# Tell Me About Your Biggest Failure Aced (formerly Exponent) publishes a public search API over its indexed pages; the guide is at https://www.aced.io/agents/agent-access. Source: https://www.aced.io/questions/142/biggest-failure Source observed: 2026-11-04T23:18:07.842Z Last checked: 2026-11-04T23:18:07.842+00:00 Indexed: 2026-11-05T07:49:26.592+00:00 --- # Tell me about your biggest failure. We provide this behavioral interview question for candidates preparing to discuss a significant failure and what they learned from it. ## Question details - **Category:** Behavioral - **Reported interviews:** 19 - **Last asked:** 18 days ago - **Saved by:** 61 - **Roles:** [Software Engineer](https://www.aced.io/questions?role=swe) (6), [Product Manager](https://www.aced.io/questions?role=pm) (4), Data Engineer, Forward Deployed Engineer, Data Analyst, Account Manager, and Technical Program Manager - **Companies represented in the page filters:** Microsoft (3), Amazon (2), Instinctools, Anduril, Google, Palantir, OpenAI, Apple, Uber, Mastercard, Vercel, DoorDash, Meesho, Twitch, and Qualtrics - [Browse all questions](https://www.aced.io/questions) ## Interview experiences We show 10 shared experiences: 1. **[Instinctools](https://www.aced.io/experiences/instinctools-senior-data-engineer-interview-25ca60)** — 18 days ago; Data Engineer · Senior / L5. The interview covered SQL and BigQuery performance, dbt pipelines, data modelling, Airflow, data quality, Python, debugging, cost, and cloud platforms. Scenarios included late-arriving attribution data, restated ad-network spend, backfills, and duplicate investigation. The candidate valued the scenario-based follow-ups, pause option, and time to think. Concentration was affected when earlier questions remained on screen while new questions were asked by voice; the session ran about 10 minutes over schedule. The candidate wanted sharper answers on BigQuery partition pruning and query-plan metrics and had no opportunity to ask about the team or project. 2. **[Amazon](https://www.aced.io/experiences/amazon-senior-product-manager-interview-224ba8)** — 2 months ago; Product Manager · Senior / L5. The recruiter organized the flow; the first round lasted 1 hour, followed by a final day with 5 interview rounds. Status and next-step communication had no reported delays. 3. **[Anduril](https://www.aced.io/experiences/anduril-software-engineer-interview-1678b7)** — 3 months ago; Software Engineer. The process emphasized Anduril’s core values and culture fit. The candidate wished they had prepared behavioral stories and gaps better and reported gaps in technical depth and ambiguity. 4. **[Google](https://www.aced.io/experiences/google-software-engineer-interview-1a64d6)** — 6 months ago; Software Engineer · Entry Level / L3. The candidate described 2 online rounds—1 technical and 1 behavioral—and 2 onsite technical rounds, with 2 questions in each technical round. They emphasized understanding DSA rather than merely learning problem solutions and reported spending too long on a final-round question. 5. **[OpenAI](https://www.aced.io/experiences/openai-principal-product-manager-interview-1fdad0)** — 7 months ago; Product Manager · Principal / Director / L8+. The candidate reported reschedules, a 30-minute recruiter screen that functioned as a behavioral interview, two PM rounds, a difficult product-sense prompt, and a stronger metrics round. They were rejected before planned final rounds covering org dynamics and business alignment. 6. **[Apple](https://www.aced.io/experiences/apple-software-engineer-interview-c85e6b)** — 7 months ago; Software Engineer · Mid Level / L4. The process included a 24-hour Python take-home, a 45-minute technical screen with project discussion and a palindrome-style coding question, and a remote final loop over 2 days with 6 interviews: hiring manager, AI/system design, and 4 Python rounds covering coding, class design, and debugging. The candidate found debugging hardest and received a rejection without final-round feedback. 7. **[Microsoft](https://www.aced.io/experiences/microsoft-senior-software-engineer-interview-d0a22a)** — 8 months ago; Software Engineer · Senior / L5. The candidate reported fewer interviews than expected and a difficult transition when the recruiter changed midway. 8. **[Mastercard](https://www.aced.io/experiences/mastercard-senior-software-engineer-interview-52332d)** — 2 years ago; Software Engineer · Senior / L5. The process began with screening and continued through technical and/or managerial rounds. Clear questions and explaining thought process went well; some discussions felt rushed. 9. **[Vercel](https://www.aced.io/experiences/vercel-senior-account-manager-interview-f2e025)** — 2 years ago; Account Manager · Senior / L5. The candidate described more than 12 rounds, meetings with the CRO and CEO, an overly involved process for an L5 role, and an offer below expectations. 10. **[Microsoft](https://www.aced.io/experiences/microsoft-technical-program-manager-interview-bf0c74)** — 3 years ago; Technical Program Manager · Entry Level / L3. The candidate said the process went well but wished they had asked more clarifying questions. ## Community answers No answers have been contributed by the community yet. ## Related questions - [Tell me about a time you failed.](https://www.aced.io/questions/2398/describing-a-failure-experience) - [Tell me about your interest in AI.](https://www.aced.io/questions/5598/interest-in-ai) - [Tell me about your last job.](https://www.aced.io/questions/3211/tell-about-last-job) ## Related courses ### [Data Analyst Interview Prep](https://www.aced.io/courses/data-analytics) ![Data Analyst Interview Prep](https://images.ctfassets.net/x78yjrjc11pq/72OTqij57b2TklhaD2vrdV/be0dae6242904970d1696e5a4d858e18/AdobeStock_1357126576.jpeg?w=800&h=800&fm=webp&q=75) We prepare candidates for product, marketing, and business analyst interviews with take-home case studies, technical and dashboarding practice, and interview strategies. ### [Data Engineering Interview Prep](https://www.aced.io/courses/data-engineering) ![Data Engineering Interview Prep](https://images.ctfassets.net/x78yjrjc11pq/5XoOCgXlGqN2fa1zaroNWd/9a2e23df48a212bc00d352873feb2d6a/Data_Engineer_Interview_Prep_Hero_Image.jpg?w=800&h=800&fm=webp&q=75) We prepare candidates for data-engineering roles at Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Walmart, DoorDash, and other companies with mock interviews, frameworks, and advice from senior candidates. Practice includes data modeling, pipeline design, SQL, coding, behavioral interviews, and more. ## Your answer Submitting marks this question complete. You can [Practice with AI](https://www.aced.io/practice/ai/new?type=Behavioral&question=biggest-failure&src=questions). --- [Read this page’s summary](https://www.aced.io/agents/api/public/v1/page-tldr?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aced.io%2Fquestions%2F142%2Fbiggest-failure&trace=t_679ff9ab98f3) ## Ask a follow-up about this page Need a more specific answer? Ask the exact question you have. It returns a fresh, cited answer from Aced (formerly Exponent)’s knowledge base. No account or API key required. Open this URL with your own question, URL-encoded. Include your question in q. 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