How To Talk About A Past Mistake In an Interview

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about how to get over your mistakes and move on. I was surprised by how many people had made mistakes in their past and felt that they would always have to live with the shadow of them. Each time they went on an interview, they had to talk about those mistakes and hope that the interviewer would be able to look past them. It's an awful feeling, and believe it or not, it's pretty common.



Of course, there are people who have never made a mistake in their careers or their lives - at least not ones that are so easily seen. They may have never been fired, or never have messed up so badly that they were fired. They could have worked at their job for years, never missed a day and never been written up for a mistake. These people do exist, but they aren't the majority. Most of us have done things that we aren't proud of at some point in their careers. It can happen to anyone. For example, I knew a woman who was a hard working property manager. She was in charge a a large number of rental homes, spread across three cities. She was a great employee and was happy with her job. One day, she had to handle an eviction. They are never pleasant, but in her line of work, they are not that uncommon. At some point in the process, she made a mistake and used the wrong address, which resulted in the wrong family getting evicted. It was a traumatic experience for the family. As you can imagine, the woman was fired from the property management company. Not only did she lose her job, she had a difficult time finding another job in property management.



Mistakes like these can be career destroying if you're not careful. So, how do you find another job after being fired for your mistake? Do you lie in the interview and say that you left the company? Would telling the truth cost you the job? It's hard to say, but lying is never a good idea and it will only make you look bad down the road. Let's say that my friend applied for a new job and didn't tell the employer about why she had left her last job. Later, when he finds out (and trust me, that kind of gossip would make it back to him), he would have a valid reason to fire her. Even if he chose to keep her on staff, he would always wonder about her honesty.



There's a better way. You can tell the truth and not ruin your chances for a job. Here's how to do it:



Take the blame - Even if you don't think that the mistake was entirely your fault. Accept the blame and admit that you made the mistake.

Tell the interviewer what happened as briefly as possible - It's tempting to tell your story in a way that would make the interviewer feel sorry for you. Don't do it. Instead, tell them what happened, from your boss's point of view, in as brief a story as you can. Take responsibility for what happened.

Mention what you learned from the experience - This shows that you've grown as a person. With the earlier example, the property manager could say that the mistake was caused by not double checking each time she wrote down the address. The situation reminded her of how important it is to be accurate and how what she does at work has a huge effect on other people's lives.

Don't sling mud - Even if the boss was a jerk who blew things out of proportion or it was caused by poor management, lack of support or other reasons, don't talk bad about the company that fired you. Even if all of those things are true, don't say them. Talking bad about a previous employer, no matter how much you think they deserve it, is never a good idea. It only makes you look bad and lessens your chances of getting the job. So, show that you are a professional and keep your negative remarks to yourself.



You can move on from a mistake, no matter how bad. We all make them and most of us have things in our work histories that we aren't proud of. Just remember to handle it with all the professionalism you have, and you'll be able to find a new job more easily.



Have you ever been fired from a job? How did you talk about it later, in interviews? Please share your thoughts in the comments.