Tell me about a time when you had to face a lot of rejection, maybe a string of 'no's in a row, and how you kept yourself motivated to keep going.
RoleSales Representative
DifficultyEasy
TopicBehavioral
Asked at
Why This Is Asked
Accenture's outbound telesales roles involve cold calling and persistent rejection. They want to know you have a concrete, honest way to reframe rejection and keep your performance consistent.
General Approach
Admit it affects you briefly; that shows self-awareness. Then describe a specific recovery action you took (a break, a script tweak, a micro-goal). End with a measurable outcome that proves you still delivered despite the bad streak.
General Answer
Treat rejection as a numbers game, not a verdict on your ability. First, set activity-based goals (calls made, contacts attempted) rather than only outcome-based goals, since outcomes are only partly in your control and a bad streak can be pure variance. After each 'no,' take a brief reset, note the objection or reason if one was given, then move to the next call rather than replaying it. Track your ratio (calls to appointments, or appointments to closes) over a rolling week rather than judging yourself call by call; this shows whether a run of rejections is normal variance or an actual pattern worth fixing. If it looks like a real pattern, review and adjust your opening or script rather than just pushing harder with the same approach. Build in small recovery habits, a short walk, water break, or a quick debrief with a teammate, so frustration doesn't compound across calls. At the end of each day, note one thing that worked and one thing to try differently tomorrow, so the string of no's becomes useful information rather than just a source of discouragement.
PH Interview Gotcha
Avoid saying 'It doesn't affect me because I just don't care about what people say.' In BPO culture that sounds defensive. Instead, be honest that it stings a little but you have a system, a short break or a self-check, to keep going without letting it build up.
Sample STAR Answer▾
S
Situation
During my summer job as a campus ambassador for a mobile prepaid brand, I had to approach students outside the cafeteria to sell reload cards and data offers. On a rainy Tuesday, I got 15 straight 'no thank you's in one hour.
T
Task
I needed to hit a daily target of 20 successful transactions and not let the rejection affect my energy and approach for the next person.
A
Action
I took a 5-minute break to step inside the cafeteria and bought a cup of coffee. I reviewed what I had been saying and realized I was rushing my greeting because of the rain. I decided to slow down and start with a warmer line: 'Maayong hapon! I know it's wet out there. Just checking if you need extra data for the week?' I then set a micro-goal: get two 'yes' in the next 15 minutes. I focused on small wins, not the number of rejections.
R
Result
I got my first 'yes' within the next three attempts, finished the hour with 4 successful transactions, and ended the day hitting 18 out of 20 targets.
Key Takeaway
Rejection is about your approach, not your worth; a small adjustment and a reset can change the momentum.
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