Goldman Sachs's 2027 Video Interview uses this scenario to test integrity, judgment, and communication after a mistake has already entered a work product. The fact that the section is rarely reviewed makes disclosure more important, not less.
The real question
The bullets ask for both your action and the reasoning that controls it.
You have just turned in a critical monthly report on behalf of the team to your manager. You realize there is a mistake on a part of the report that is rarely reviewed. What would you do, and who would you talk to about it? • What would be your thought process for determining what to do? • What factors would you consider? • How do you think your action would be received?
How you lose points
- Waiting to see if anyone notices: Low visibility does not reduce responsibility.
- Correcting silently: A changed file does not address decisions made from the submitted version.
- Escalating without triage: You need enough facts to explain impact and urgency.
- Blaming the process: Context matters, but ownership must come first.
- Stopping at apology: The answer needs correction and prevention steps.
How you pass
Act quickly and proportionately. Confirm the error, determine what it affects, notify the manager who received the report, involve the relevant team member or subject expert, and provide a corrected version with a concise explanation.
- Verify the mistake before creating noise.
- Assess materiality, downstream use, deadline, and affected stakeholders.
- Tell the manager what is wrong, what is unaffected, and what you recommend.
- Correct the report and document the revised version clearly.
- Add a control that reduces the chance of repetition.
For example, in a hypothetical monthly report, you find that one formula excludes a small data category. You reproduce the error, calculate whether any conclusion changes, alert your manager immediately, and send a corrected file with a version note. You then add a validation check to the next reporting cycle. This response protects trust because it combines candour with action.
A manager may be disappointed by the error but should not be surprised by your behaviour. Prompt ownership is easier to trust than quiet hope.
Get the ones for your firm
This is one Goldman Sachs question. OpenInterview has the complete questions for the firm so you can practise the full assessment and the judgment shifts between prompts.
