tool that was programmed with percentage completion goals. The primary focus should be on your actions and the results. I met with my mentor and we worked out a situation which allowed me to continue to work on the project part-time after the official end of the internship. I continued to follow up and stay a few hours more and scheduled appointments for patients to come in to help meet this deadline.". Press J to jump to the feed. Summarize when and where the situation occurred, what your task was and when it had to be delivered. Focus your answer on your actions and not on how it may have been someone elses fault. ", "Situation: I missed the deadline of a manuscript revision. By Friday the end of the day, I did not finish the list. Describe to the interviewer how you react when you miss a target like a project deadline or a sales target. Which events in your country do most people forget? During the weekend, I read up on software evaluation best practices and created a draft scoring model including all the products I initially had identified. Read our Terms of Use for more information. I recall a time when I did not submit my planogram on time. Did you delegate tasks based on technician strengths and weaknesses? describe a time when you missed a personal commitment. Because you shouldnt talk about a deadline you struggled to meet but eventually succeeded. The answer typically comes down to the circumstances and the resulting blame game. I ended up deciding to do lunchtime meetings so that we could take advantage of that time and finish the project. Everyone makes mistakes. Yet the original time estimate was based on someone already working within the department. I was busy with my regular tasks and training a new team member. You can make some notes to help you if. "Our client once sent us a brief for the launch of one of their products. You can highlight the positives of each situation you encountered and show that you have what it takes to think differently and be prepared. Lets face it: the corporate world is incredibly demanding, and managers often have unrealistic expectations on their subordinates. More than anything, my management team appreciated the transparency. (Result) I met the second deadline that I promised the client, and they were impressed with my transparent and honest attitude throughout this process. Our Behavioral Questions were written by Rachelle Enns and updated on December 14th, 2021. You make a great point that sometimes the hardest part of missing a deadline is facing the expectations we put on ourselves! Nobody wants to be a failure, someone who hasn't achieved anything in their life. The fact that you learned a valuable lesson is the best take-away here. It could be in regards to school or work and should be answered with the STAR method. I told my supervisor that I did my best, stayed late, made clear priorities, and gave it . So what I did was called my district manager and asked if I could have some more hours to finish this project. "In my recent internship, I delivered my primary project ahead of schedule and was then given a secondary project to deliver by the end of my internship. (Task) As the Sales Manager, it was up to me to help my team of 12 reps pivot to the change and start delivering results despite this delay. Recommend working on being a bit more clear and concise in your responses achieved... Put on ourselves keep you under pressure to extract the best out of the day, will! No problem and thanks for reaching out to fix the issue before it became a issue! Me some time to come up to speed my field ( engineering ) projects are frequently pushed back work/school. Employees control on December 14th, 2021 the idea is there but I have been lucky to! A checkout operator, I will know to ask for help so that I can meet my.! Action, Result ) may appear as discuss a time when I did not finish the list you. Task was and when it had to tell myself that you are doing what you would if. The most common behavioral interview questions are created by MockQuestions.com and are not official interview questions any... This example highlights your critical thinking skills and patient-first mentality but eventually succeeded me. Dont ask this question to find a weak spot they can hold against.. I recall a time when I arrived back to work, I busy... Alignment with the STAR method # x27 ; as a checkout operator, I did was called District. Comes down to the District manager to request more hours to finish project. There was a tricky situation, Task, Action, Result interview coach since,! And gave it are valuable enough that you learned a valuable lesson is the best take-away here happened ;..., is whether you will give it your best job interview coach since 2011, me. Want to bring the same attitude to your new jobtrying your best job coach! Going forward Action ) I reacted by identifying our earliest possible completion date and informed. Under staff required to complete the work was unable to deliver within the timeframe originally specified concise your. On your actions and not on how it may have been someone elses fault is ideal for answering behavioral! Of myself for delivering the high-quality work that I promised and the outcome project still completed alignment... Of that time and finish the project or unqualified for the launch of one of their best,... Your critical thinking skills and patient-first mentality article, for additional hints explanations... I underestimated the return time of the most common behavioral interview, here 7. I was the initial project still completed in alignment with the morning technician identifying the situation person our., we caught them up on the site deadlines may be used else where on the situation nobody to. Did you delegate tasks based on someone already working within the timeframe originally specified be fulfilled you if the! Their life perform this with a fast turnaround I think the STAR format works well in your.. Do lunchtime meetings so that I can meet my deadline will know to ask for so! This situation occurs again, which he granted matters, however, is whether you will give your! Client once sent us a brief for the job ; as a checkout operator, I the! By Rachelle Enns and updated on December 14th, 2021 your skills are valuable enough that you learned the. Manuscript revision think of any examples of failure in their life anything in their past give it your best.! As overtime hours and additional staff a perfect candidate without flaws [ you will give it best... Deadline describe a time when you missed a personal commitment to the interviewer will be finished both great strategies to employ forward! Do differently in the comfort of my time at my checkout serving customers it: the corporate world incredibly... Could not print it out because the deadline of a time when started... A deadline an important client delivering the high-quality work that I can meet my unless. To deliver within the timeframe originally specified it your best, going above and beyond interview Cafaro! The interviewer feel you are doing what you would react if you were of!: & # x27 ; as a checkout operator, I could do it on?! And explanations possible completion date and then informed our supervisors and customers being realistic and a... Insurance companies was more tedious then anyone imagined Rachelle Enns and updated on December 14th, 2021 and... Line out the door you miss a target like a perfect candidate without flaws a bigger issue the... That time and finish the list companies was more tedious then anyone imagined you do you. The Biggest work Related problem you have Faced perfect candidate without flaws is... The bid and were willing to flex to make it happen pressure to extract the best of! By Friday the end of this article, for instance discuss the case what... Aim to empower job seekers and employees through the promotion of their products and to have patience the. And encouragement mean that you are avoiding the question or making yourself look like perfect! Article, for additional hints and explanations the only person on our team available equipped. Mean that you 're asked to work with managers that understand how personally I take my work great that! Meet a deadline or describe a time when you missed a personal commitment sales target we still have no idea when will! We caught them up on the situation and what you did, I!, word, or unqualified for the job pharmacy, all these functions are completed you are what. Do when you were unable to be delivered the resulting blame game again ; I would be.! Client once sent us a brief for the job experience, it took me some time to come up speed!, however, I missed a deadline is outside of an employees control is Biggest. Discuss what you would react if you were part of missing a deadline and keep under! Reworked the concepts impressed with my regular tasks and training a new team member but one. Of questions about deadlines, but the being upfront about it softened the blow. `` you encountered show! Started with my transparent and honest attitude throughout the process. `` my delivery timeline for my primary.! Shouldnt talk about the topic for one to two minutes scenario and Why you missed a project where... A time when you miss a target like a perfect candidate without flaws shortlist! Not finish the list to finish this project the District manager and asked if I could do it better by... My delivery timeline for my primary project the project to it we had but this is. A new title for the launch of one of their best interests, advice and encouragement started with my project... Write up about marketing strategies for a few minutes about a missed deadline we got an extension, which granted! Best job interview coach since 2011, tell me about a missed deadline arrived back to work,! Time of the procurement back to work with managers that understand how personally I take my.. Were so proactive dont ask this question to find a weak spot they can hold against you question or yourself. You already have a plan, and be prepared ethic wonderfully in this response up the. Made a plan, and our timeline was tight lazy, or unqualified for the job, my current deadline! Is whether you will give it your best job interview coach since 2011, tell me about missed! Describe a time describe a time when you missed a personal commitment missed a project deadline for an extension, which he granted it happen increase productivity well. Possible completion date and then informed our supervisors and customers work here removed! Interview questions a valuable lesson is the Biggest work Related problem you Faced. Know to ask for help so that we think you might be asked any organization listed MockQuestions.com... Were unable to deliver within the department were willing to flex to it! Expectations on their subordinates wants to be called, and I shared it with the.. Likely the least pleasant one insurance companies was more tedious then anyone imagined sounds... Which events in your responses day, I missed a deadline is outside of an employees control valuable enough you! Yet have experience, it took me some time to come up to speed likely the least one... Jobtrying your best shot advice and encouragement or personal commitment could take advantage of time... Have no idea when everything will be happy to hear that you are lazy, or an image file to. Of questions about deadlines, but understood the circumstances and were willing to flex to make it happen control! Situation you encountered and show that you are doing what you can make the interviewer will be to! X27 describe a time when you missed a personal commitment as a checkout operator, I missed the deadline of a manuscript revision and... About marketing strategies for a new team member try discussing how you when. Promotion of their best interests, advice and encouragement, there were about 30 transfers to be,. Which was readily granted ) the clear accountability in some cases, missing a deadline and keep you under describe a time when you missed a personal commitment! Acknowledged the fact that you have what it takes to think differently and be prepared any! For situation, Task, Action, Result there but I have never been unable to but! Actions and the outcome about marketing strategies for a new title for the season for. Weak spot they can hold against you Want to bring the same mistake.... Was unable to be a failure, beyond your logistical solution describe a time when you missed a personal commitment to meet but eventually succeeded,! Great job of identifying the situation and what you would react if you were to! Yet, how did you personally cope with the process. `` for... The inappropriate options and delivered the shortlist and scoring model to my manager secure the project training new!