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Responding to interview questions about past failures of professional certification exams
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I am completing my account certification with ACCA. ACCA certification requires passing up to 14 professional examinations (called 'papers').
I am interviewing for positions that ask whether I have passed the papers on the first attempt (which is important for some employers), and while I had to retake some of the papers, other potential candidates I am competing with completed everything on their first attempt.
Answering the question directly has no upside for me as it only highlights failure. Is there any way to express retaking a failed professional examination in an interview that may be viewed in a more positive light?
interviewing failure
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
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up vote
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I am completing my account certification with ACCA. ACCA certification requires passing up to 14 professional examinations (called 'papers').
I am interviewing for positions that ask whether I have passed the papers on the first attempt (which is important for some employers), and while I had to retake some of the papers, other potential candidates I am competing with completed everything on their first attempt.
Answering the question directly has no upside for me as it only highlights failure. Is there any way to express retaking a failed professional examination in an interview that may be viewed in a more positive light?
interviewing failure
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
2
Hey Farooq, thanks for the clarification. I have made an aggressive edit to this question in the hopes that it will be clearer to answerers and get better questions. If you think I missed the point or didn't express your question correctly, please feel free to edit it yourself. Thanks in advance!
– jmac
May 20 '14 at 3:56
Would they have a way of verifying your answer?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:15
Yes they verify it by our transcripts if we say we aced the papers (i.e. didn't fail any).
– user19562
May 20 '14 at 4:18
But I mean, can they verify whether you succeeded on the first try or not?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:31
If they only see that it was passed... but not how many attempts - and they have no way to verify... then I think game-theoretically, the answer is clear
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:33
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I am completing my account certification with ACCA. ACCA certification requires passing up to 14 professional examinations (called 'papers').
I am interviewing for positions that ask whether I have passed the papers on the first attempt (which is important for some employers), and while I had to retake some of the papers, other potential candidates I am competing with completed everything on their first attempt.
Answering the question directly has no upside for me as it only highlights failure. Is there any way to express retaking a failed professional examination in an interview that may be viewed in a more positive light?
interviewing failure
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
I am completing my account certification with ACCA. ACCA certification requires passing up to 14 professional examinations (called 'papers').
I am interviewing for positions that ask whether I have passed the papers on the first attempt (which is important for some employers), and while I had to retake some of the papers, other potential candidates I am competing with completed everything on their first attempt.
Answering the question directly has no upside for me as it only highlights failure. Is there any way to express retaking a failed professional examination in an interview that may be viewed in a more positive light?
interviewing failure
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
edited Dec 18 '14 at 14:36
Stephan Kolassa
8,35532850
8,35532850
asked May 20 '14 at 0:25
user19562
2
Hey Farooq, thanks for the clarification. I have made an aggressive edit to this question in the hopes that it will be clearer to answerers and get better questions. If you think I missed the point or didn't express your question correctly, please feel free to edit it yourself. Thanks in advance!
– jmac
May 20 '14 at 3:56
Would they have a way of verifying your answer?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:15
Yes they verify it by our transcripts if we say we aced the papers (i.e. didn't fail any).
– user19562
May 20 '14 at 4:18
But I mean, can they verify whether you succeeded on the first try or not?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:31
If they only see that it was passed... but not how many attempts - and they have no way to verify... then I think game-theoretically, the answer is clear
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:33
 |Â
show 1 more comment
2
Hey Farooq, thanks for the clarification. I have made an aggressive edit to this question in the hopes that it will be clearer to answerers and get better questions. If you think I missed the point or didn't express your question correctly, please feel free to edit it yourself. Thanks in advance!
– jmac
May 20 '14 at 3:56
Would they have a way of verifying your answer?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:15
Yes they verify it by our transcripts if we say we aced the papers (i.e. didn't fail any).
– user19562
May 20 '14 at 4:18
But I mean, can they verify whether you succeeded on the first try or not?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:31
If they only see that it was passed... but not how many attempts - and they have no way to verify... then I think game-theoretically, the answer is clear
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:33
2
2
Hey Farooq, thanks for the clarification. I have made an aggressive edit to this question in the hopes that it will be clearer to answerers and get better questions. If you think I missed the point or didn't express your question correctly, please feel free to edit it yourself. Thanks in advance!
– jmac
May 20 '14 at 3:56
Hey Farooq, thanks for the clarification. I have made an aggressive edit to this question in the hopes that it will be clearer to answerers and get better questions. If you think I missed the point or didn't express your question correctly, please feel free to edit it yourself. Thanks in advance!
– jmac
May 20 '14 at 3:56
Would they have a way of verifying your answer?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:15
Would they have a way of verifying your answer?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:15
Yes they verify it by our transcripts if we say we aced the papers (i.e. didn't fail any).
– user19562
May 20 '14 at 4:18
Yes they verify it by our transcripts if we say we aced the papers (i.e. didn't fail any).
– user19562
May 20 '14 at 4:18
But I mean, can they verify whether you succeeded on the first try or not?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:31
But I mean, can they verify whether you succeeded on the first try or not?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:31
If they only see that it was passed... but not how many attempts - and they have no way to verify... then I think game-theoretically, the answer is clear
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:33
If they only see that it was passed... but not how many attempts - and they have no way to verify... then I think game-theoretically, the answer is clear
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:33
 |Â
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
You answer it by considering what lessons did you gain by having to do some of those exams in multiple attempts. You may say that this shows you have persistence to keep at something to overcome setbacks as one example though you'd have to do your own soul searching to see what upsides you have from your experiences.
Those that did well on every exam may not know how to handle the case where they are told, "Not good enough. Please try again," would be something to consider. Look at your resilience and ability to adapt here that could be part of a useful answer. Granted that you want to be careful that this doesn't seem like you enjoy making mistakes but rather you may have an attitude that, "If at first I don't succeed, I will try try again."
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
You answer it by considering what lessons did you gain by having to do some of those exams in multiple attempts. You may say that this shows you have persistence to keep at something to overcome setbacks as one example though you'd have to do your own soul searching to see what upsides you have from your experiences.
Those that did well on every exam may not know how to handle the case where they are told, "Not good enough. Please try again," would be something to consider. Look at your resilience and ability to adapt here that could be part of a useful answer. Granted that you want to be careful that this doesn't seem like you enjoy making mistakes but rather you may have an attitude that, "If at first I don't succeed, I will try try again."
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
You answer it by considering what lessons did you gain by having to do some of those exams in multiple attempts. You may say that this shows you have persistence to keep at something to overcome setbacks as one example though you'd have to do your own soul searching to see what upsides you have from your experiences.
Those that did well on every exam may not know how to handle the case where they are told, "Not good enough. Please try again," would be something to consider. Look at your resilience and ability to adapt here that could be part of a useful answer. Granted that you want to be careful that this doesn't seem like you enjoy making mistakes but rather you may have an attitude that, "If at first I don't succeed, I will try try again."
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
You answer it by considering what lessons did you gain by having to do some of those exams in multiple attempts. You may say that this shows you have persistence to keep at something to overcome setbacks as one example though you'd have to do your own soul searching to see what upsides you have from your experiences.
Those that did well on every exam may not know how to handle the case where they are told, "Not good enough. Please try again," would be something to consider. Look at your resilience and ability to adapt here that could be part of a useful answer. Granted that you want to be careful that this doesn't seem like you enjoy making mistakes but rather you may have an attitude that, "If at first I don't succeed, I will try try again."
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
You answer it by considering what lessons did you gain by having to do some of those exams in multiple attempts. You may say that this shows you have persistence to keep at something to overcome setbacks as one example though you'd have to do your own soul searching to see what upsides you have from your experiences.
Those that did well on every exam may not know how to handle the case where they are told, "Not good enough. Please try again," would be something to consider. Look at your resilience and ability to adapt here that could be part of a useful answer. Granted that you want to be careful that this doesn't seem like you enjoy making mistakes but rather you may have an attitude that, "If at first I don't succeed, I will try try again."
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
edited May 20 '14 at 4:11
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
answered May 20 '14 at 3:42
JB King
15.1k22957
15.1k22957
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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2
Hey Farooq, thanks for the clarification. I have made an aggressive edit to this question in the hopes that it will be clearer to answerers and get better questions. If you think I missed the point or didn't express your question correctly, please feel free to edit it yourself. Thanks in advance!
– jmac
May 20 '14 at 3:56
Would they have a way of verifying your answer?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:15
Yes they verify it by our transcripts if we say we aced the papers (i.e. didn't fail any).
– user19562
May 20 '14 at 4:18
But I mean, can they verify whether you succeeded on the first try or not?
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:31
If they only see that it was passed... but not how many attempts - and they have no way to verify... then I think game-theoretically, the answer is clear
– d'alar'cop
May 20 '14 at 4:33