What to do if you miss a deadline?
We (almost) all know it: stressing out about meeting an unrealistic deadline. This can be a particularly frustrating (and common) problem for software developers, who are often hit by deadlines set by product, project, or engineering managers.
The reality, however, is that not meeting deadlines can negatively affect others' perception of your work and your skills, even if the initial timeframe and expectations were unrealistic (and regardless of the quality of work you end up producing). This can be an issue throughout the work lifecycle - from deadlines for take-home tests at job interviews to project deadlines on the job. Here are some strategies to protect your reputation when you know you're going to miss a deadline.
Do you really have to miss the deadline?
It can be difficult for highly motivated employees not to do a perfect job, but sometimes it can make sense to hand something over before the deadline.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Of course, everyone has their own priorities - but meeting deadlines is generally in the best interest of the team, and asking for help can also be an indication that you may be behind schedule. This is all the more relevant if you have problems due to a lack of knowledge or skills. If you get help now, you can become faster in the future and gain new skills from these experiences.
Communication is key
If you definitely miss a deadline, you should first communicate with the relevant stakeholders. It can be tempting to put off this in the hope that you can finish the project at the last minute. However, it's far better to communicate directly that you're likely to miss the deadline (and maybe surprise people if you finish earlier than expected) than to break the bad news to your team without notice.
During the application process, candidates often submit their test assignments too late because they are interviewing many companies. This can affect the chances of employment. Instead, let your contact know before the deadline that you need extra time instead of having to apologize afterwards.
Outline the options
With large projects, there are often options or alternatives that you can suggest to the relevant stakeholders - be proactive with suggestions! While the full-scale Dev/IT project simply takes more time, smaller parts may be able to finish sooner, or you can suggest additional resources to speed things up.
To make up for your lateness, you could also offer a bonus to the team, the interviewer, or whoever is waiting for your work. While this doesn't affect the fact that you missed the deadline, it can send a signal that you recognize your mistakes and are ready to make up for it.
Propose a new schedule
Make sure you can offer a new schedule. If it's a larger project, you should include new milestones so the relevant stakeholders can monitor your progress. Meanwhile, you should be open to suggestions from others. At the same time, taking accountability is a key element in maintaining your credibility after a missed deadline.
Additionally, if this is a project for someone you have an ongoing relationship with (e.g. a client or your team at work) it is worth proposing your own action plan to avoid a similar situation in the future. This shows that you can already plan ahead.
