We all have them: bonehead mistakes we made in the course of a job or career that we'd just as soon keep to ourselves. Maybe you quit a solid job to try your hand at a franchise -- and it tanked within a year. Maybe you tried to start a career in a field for which you have no talent. Or maybe you joined a small startup that never actually started up.
The funny thing about the United States is that we seem to have two minds when it comes to risk-takers. We love to encourage people to try new things, and we love to hear about it when they succeed. We even love to hear about it when they fail. But do we love to hire them?
The challenge for risk-takers who didn't quite make it is to sell themselves in spite of their failures -- or even because of them. I prefer the latter strategy. Rather than apologizing for trying something big, I like to see people puff up their chests and explain how, exactly, their experience of grand failure is going to be an asset to this company.
If that's hard to picture for yourself, maybe you can take courage from the following examples and their selling points.
Scenario 1: Bought or started a business that failed.
Selling points: Although it didn't work out, I learned the fundamentals of running a business. I also learned some of the signs of impending problems. Perhaps most importantly, I learned there's a time to stick something out and there's a time to cut your losses.
Scenario 2: Trained to be a licensed Realtor/insurance agent/etc. but didn't like it.
Selling points: Although I don't want to be a Realtor/etc., I have a great deal of knowledge in the field that I can share, as well as contacts that I have made.
Scenario 3: Invested in and joined a startup that didn't thrive.
Selling points: Ouch. That was a hard lesson. I've learned to move more cautiously when large sums of money are concerned, and I've learned how to dig more deeply into the story behind the story.
Scenario 4: Tried to go solo as a freelance writer/graphic artist/etc. but couldn't make it.
Selling points: This was a great opportunity to hone my professional skills and to work for several clients. It was good to be in charge of some projects from start to finish.
Scenario 5: Messed something up and got fired.
Selling points: I made a mistake that I couldn't fix by myself. I learned to bring problems to my manager early on and to seek my team's help to solve problems before they get out of hand.
Do you see yourself in any of those scenarios? If you'd like to learn how to "sell your failure," try these steps.
1. Get over it. No matter how painful the situation, it was just a job, just a mistake. You have to learn to talk about it without wincing.
2. Practice telling the anecdote briefly and without much emotion. Try something like this: "I'm still a little embarrassed when I talk about it, because I really believed in the business in which I was investing. But it wasn't a total loss, in terms of things I learned and contacts I made . . ."
3. Identify two or three things that you learned or accomplished in this situation. Concentrate on things that would benefit the new employer. For example: "One skill I strengthened while I was selling real estate is my ability to make cold calls and explain my services over the phone. I understand that's a part of the job here, and I feel confident I could do that well for you. I also learned methods for keeping good records."
4. End your anecdote on a high note, but don't get sugary. Something like "Overall, it was a tough experience but one from which I was able to learn" will sound credible. On the other hand, "I'm so grateful for the way things turned out, because not making it gave me the opportunity to talk with you about this job" sounds more desperate than honest.
Final lesson? It happens. People make mistakes, careers turn sour, bad things happen. The interviewer will be more interested in your future -- perhaps with this company -- than in your past. Keep your focus where it belongs, and things will work out.
- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice. com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.