"Tell me about a specific time you failed to meet a deadline on a software project. What happened, how did you communicate it, and what did you do afterward to recover? If relevant, use a concrete Meta-style example such as an Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, or Ads surface launch."
This question tests ownership under pressure. At Meta, deadlines often matter because they affect cross-functional partners, launch sequencing, experiment timing, and user or revenue impact. I want to understand whether you can recognize risk early, make sound prioritization decisions under ambiguity, communicate bad news directly, and take responsibility without becoming defensive.
I’m also listening for how you balance execution with judgment. Missing a deadline is not automatically a negative signal; hiding risk, blaming dependencies, or failing to adapt usually is. Strong candidates show they can recover trust after a miss.
A strong answer is specific: one project, one deadline, clear stakeholders, and measurable consequences. Use STAR, spend most of your time on your actions, explain what you learned, and be explicit about what you changed in your planning or communication style afterward.