How would you answer this interview question?

[Knightinslightlytarnished]

Tell us about when you were most embarrassed and how you dealt with it.

I have an interview coming up and have been told someone on the panel always asks this and I have no idea. I understand that that 'how you dealt with it' is the most important bit but I can't think of any embarrassing situations that are work appropriate.

I once sent an email to my whole team- having just started a new job- that was meant just for one of them, saying how my new uniform was too tight and my fat was rolling out the sides. Or something very descriptive to that effect.
It was very embarrassing.
Can you conjure up a similar story? Allows you to show learning around appropriate use of emails, how you handle the situation (I apologised at next team meeting, made a joke)etc etc

ooo @mylittlepony374 that is genuis. why didn't i think of that? some technology related situation. im sure i can thnk of something like that . although my immediate first thoughts are of text errors in a personal context.

i like that idea though.

An email fuck up of some sort. "I once emailed the CEO instead of the maintenance technician as they have the same first name and asked them to clean up the spill on the stairs - it was a silly mistake but I apologised face to face and now check I'm sending emails to the right person!"

"most embarrassed"
How would I choose?
I've never been asked that.
I wonder what personality trait they think they are finding out.

Do they only want work stories or do they want to hear pants down stories when I didn't lock the toilet door properly at Parent+Toddler group.

I think I agree with the others, I'd invent a story rather than expect to say something useful & truthful.

I luckily have never had experience of these stupid interview questions but I’d find it insulting to be asked and a right waste of time!! 😳

Possibly not a good idea to tell of email fuck ups??? It doesn't have to be work related I guess.

None of their fucking business if you ask me.

"I don't think there is anything relevant I can share about being embarrassed but in any difficult situation I think it's important to stay calm, assess the options, make a decision/ask boss (depending on role) and communicate clearly."

When i shat myself in the middle of the supermarket......

Moving swiftly on with the next question 🤪🤣

I have a great story about my mum sitting on a man's knee on a crowded commuter train.

I dealt with it by being very glad we got off at the next stop.

Crap question though when you are on the spot.

I have no idea, but I'm now going to stalk @getupagain for advice on life.

GetUpAgain
Nailed it!!

I see what you are saying @GetUpAgain but I think in this kind of situation if you give that sort of answer it gives a bad impression of being defensive, unable to think quickly and chippy. I agree with you that is the true thing to say but I wante to come up with an actual answer that is ok for work. Struggling with it.

I admit I am visualizing this being asked by some moronic bloke who thinks hes better than all the women he meets, so yes I can see I sound chippy... but honestly its such a crap question which I have little patience for. What do they expect?! An interview is a two way process of seeing if a person and role are a good fit. Not putting someone in the firing line with stoopid shit like this.

At a push I'd say 'Hmmm, what a question, I'd be too embarrassed to share that with you and I'd add that in any difficult situation... etc'.

I once got into the wrong as a child at school pick up. I put my bag into the back seat, dramatically flipped into the front seat and turned to find a horrified looking man who was definitely not my mother in the drivers seat. I quickly jumped back out again and memorised my mother’s number plate so that I could double check that it was her in future.

I sent an email to one of our big bosses who had an unusual name starting with T.

Auto correct did it's best and I sent it without realising.

He replied asking why I'd messaged him something starting with Hello T-shirt's.

Oops . I bet he thought it was a nickname or something.

I once took a colleagues butter knife home by accident and had to fess up the next day. I loved that butter knife.

“I was soooo embarrassed when I was voted as ‘Best employee of the year’ (insert accolade of your choice) by all my colleagues at the Christmas party. I went as red as a beetroot!”

What kind of embarrassing situation does the reply from notgetupgain not cover?
We are talking a work situation ; I'm sure they dont really want to know your personal incidents. Maybe how you handle a curved ball in a formal interview situation?

Kudus to FadedRed !

Being asked a question like this is embarrassing. Firstly, what I am going to do is suggest you rethink your questioning and secondly assure you that my qualifications / experience/ admin skills etc mean I don't embarrass myself.

I’d avoid email based ones if they’re based on sending to wrong person (just from a data protection point of view everyone’s jumpy).

That said I once put in an email “we are not supposed to prostitute ourselves like this” (was supposed to be position).

LOL @FadedRed

That's the trouble with this type of quesiton. Its like those 'whats yr greatest weakness' A: my obsessive drive for perfection or work too hard.

Maybe the point of the question is like that Theresa May when she was asked by a journalist in a tv interview whats the naughtiest thing you've ever done where she gurned and flanneled and then said ran through fields of wheat. That the point is to see how quickly you can think and if you can come up with an actual elegant answer without sounding chippy or defensive.

I like FadedRed's line of thinking.

I agree with getup. It’s a rubbish question. I would be tempted to reply as getup suggests, then at the end when you have time to ask questions ask it back. Bet they can’t answer it

I wouldn’t use the email fuck ups, too dangerous. If forced I would say recently spilt coffee on someone on the tube or something

I think I'd be tempted to answer like that though (as its the truth), something like, "I cant remember the last time I was embarrassed as I'm quite careful with what I say and do so don't really get myself into personally embarrassing situations."

I used to get a train to Waterloo and wear trainers and walk to the office in london as I hate the tube. I always took my heels in my bag. I had a very important presentation to the CEO. When I got to london I realised I had odd shoes in the bag. Luckily one for each foot but different height heels and colours. I sat down alot throughout the meeting and didnt wear my shoes when I stood up. If I'd realised in time I would have popped out and bought new ones.