Facebook's VP of HR explains why he isn't impressed by your stories of success in a job interview

pulse

March 3, 2017 5:47 PM

Facebook's VP of HR Tudor Havriliuc says a list of accomplishments and achievements isn't enough in a job interview.

Everyone likes a winner.

So it makes sense to talk about your triumphs during a job interview, right?

You want to make sure the hiring manager understands exactly how you can bring value to the company.

But, according to Facebook's VP of HR Tudor Havriliuc, talking about your failures can actually give you an edge.

Havriliuc recently hit the road as part of Glassdoor's Best Places to Work Roadshow. The series focuses on how some of the best-ranked companies on Glassdoor honed their cultures. The Best Places to Work Roadshow is ongoing till the end of March (and can be viewed as a livestream, as well).

"If you always succeed in everything you do, you're probably not being aggressive enough and you're not setting a high enough goal or bar for yourself," he tells Business Insider.

He says that he's always impressed by people who are willing to bring up their struggles in an interview.

"What impresses me in an interview is when people are so honest about sharing times where they might have tried and failed," he says.

So don't skirt around talking about a time that you tried your best and failed anyway. You'll come across as more authentic, and prove that you're up for challenges and risks.

"We are a company that really encourages people trying things," Havriliuc told Business Insider. "We don't look down on failure. We understand that it's very much a part of self-improvement and improving our product. We run the company with very aggressive goals, so we want to see that in our people."

pulse