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Openai·Software Engineer·Onsite - Behavioral / Leadership·Senior

Senior
May 2026

Summary

Behavioral screen for a SWE role at OpenAI. Just the one question from what I can tell, pretty standard stuff but OpenAI tends to push harder on the follow-ups than most places.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Tell me about a time something went seriously wrong on a project and how you handled it.

Adaptability & AmbiguityConflict Resolution
Author's notes

Classic question but I always fumble the 'how you reacted' part because I focus too much on explaining the situation.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Choose a specific project where a serious issue occurred, and structure your answer using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Focus on your problem-solving process, how you communicated with stakeholders, and what you learned to prevent recurrence.

Pro tip: Emphasize the steps you took to mitigate the issue and the long-term preventive measures you implemented, showing ownership and a growth mindset. Avoid blaming others; instead, highlight collaboration and learning.

1. Set the Context

Briefly describe the project, your role, and the specific problem that occurred, including its impact on users or the business.

2. Explain Your Immediate Actions

Detail the steps you took to diagnose and contain the issue, such as debugging, rolling back changes, or coordinating with the team.

3. Describe the Resolution

Explain how you fixed the problem, including any collaboration with others, and how you verified the fix.

4. Highlight Preventive Measures

Discuss the long-term changes you implemented to prevent similar issues, such as adding tests, improving monitoring, or updating processes.

5. Share Learnings

Reflect on what you learned from the experience and how it improved your skills or approach to future projects.

Key Points to Mention

  • Ownership and accountability for the mistake or issue
  • Effective communication with team members and stakeholders during the crisis
  • Technical problem-solving and debugging skills
  • Collaboration and teamwork in resolving the issue
  • Implementation of preventive measures (e.g., automated tests, monitoring, code reviews)
  • Personal growth and lessons learned for future projects

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.