Tell me about a time you faced rejection or a setback. How did you handle it?

Why This Is Asked
Sales roles inevitably involve rejection, and RCBC wants trainees who are resilient, learn from setbacks, and maintain a positive, growth-oriented attitude.
General Approach
Share a real rejection experience, explain your emotional reaction briefly, then focus on the concrete actions you took to improve. End with a positive outcome, showing how you turned a setback into a learning opportunity.
Sample STAR Answer▾
Situation
As a part-time sales representative for a telco, I was tasked with converting prepaid users to a new postpaid plan in a mall kiosk.
Task
I needed to meet a daily quota of five conversions, but on a particularly slow day, I was rejected by over a dozen customers in a row.
Action
Instead of feeling discouraged, I asked my supervisor to observe my pitch. She noticed I was rushing the value proposition. I adjusted my approach by first building rapport, asking about their typical data usage, and then personalizing the plan benefits. I also tracked objections on a notepad and prepared responses for the next interaction.
Result
By the end of the week, I exceeded my quota by 30% and was recognized as the top converter for that month. The experience taught me that rejection is feedback, not failure.
Attempt Your Answer
Write your own answer, then get instant AI feedback graded against:
- •STAR Structure
- •Specificity & Numbers
- •Ownership Language
- •PH Workplace Context
Log in to get AI feedback on your answer.
Log In