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Describe Growth, Mistakes, and Obstacles

Chicago Trading CompanySoftware Engineer · Technical Screen
MediumSoftware EngineerTechnical ScreenBehavioral & Leadership

Last updated

This question assesses the candidate's ability to reflect on professional setbacks, demonstrate accountability, and translate constructive criticism into measurable skill growth.

Prompt

Describe a specific technical obstacle or a significant mistake you encountered during a past internship or project. Walk me through the situation, your role, and the steps you took to resolve it.

Focus specifically on the following elements in your response:

  1. The 'Why': Why did this error occur? How did your technical approach or lack of communication contribute to the issue?
  2. The 'How': How did you engage with your mentor or team members to rectify the situation?
  3. The 'Growth': What specific technical or professional habit have you implemented since that experience to ensure the mistake was not repeated?

Expectations

A strong answer should demonstrate self-awareness rather than externalizing blame. You should clearly articulate the technical impact of your mistake, show how you leveraged your team's feedback, and provide evidence of how you have grown as a software engineer since that moment.

Hints

Hint 1

Choose an example where your contribution to the problem was clear and within your control, rather than an issue caused entirely by an external party.

Hint 2

Frame the narrative around the 'feedback loop'—show that you actively sought guidance from senior developers once the issue was identified.

Hint 3

Conclude by connecting your past mistake to a current best practice you follow, such as unit testing, code documentation, or proactive peer reviews.

Follow-up questions

  • How did you manage the stress of knowing you caused a production or project delay, and how did that affect your interactions with your manager?
  • If you had to mentor an intern today who was in the exact position you were in at the start of that project, what is the first thing you would tell them to do?
  • Can you describe a time where you saw a teammate making a similar mistake—did you intervene, and if so, how did you handle the conversation?