interview questions about decision making and problem solving

“I like to gather as much information as possible to aid in my decision, but I also consider how much time is available to me. Sometimes a decision needs to be made quickly, even if all the information can’t be gathered, so I weigh time versus information. Then I look at possible outcomes and the likely results of my decisions, and make the best choice for my team and my organization with the facts available.”

2. Give an example of a past decision you made (and the outcome)

This is good advice for pretty much all of the interview questions you face… don’t just say how you’d do something, give examples.

So when they ask how you make decisions, you’d give an answer like what I shared above and then go on to say something like this:

“…For example in my last job, I was presented with a tough decision while my boss was absent. I had to decide between fixing a piece of software we had already created, or starting over. It turned out that starting over would only take a few hours longer than applying a fix to what we had, and through some discussion with colleagues, I also determined that fixing what we currently had might still leave us open to a risk of future problems and issues. So I decided we should start over, spend the extra time now and avoid any future complications, and my boss completely agreed with the decision when he returned to the office.”

3. Try to seem as logical and fact-based as possible

In almost all cases, it’s best to seem logical when you describe how you make decisions. Show that you rely on facts and that you look to gather information before deciding. You want to show that you follow a predictable, reasonable method. The more difficult the decision, the more important this becomes. Don’t sound like you act on emotion or hunches. Employers don’t want to hire someone who’s going to be unpredictable, make decisions “on the fly”, etc. So the best way to put their mind at ease when answering decision-making questions is to show you follow a logical process. That’s my best advice here.

If a hiring manager asks “how do you make decisions?”… they want to see someone who consistently follows a plan to come to the right choice.

Example Answers to “How Do You Make Decisions?”

Let’s put everything together based on the three steps we looked at above. Here are two example answers for how you make effective decisions.

Answer Example #1 to “How Do You Make Decisions?”

“I like to gather as much information as possible to aid in my decision, but I also consider how much time is available to me. Sometimes a decision needs to be made quickly, even if all the information can’t be gathered, so I weigh time versus information. Then I look at possible outcomes and the likely results of my decisions, and make the best choice for my team and my organization with the facts available. For example in my last job, I was presented with a tough decision while my boss was absent. I had to decide between fixing a piece of software we had already created, or starting over. It turned out that starting over would only take a few hours longer than applying a fix to what we had, and through some discussion with colleagues, I also determined that fixing what we currently had might still leave us open to a risk of future problems and issues. So I decided we should start over, spend the extra time now and avoid any future complications, and my boss completely agreed with the decision when he returned to the office.”

Example Answer #2 to “How Do You Make Decisions?”

“The first thing I look at is the timeframe. If I have a week to make a decision, my approach is going to be different than if I have one hour. Once I’ve determined the time frame, I gather the key pieces of information that will help me make an informed decision. It’s not always possible to know the outcome 100%, but I try to gather as much information as possible to make an educated guess at what will give us the best result. Another technique I like to use a lot is risk analysis. Looking at the worst-case scenario and what can possibly go wrong with each decision is a good way to understand the pros and cons of different choices. It gives you a much clearer picture than if you only look at the best possible outcome of each choice.”

Example Answer #3 to “How Do You Make Decisions?”

“I’ve had to make a number of difficult decisions, and quick decisions, in my most recent position. I try to avoid making a decision in chaotic situations and instead step away to analyze the potential choices, risks, etc. Of course, I recognize that sometimes you need to make a decision in the moment and so I also feel comfortable making a fast decision without having time to step away. I think in general, I’ve been able to make good decisions in the workplace by weighing different options, utilizing the resources available to me such as company documentation, opinions of colleagues and my manager, and more, and then thinking through the likely outcomes and consequences of each choice.”

Making Effective Decisions: 11 Workplace Examples

To help you come up with more answer ideas for your job interview, all of the following are good examples of making effective decisions at work:

Stories incorporating any of the ideas above will show employers that you’re an effective decision-maker. Show that you have a well-defined decision-making process and that you use careful analysis and logic to come up with the right final decision. That’s what employers look for when they ask questions about your decision-making.

Note: It’s best to come up with an example that fits the job you’re interviewing for.

What key decision-making skills does this job require? For example, if this is a leadership role, then you should give an example of an effective decision you made using leadership skills. If the role is going to require more individual work and strong organizational skills, consider talking about how you’ve stayed organized, how you have excellent time management skills and used that to make the right decisions in the past, etc. That’s how to give the best possible answer about how you’ve gone about making effective decisions.

Answers to “Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Make a Decision Without all the Information You Needed”

Next, the interviewer may ask you a behavioral question like, “Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision without all the information you needed.” As you describe a situation, it’s important to tell a clear, concise story, starting with the basic situation, then going into the challenge or task you faced. Then, describe the solution you chose and the positive outcome you achieved.

This is referred to as the S.T.A.R. method: Situation. Task. Action. Result.

Examples of Making Effective Decisions Without All of the Information You Needed (Interview Answers)

“I was leading an important project for a client and two team members quit the company midway through the project. This happened just a few minutes before our scheduled call with the client, so I had to think quickly and use problem-solving skills and communication skills to inform the client what had happened and create a plan for how to proceed with the project. In the end, the client was okay with the situation and liked my decision and plan for how to move forward. I think my decision to go into the call with confidence even though I had been caught off-guard by the situation is what helped. Also, my transparency and clear communication with the client maintained their trust and strengthened our relationship.”

“I recently had a patient come into the hospital and we weren’t able to obtain his medical history. He was having an emergency and needed medication and I realized I didn’t have time to wait for all of the information to come in. I prioritized his safety and chose a treatment with the lowest chance of side effects or allergic reaction, while still ensuring it would resolve the primary issue he was admitted into the hospital for.”

When asked about a time you had to make a decision without all of the necessary information, or any other situation where you had to make a tough decision, always provide a decision-making example that shows a positive outcome. When possible, provide an example that relates to this employer’s job description, too. Describe a task or project where you used skills relevant to this employer’s job. The more you can relate your answers to an employer’s needs in the job interview, the more excited they’ll be about hiring you onto their team. It’s okay if your previous job isn’t exactly the same as this next job. Just find the overlaps and try to describe tasks that will seem relevant to this employer and team.

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Answering Decision-Making Interview Questions

There are a couple of mistakes to avoid when answering ANY question about decision-making, so I want to leave you with these mistakes now. This will help you answer the questions we looked at above, but also behavioral questions like, “tell me about a tough decision you had to make, and what happened?” Or, “tell me about a time you had to make a decision without all of the necessary information?”

The fact is, there are a nearly endless amount of questions employers could ask about how you make important decisions, so these mistakes will help you with all of those questions.

Mistake #1: Not seeming like you have a system or process for coming to a decision

You never want to sound like you just “wing it” or go with your gut feeling at the moment. Employers want to hear that you follow a process or a system. Show them you have a series of steps you go through to get to a logical conclusion.

Mistake #2: Not giving an example with a positive outcome

Don’t ever just explain how you make decisions in general and then stop. You should always try to share a specific story with a great outcome. Talk about the situation and challenges, why you chose the decision you did, and why. And then finally – share the great result it brought to your team/company! That’s what will get the interviewer excited when you’re talking about past decisions in the interview.

Mistake #3: Saying you can’t think of anything

Decision-making interview questions are NOT the type of question you want to draw a blank on! If you don’t have a good response ready to go, the interviewer will wonder if you’ve ever had to make decisions. And if they think you haven’t, they’re going to worry about hiring you because you’ll be unpredictable. Sure, maybe you’d turn out great, but maybe not. They want someone who’s “battle-tested” and has made tough decisions in the past. That’s the best way they can be pretty sure you’ll also perform well in their role. So make sure you practice and prepare your own answer after finishing this article! Don’t go into an interview without a specific example of a decision you made, why you made it, and how it turned out.

Conclusion: Answering “How Do You Make Decisions?” in a Job Interview

If you’ve read everything above, you now know how to explain your process for making important decisions. Make sure to practice and review the sample answers above, as well as the 10+ examples of making effective decisions in the workplace.

These should help you feel confident in delivering your own answer and showing employers that you practice good decision-making. Showing employers that you’ve made important decisions in the past will boost your chances of getting the job and prevent them from feeling anxious about whether you’ll make the right choices if hired for their job.

You don’t want them to have ANY concerns about your ability to make important decisions under pressure, and the steps above will help you handle this question.

Additional resources:

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Biron Clark

Biron Clark is a former executive recruiter who has worked individually with hundreds of job seekers, reviewed thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and recruited for top venture-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. He has been advising job seekers since 2012 to think differently in their job search and land high-paying, competitive positions.

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Decision-making

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Problem-Solving Interview Questions And Answers (With Examples)

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What Is a Problem-Solving Interview Question?

How to Answer a Problem-Solving Interview Question

Eight examples of common problem-solving interview questions and answers, interviewing successfully, curveball questions, problem-solving faq.

Summary. Problem-solving questions are used to focus on a candidates past experience with managing conflicts and overcoming obstacles in the workplace. When answering these questions, be sure to make your answer relevant to the position that you are applying to and be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to provide examples from previous experiences. Are you in the process of searching for a new job ? If so, you might be getting ready to meet with a hiring manager or a recruiter for a job interview. And if you’re like the majority of job candidates, this stage of the job search process is probably making you feel a fair bit of trepidation. And no wonder! The interview is a completely necessary step for any job search, but that doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking to meet with a prospective employer and answer questions about your personality , skills, and professional background. Key Takeaways: Being able to solve problems is a skill that almost all job positions need. Problem-solving questions assess a candidate’s ability to think on their feet, handle pressure, and find creative solutions to complex problems. Make sure your answer to a problem-solving question tells a story of you as an effective team player. What Is a Problem-Solving Interview Question?

A problem-solving interview question is a question that focuses on a candidate’s past experience with managing conflicts and overcoming unexpected obstacles in the workplace.

Problem-solving questions can come up in many different forms. As a general rule, however, they will be aimed at uncovering your ability to handle stress and uncertainty in a wide variety of contexts.

When you’re answering problem-solving interview questions, there are a few important tips to keep in mind:

Make your answers relevant to the position that you’re applying to. Always bear in mind that the fundamental goal of any interview question is to provide a hiring manager with a glimpse inside the mind of a candidate.

By asking you a problem-solving question, your interviewer is trying to understand whether or not you’re the type of person that could be relied upon under pressure or during a crisis. Every role, furthermore, comes with its own particular type of pressure.

Be honest about your strengths ( and weaknesses ). Hiring managers tend to be quite good at reading people. Therefore, if you give them a bogus response, they’re very likely to see through that – and to subsequently consider you to be untrustworthy.

Of course, it can be tempting at the moment to fabricate certain details in your response in the attempt to make yourself seem like a better candidate. But inventing details – however small – tends to backfire .

Tell stories that will portray you as a team player. Hiring managers and employers are always on the lookout for job candidates who will collaborate and communicate well amongst a broader team.

Be sure to provide examples of moments in which you took charge. Leadership skills are another key quality that hiring managers and employers seek out in job candidates. And being presented with a problem-solving question, as it turns out, is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your own leadership skills.

Now that we understand the basic principles of problem-solving interview questions and how to respond to them, we’re finally ready to break down some real-world examples. So without any further preamble, here are eight examples of common problem-solving interview questions (as well as some examples of how you might answer them):

Can you tell me about a time when you encountered an unexpected challenge in the workplace? How did you go about dealing with it?

Explanation: With this question , your interviewer will be attempting to get a sense of how well you’re able to adapt to unexpected difficulties. The critical thing to remember when you’re answering this question – as we briefly discussed above – is to recall an incident that will be directly relevant to the role and the organization that you’re applying to.

Here’s an example of a high-quality response to this question:

“I remember a particular day at my previous job when an important deadline was pushed up at the very last minute. As the project manager , it was my responsibility to implement the necessary steps that would enable us to meet this new and truncated deadline. “Many of my peers began to hang their heads, resigning themselves to their belief that there was no hope to meet the new deadline. But I’ve always prided myself on my ability to adapt and thrive within a dynamic and quick-paced work environment – and that’s precisely the personal skill set that I channeled on this occasion. In the end, I reorganized my team’s priorities so that we were able to accommodate the new deadline.”

How would you say you typically respond to problems in general, and in the workplace in particular?

Explanation: This question is primarily designed to gauge a candidate’s ability (or lack thereof) to remain cool, calm, and collected under pressure. The ideal response to this question, in other words, will include a brief personal anecdote that illustrates your level-headedness and your ability to make rational, clear decisions during times of uncertainty.

“I would say that one of the primary qualities that sets me apart from the crowd of other candidates is my ability to remain calm and centered when conditions in the workplace become chaotic. “Looking back, I think that I first began to cultivate this ability during my tenure as a product manager working with a major Silicon Valley start-up. That was a particularly stressful period, but it was also quite instructive – I learned a great deal about staying positive, focused, and productive after an unexpected challenge presented itself. “These days, when I’m confronted by an unexpected problem – whether it’s in my personal life or in my professional life – I immediately channel the conflict management skills that I’ve been honing throughout the duration of my career. This helps a great deal, and my skills in this regard are only continuing to improve.”

Can you tell me about a time when you’ve had to settle a workplace dispute between yourself and a manager or colleague?

Explanation: Always keep in mind that one of the fundamental goals of any problem-solving question is to help a hiring manager gain a clearer sense of a candidate’s ability to work with others.

This question, in particular, is designed to give your interviewer a clearer sense of how well you’re able to communicate and compromise with your colleagues. With that in mind, you should be sure to answer this question in a way that will display a willingness to be fair, empathetic, and respectful to your teammates.

“I recall an incident in my last job in which one of my colleagues felt that I had not provided him with adequate resources to enable him to be successful in a particular project. I was acting as team leader for that particular project, and so it was my responsibility to ensure that everyone in my team was equipped for success. Unfortunately, I had to learn through the proverbial grapevine that this particular colleague bore some ill will toward me. I’ve never been one to participate in idle gossip, and so I decided to speak with this person so that we could begin to find a solution and address his grievances. So I crafted an email to him asking him if he would be interested in joining me for coffee the following day. He accepted the invitation, and during our coffee break, we were able to talk at length about the damage that he felt had been done to him. We devised a mutually agreeable solution on the spot. From then on, we had no significant problems between us.”

Are there any steps that you’ll regularly take during the early stages of a new project to ensure that you’ll be able to manage unexpected problems that occur down the road?

Explanation: This question, above all, is designed to test your ability to plan ahead and mitigate risk. These are both essential qualities that employers typically seek out in job candidates, particularly those who are being vetted for a management or leadership role.

When you’re answering this question, it’s important to emphasize your ability to look ahead towards the future and anticipate potential risks. As with the previous examples that we’ve already examined, the best way to communicate this ability is to provide your interviewer with a concrete example from your previous work history.

“I live my life – and I conduct my work – according to a single, incredibly important motto: “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” I’m a firm believer, in other words, of the primacy of careful planning. Without it, projects are almost always doomed to fail. “In my previous role as a marketing content writer with a major software company, I strived to apply this motto to my work every single day. “Here’s an example: About a year ago, I was responsible for overseeing and launching a new content strategy aimed at driving up consumer engagement. From the very outset, I understood that that particular project could be run off the rails if we did not take into account a considerable number of factors. “I won’t bore you with all of the nitty-gritty details, but the point is that this was a particularly sensitive project that required diligent and careful risk assessment. “Having realized that, my colleagues and I devised a comprehensive and flexible strategy for managing many risks that we envisioned would be awaiting us down the road. That initial step – looking ahead towards the future and mapping out the terrain of potential hazards – proved to be an essential measure for the success of the project.”

Do you consider your problem-solving capabilities to be above average?

Explanation: Hiring managers are always on the lookout for job candidates that stand out from the crowd. It’s even better when they can find a job candidate who knows that they stand out and who expresses that knowledge by being confident in their abilities.

At the same time, it’s never in a job candidate’s best interests to come across as egotistical or arrogant. When you’re responding to a question like this (that is, a question that’s focused on your ability to assess your own talents), it’s important to do your best to come across as self-assured but not pompous.

“Yes, all things considered, I would say that I have a talent for risk assessment, problem-solving, and risk mitigation. “That said, I can’t claim complete ownership over these abilities. In most cases, my demonstrated success in managing risk and solving problems in the workplace can be attributed at least as much to my team members as it can to me. For me to be able to be a successful problem-solver, it helps to be surrounded by colleagues whom I can trust.”

How would you describe your typical immediate reaction to unexpected challenges? Do you prefer to jump straight into the problem-solving process, or do you more commonly take some time to analyze and assess the problem before you dive in?

Explanation: This question is aimed at gauging your patience levels. This one can be a bit tricky because employers will sometimes prefer different responses – it all depends on the type of position and employer you’re applying for.

If you’re applying for a role in a quick-paced working environment that demands swift action , it will benefit you to describe your problem-solving strategy as unflinching and immediate.

If, on the other hand, the role you’re applying to does not demand such immediate action, it will probably be better to describe yourself as a more removed and relaxed problem solver.

But as always, you should never lie to your employer. Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle of these two types of problem solvers and will thereby have no difficulty painting ourselves honestly as one or the other.

However, if you’re definitely one type or the other, then you should describe yourself as such. This will make it much more likely that you’ll end up in a position that will be maximally rewarding both for you and for your employer.

“In most cases, my response to an unexpected problem will entirely depend on the nature of the problem at hand. If it demands immediate action, then I’ll dive right in without hesitation. “If, however, I determine that it would be more beneficial to take a step back and analyze the nature of the problem before we begin to meddle with it, then that’s exactly what I’ll do. “Generally speaking, I would say that I prefer the latter approach – that is, to take a step back and think things through before I begin to try to find a solution. In my experience, this makes it much easier for everyone involved to arrive at a practical and sustainable solution. “That said, I’m also perfectly capable of jumping straight into a problem if it demands immediate attention.”

Can you tell us about a time in which you had to explain a technically complicated subject to a client or customer? How did you approach that process, and how did it turn out?

Explanation: Strong communication skills are essential in the modern workplace. That means that employers tend to seek out job candidates that communicate well with their colleagues and individuals who have varying professional backgrounds and skill sets, including clients, customers, and third-party professionals.

“I recall an incident from many years ago – while I was working as a software engineer for a prominent robotics company – in which I found myself in the position of having to describe incredibly complex engineering details to a client. “This client had no prior experience in software engineering or artificial intelligence, so I had to relate this esoteric information more or less in layman terms. “Thankfully, I was able to employ some useful metaphors and analogies to communicate the information in a manner that this client could appreciate and understand. We went on to establish a successful collaborative partnership that flourished for four years.”

How would you rate your ability to work and succeed without direct supervision from your managers?

Explanation: Employers always tend to place a high value on job candidates who are self-motivated and can maintain high levels of productivity without constant supervision.

This is especially true now that the COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly made it necessary for so many millions of employers to transition to a remote workforce model. This question is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to stay focused and motivated while working remotely or without supervision.

“I’ve always considered myself – and my resume and references will support this – to be an exceptionally self-motivated individual, even when I’m working from home. “In fact, like many employees, I often find that my productivity levels tend to increase when I’m working remotely. I strive to set a positive example for my colleagues, even when we’re not all working under the same roof.”

Generally speaking, the best strategy for success in interviewing for a new job is doing your research beforehand. That means that you should be intimately familiar with the role, department, and company that you’re applying to before you step into the room (or log on to the Zoom meeting ) on the day of your interview.

When you preemptively take the time to carefully research the organization as a whole – and the responsibilities of the job opportunity in particular – you’ll minimize your chances of being caught off guard by an unexpectedly difficult question .

Still, there is only so much background information that you can uncover about an organization and a role before a job interview. No matter how carefully you prepare and how much background research you conduct, there are very likely going to be curveball questions during your job interview that you can’t predict.

In fact, many employers prefer to ask curveball questions (in addition to more run of the mill job interview questions) because they provide an insightful glimpse into a job candidate’s analytical thinking skills – not just their ability to memorize and recite answers to more common interview questions .

To that end, many hiring managers will ask job candidates to answer one or more problem-solving questions during a typical job interview. In contrast to traditional interview questions (such as: “Why do you think that you would be a good fit for this role?”

Or: “What do you consider to be your greatest professional achievement up to the current moment?”), problem-solving questions are specifically designed to assess a job candidate’s ability to think on their feet, handle real pressure, and find creative solutions to complex problems.

They’re also commonly referred to as analytical skills interview questions because they’re designed to gauge a candidate’s ability to make analytical decisions in real-time.

What are problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving skills include skills like research, communication, and decision making. Problem-solving skills allow for you to identify and solve problems effectively and efficiently. Research skills allow for you to identify the problem.

Communication skills allow for you to collaborate with others to come up with a plan to solve the problem. Decision making skills allow you to choose the right solution to the problem.

Why do interviewers ask problem-solving interview questions?

Interviewers ask problem-solving interview questions to see how candidate will approach and solve difficult situations. Interviewers want to see how you handle stress and uncertainty before hiring you for a position. Problem-solving is an important part of the everyday workday so they need to be sure you are capable of solving problems.

How do you solve a problem effectively?

To solve problems effectively you should first break the problem down and try different approaches. Breaking the problem up into different parts will help you have a better understanding and help you decide what your next step is going to be.

Once you see the different parts of the problem, trying different approaches to solve the problem can help you solve it faster. This will also help you determine the appropriate tools you need to solve the problem.

U.S. Department of Labor – Interview Tips

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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Problem solving and decision making interview questions

1. Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. What did you do? What was the outcome? What do you wish you had done

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Interview Questions About Problem Solving & Decision Making

Behavioral Questions About Problem Solving Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. Describe a situation in which you found a

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25 examples of behavioral interview questions and how to answer them

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What are behavioral interview questions?

Behavioral interview questions are questions that hiring managers ask in order to get a better understanding of how you react to certain situations.

These behavioral interview questions, sometimes called anecdotal interview questions, ask candidates to tell a story about specific instances from their careers. These types of questions give hiring managers a better look into a candidate’s work style and personality, but they also allow the candidate to prove why they are the best person for the position.

When a candidate is asked a behavioral question, they should have stories prepared that highlight them in the best possible light.

Why are behavioral questions used?

Used correctly, you’ll find that it can be used to look for consistency in answers and how to identify how an employee will prove out with specific questions. Are we going to assess soft skills like problem-solving or critical thinking or their speaking skills?

The other thing that you can assess when you decide to use these kinds of interview questions is…is the candidate prepared? Is the interviewer able to compare and contrast specifics? So are they using the interview guide? So there are certain things that my interviewer is prepared to use behavioral questions because they have documented questions, it’s structured, they are looking at the answers, they can compare and contrast one interviewee to the other, and then also we look for consistencies in behaviors as interviews are answering the questions.

Examples of behavioral interview questions

Behavioral questions about decision making and problem-solving

Behavioral questions about leadership

Behavioral questions about motivation

Behavioral questions about communication

Behavioral questions about interpersonal skills

Behavioral questions about planning and organization

Behavioral questions about professional feedback

How do you answer behavioral questions in an interview?

Many professionals, including Cassady, suggest using the STAR method to answer behavioral interview questions.

The STAR method is a procedure that can be used to provide thoughtful answers that contain fully-formed beginnings, middles, and ends. STAR stands for Situation, Task at hand, Action you took, and Result. This method allows you to tell a story that starts with the situation, moves to the task you were assigned, goes onto the action you took, and finish up with the result of what happened in this particular instance. These stories are most impressive to interviewers because they show how you actually act in the workplace.

“I can tell when I’m interviewing if somebody thought about the interview prior to showing up to the interview in terms of how specifically or thoroughly they answer questions,” Cassady said.

According to Cassady, the characteristics of a great behavioral interview answer are:

How do you practice behavioral questions before an interview?

The best way to practice answering behavioral interviews before an interview is to actually tell the stories ahead of the interview.

“Preparation is always the key to an effective interview,” Cassady said.

First, you should think about situations from your career when you exhibited particular soft skills that the questions ask about.

Next, you should use the examples of the behavioral questions to make a list of which situations will be useful to discuss during interviews. You can go even further by writing down each situation using the STAR method.

Most importantly, you should actually practice telling these stories to someone. Most people don’t have a professional interview coach to practice with, so instead grab a friend or family member and provide them with a list of behavioral questions that they can ask you.

The Talkative Man

Behavioral Interview Questions by Competency: Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

Behavioral Interview Questions: Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

Problem-Solving and decision-making is the ability to use a systematic approach in solving problems through analysis of problem and evaluation of alternate solutions; use logic, mathematics or other problem solving tools in data analysis or in generating solutions. Ability to take action in solving problems while exhibiting judgment and a realistic understanding of issues; Ability to reason, even when dealing with emotional topics.

20 Problem Solving Interview Questions to Find Your Next Rockstar

Interviews today can break or make a candidate’s career. Therefore, as a company, you should make sure that you ask questions relevant to the job and help understand the candidate’s real potential.

You must ask problem-solving questions for interviews as they help you in understanding how your candidate would react in a particular situation.

There are several problem-solving interview questions answers you must have handy while you are about to interview a candidate. The best problem-solving interview questions will help you in getting the right talent for the company .

Problem-solving questions for interviews

Some problem-solving questions can reflect the creative as well as the analytical bent of the candidate’s mind. Listed below are some excellent analytical and problem-solving skills interview questions and answers :

1. What do you do when in a significant problem?

This question can help you understand the problem tackling mechanism that the candidate has in place. You can lookout for a logical step-by-step process. The approach used by every candidate here would be different and personal.

Make sure they can give a structure to the answer they give. Here, you can see the candidate’s approach to the research he has taken up to find solutions to a problem.

2. Tell me about an incident where you came across an unexpected challenge at work.

This is one of the most common problem-solving questions for interviews. Here, the candidate tends to answer or tackle the question from the experiences of his past.

The candidate can ideally use a more structured approach like a STAR approach to answering these questions. Make sure that the candidate has actionable points in his response.

3. Do you consider both the pros as well as cons before making a decision?

This will help the interviewer in understanding the problem-solving process that the candidate takes. It is essential to weigh both pros and cons of a situation. The candidate should structure their response in a way that highlights all aspects of the problem at hand.

4. How will you handle a dissatisfied customer?

Unpleasant questions tend to bring out the fundamental problem-solving skills of a candidate. It would be best if they talk about a situation where they approached the customer with a calm demeanor or a similar story.

5. What kind of metrics do you track regularly?

This question will help the interviewer understand how much control the candidate has over life. There will surely be one thing that you keep a tab on. Make sure you try and understand their approach when it comes to prioritizing metrics.

6. Have you ever had to change your planned course of action?

This will help the interviewer in understanding how the candidate deals with stressful situations. As a candidate, they can talk about a situation that they came across that was not foreseen.

You can also expect answers on how they handled an unexpected event while they were a part of a planned event.

7. How would you react if your manager asks you for a suggestion that might increase your team’s productivity?

This question can be considered as one of the best creative problem-solving examples for an interview . Ensure that your candidate’s answers should be something that does not give an eccentric impression of them.

8. Describe a time when you had to solve a problem without any necessary information available to you

In these cases, the interviewer is looking at your creativity level. The candidates should come up with an unconventional technique that they used while solving a problem.

This will help you understand the candidates better. The solution can be hypothetical, but they must share the approach with you.

9. Tell us about a situation where you overcame a problem using a creative solution.

Such questions are pretty standard. Recruiters are looking for a candidate who is analytical but at the same time creative too.

Ensure that the candidates come up with the most unique and creative approach. They should try using visual elements which can help your interviewer visualize the entire scene.

10. Describe an incident where you went ahead of your zone to get things done.

The initiative is one of the best skills recruiters look for in a candidate. Make sure that the candidate shares a story where they took the initiative and got things done. Tangible results are worth talking about in an interview.

11. Have you ever tried to break the rules and do things your way?

Modern recruiters are looking for people who can break the glass. This is increasingly becoming a prevalent question in interviews. All of us have tried breaking the rules one way or the other. Make sure that the candidate doesn’t shy away from answering such questions.

12. Tell us about the most innovative solution to a problem that you have proposed to someone.

Companies are growing organizations. They are on a hunt for the most talented and innovative person for their company.

Make sure that your candidate talks about a start-up idea that he had or a college project where he applied his creativity and innovation from scratch.

13. Describe a situation where you could trace an active opportunity hidden in a problem? How did you make use of the opportunity?

Problems are a veil on a great opportunity. Recruiters are keen on knowing how you can treat a problem like a lesson. An ideal candidate should talk about a problem that they solved in real life. They should speak about the learnings that he gained from tackling that problem.

14. Are there any steps you take before deciding or coming to a conclusion? Walk us through the process?

Recruiters look for a structure in these answers. An ideal candidate will come up with a solution where you can easily understand the steps required. Some candidates even use a STAR approach to answer these questions.

15. Describe an incident where you decided to stand up against injustice.

Again, these questions are asked to check how good you are at taking the initiative. These questions test your candidate’s definition of right and wrong.

Make sure that your candidate’s answers are either black or white. If they venture into the grey area, it will create a lot of confusion and ambiguity.

16. Have you ever owned up to someone else’s mistakes? How did you deal with it?

This question tries to understand how good you are at working in a team. It is crucial to be honest in answering these questions. Ensure that your candidates reply honestly if they haven’t been in a similar situation.

17. How would you tackle a situation where your manager fails to listen to your suggestions?

These questions are asked to understand how you will approach a problem in a workspace. Ensure that the candidate takes a collaborative approach and does not end up taking an extreme route like going to HR, etc., while answering the questions.

18. Have you ever used a different approach to solve a problem? Just take us through the steps.

Creativity has now become a vital skill for recruiters. Interviewees are expected to talk about an unconventional problem where they cannot apply usual solutions. Such approaches will help you determine their creativity levels.

19. Have you ever faced a bottleneck while understanding a tool or technology at work? How did you overcome the challenges?

Companies function in dynamic business environments. Flexibility is the element recruiters are looking for. Honesty is the key to analyze the candidature here. He should be honest in answering these questions as then only you can plan some pieces of training for him.

20. Have you ever missed an important work deadline? How did you handle the situation?

The recruiter wants to check how good the candidate is at accepting mistakes. Most of us have missed essential deadlines at least once. Check if the candidate is being honest and talks about why he missed the particular deadline. Understanding the reasons is important.

You can make a quiz where you list down all problem-solving multiple-choice questions and answers . Such challenges can prepare you well for taking an interview to check the interviewees’ problem-solving skills.

Springworks Team

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COMMENTS

8 Common Problem-Solving Interview Questions and Answers
Describe a time when you had to solve a problem, but didn't have all the necessary information about it beforehand. What did you do? 1. When you are faced with a problem, what do you do? Tip: Employers typically ask this question to understand what your problem-solving process looks like.
10 Decision Making Interview Questions [Updated 2023]
Decision Making Interview Questions Can you define critical thinking? See answer What types of decisions were you required to make at your previous job? See answer If you were tasked with hiring employees, how would you decide between two good candidates? See answer Show more questions 10 Decision Making Interview Questions and Answers Q:
Decision-making interview questions and answers
Examples of decision-making interview questions Two employees are having regular conflicts with each other and often disturb the team's balance. How would you handle this situation? Describe a time you made an unpopular decision. How did you handle the feedback? How would you have handled the situation differently?
Top 20 Problem Solving Interview Questions (Example Answers Included)
Here's a look at the top three problem-solving interview questions and example responses. 1. Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a challenging problem? In the land of problem-solving questions, this one might be your best-case scenario.
Problem-solving interview questions and answers
Examples of problem-solving interview questions Describe a time you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you do it and what was the result? Give an example of a time you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent. Tell me about a time you predicted a problem with a stakeholder. How did you prevent it from escalating?
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I think the key problem solving skills here were taking initiative, communicating clearly, and reacting quickly to solve this problem before it became an even bigger issue. Example Answer 3: In my current marketing role, my manager asked me to come up with a solution to our declining social media engagement.
20+ Decision-Making Interview Questions to Ask Candidates
Here are the questions to ask your candidates to assess their decision-making skills: You have a number of different choices or options you could choose to solve a problem. what's the process you would follow to make a decision that would result in a positive outcome?
10 problem-solving interview questions to find top talent
Question 1: Describe a situation where you had to solve a problem. What did you do? what was the result? What might you have done differently? This question tests their problem-solving ability. As an employer, you want to hire people that get things done and when faced with a problem actively solve it. There are three steps to solving a problem:
10 Problem-Solving Interview Questions (With Example Answers)
Here you will find frequently asked questions about problem-solving interview questions and example answers: 1. Can you describe how you solve a problem? Hiring managers may ask this question to identify your problem-solving process. Ensure your answer explains some of the key elements of problem-solving mentioned above.
Problem-Solving Questions For Interview (With Examples And Tips)
Problem-Solving Questions With Sample Answers Below are some examples of problem-solving questions with answers: 1. What is your course of action when you face a problem? The interviewer may be trying to find out your problem-solving process when they ask this question.
"How Do You Make Important Decisions?" Example Interview Answers
In this section, I'm going to give you 3 steps for answering decision-making interview questions like, "Tell me how you make decisions.". Then in the next section, we'll look at three word-for-word answer examples. Here are the steps to create a great answer: 1. Show that you have a system for reaching the right decision.
Problem-Solving Interview Questions (With Example Answers)
An interviewer may ask a problem-solving interview question in various ways. This is going to vary depending on the industry and the specific role in question. However, there are some common formats for asking these questions. Some examples are: Can you tell me about a time you were confronted with a problem? How did you approach it?
Decision-making Interview Questions
Decision-making interview questions How would you mediate a dispute between two employees? Describe a time you made an unpopular decision (woops). How did you handle the feedback? Would you do anything differently? Would you describe yourself as a team player or a lone wolf? Why? When do you ask for help?
Problem-Solving Interview Questions And Answers (With Examples)
Or: "What do you consider to be your greatest professional achievement up to the current moment?"), problem-solving questions are specifically designed to assess a job candidate's ability to think on their feet, handle real pressure, and find creative solutions to complex problems.
Decision-Making Interview Questions
Examples of decision-making interview questions and sample answers Use the following examples to help you prepare for your interview: 1. Can you describe a time when you made a difficult decision? This question aims to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to evaluate a situation to make the best possible choice.
Problem solving and decision making interview questions
Answering Problem Solving Interview Questions Examples of problem-solving interview questions Describe a time you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you do it and what was the result? Give an example of a time you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent. Tell me about a time you predicted a problem with a ...
25 examples of behavioral interview questions and how to answer them
Examples of behavioral interview questions. Behavioral questions about decision making and problem-solving. Q1: Describe a situation in which you used good judgment and logic to solve a problem ...
Behavioral Interview Questions by Competency: Problem-Solving and
Ability to take action in solving problems while exhibiting judgment and a realistic understanding of issues; Ability to reason, even when dealing with emotional topics. Behavioral Interview Question: "Good problem solving often includes a careful review of the facts and weighing of options before making a decision. Give me an example of how ...
Problem-Solving Interview Questions and How to Answer Them ...
It's essential to understand the five steps of solving a problem to feel confident in answering problem-solving questions during your interview. They are: Gather data and analyze what caused the problem. Brainstorm all possible solutions to the problem. Evaluate the pros and cons of each solution.
20 Best Problem-Solving Interview Questions To Ask Candidates
The candidate should structure their response in a way that highlights all aspects of the problem at hand. 4. How will you handle a dissatisfied customer? Unpleasant questions tend to bring out the fundamental problem-solving skills of a candidate.