How One Challenges a Proposed Idea Affects the Quality of Subsequent Discussion. Describe

TEAMWORK

Tell me about a situation when you provided full support for a team decision that you didn’t agree with.
How one challenges a proposed idea affects the quality of subsequent discussion. Describe a time when you challenged an idea in a way that promoted constructive discussion of alternative views. How did you do so?
Tell me about a challenging situation when you worked to earn trust and credibility within your team by completing your share of the team’s work.
Tell me about a success you had in collaborating with team members to brainstorm creative approaches.
Think of a time when you worked closely with someone who clearly had a different perspective, background or style than you. Tell me what you did to be able to work effectively with this person despite your differences.
Describe a project that required input from people at different levels in the organization.
Share a rewarding team experience.
Give me an example of a team project that failed.
Tell me about a team project when you had to work with someone difficult.
Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that?
Describe a time when you struggled to build a relationship with someone important. How did you eventually overcome that?
We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague.
Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?

CLIENT-FACING SKILLS

Think of a positive experience a customer had because you had independently anticipated and met their needs. Tell me about it.
Describe an effort in which you actively sought feedback from a customer and then used that feedback to improve your future work.
Describe a difficult situation in which you accepted full responsibility for the outcomes of your work. What happened?
Tell me about a time when you used data and logic to influence another person’s decision.
Describe something you’ve done that shows how well you recognize the impact of your behavior on others.
Think of a potentially volatile or emotionally charged interaction where you needed to remain calm and professional. Walk me through how you handled the situation.
Give an example of a time you had to respond to an unhappy manager/customer/colleague.
Describe a time when it was especially important to make a good impression on a client. How did you go about doing so?
Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a client’s expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
Tell me about a time when you made sure a customer was pleased with your service.
Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?
When you’re working with a large number of customers, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to them all. How do you go about prioritizing your customers’ needs?

ABILITY TO ADAPT

Describe a decision you made that shows your use of good judgment in routine, day-to-day decisions.
Often people are uncomfortable embracing an organizational change. Describe a time when you supported an organizational change effort-regardless of personal comfort in doing so.
Think of a situation in which you dealt positively with a change that affected you.
Please provide an example that shows how you do everything possible to meet goals and deadlines.
Describe a situation where you adjusted your own interpersonal approach to fit the interpersonal styleor needs of others.
Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure. What was going on, and how did you get through it?
Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?
Tell me about the first job you’ve ever had. What did you do to learn the ropes?
Give me an example of a time when you had to think on your feet in order to delicately extricate yourself from a difficult or awkward situation.
Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with this situation?

TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Describe something you’ve done that illustrates how you avoid wasting time on tasks that yield low value.
Think of a time when you did an especially good job of using resources efficiently. What did you do and how did you do it?
Tell me about a time when you did a good job of maintaining high productivity in a stressful situation.
Tell me about a time you had to be very strategic in order to meet all your top priorities.
Describe a long-term project that you managed. How did you keep everything moving along in a timely manner?
Sometimes it’s just not possible to get everything on your to-do list done. Tell me about a time your responsibilities got a little overwhelming. What did you do?
Tell me about a time you set a goal for yourself. How did you go about ensuring that you would meet your objective?
Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Describe how you went out of your way to develop an effective working relationship with someone who could help promote acceptance of your ideas.
Think of a time when a situation required you to be tactfully and helpfully honest. What did you say and how did you say it?
Describe a time when you treated someone at work in a way that clearly demonstrated respect, perhaps when you think others might not have.
Describe a time when you used active and attentive listening skills to verify that you understood correctly.
Tell me about a time when you adapted the content and delivery of a communication to ensure that it would be meaningful to a particular audience.
Describe a time when you expressed an opinion that was different from others’, possibly to your manager or in an open forum.
Tell me about a situation where you responded constructively to a difference of opinion. What did you do and say?
Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work.
Tell me about a time that you disagreed with a rule or approach.
Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see things your way at work.
Describe a time when you were the resident technical expert. What did you do to make sure everyone was able to understand you?
Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to get your ideas across to your team.
Give me an example of a time when you had to explain something fairly complex to a frustrated client. How did you handle this delicate situation?
Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.

MOTIVATION AND VALUES

Describe one thing you’ve done that shows how you continually monitor trends and the competition relevant to your own work.
Describe a situation in which you independently improved upon the quality of your work processes, products, or services. How did you recognize the need for improvement in the first place?
Share with me a time when you established and met your own personal standard or expectation for the quality of your own work.
Describe a situation where you were trying to develop an important capability and you proactively sought developmental feedback from others.
Tell me about a time when you clearly showed initiative in practicing and applying a new skill in order to develop and solidify your own capability.
Describe something you’ve done that illustrates your high personal work standards.
Tell me about a time when you pursued an opportunity to learn that required you to reach out of your comfort zone.
This job will require you to maintain state-of-the-art knowledge of advances in your field. Describe an example of something you’ve done in the past that showcases your skill in doing that.
Describe a success you’ve had in publishing or presenting on a leading-edge issue.
Describe an example of when you played a key role in advancing your profession. Tell me about it.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Describe anything you’ve done that illustrates your vigilance about keeping records accurate and up to date.
Think of a situation in which information, instructions or objectives were ambiguous. Describe what you did to clarify the situation.
When have you worked the hardest?
Tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple important projects.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.
Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.
Tell me about a time when you worked under close supervision or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?
Give me an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or difficult about it?
Tell me about a time you were dissatisfied in your work. What could have been done to make it better?

LEADERSHIP

Describe a time when your awareness of formal and informal decision-making channels helped you achieve desired results.
While independence and self-sufficiency are highly valued, there are still times when it is best to bring an issue to someone higher up in the organization. Describe a time when you used good judgment in doing so.
Describe a challenging situation that demonstrates your skill in dealing effectively with people in order to get your work accomplished.
Tell me about a time when you did a good job of maintaining balanced perspective between the overall big picture and tactical details.
Describe something you’ve done that demonstrates forward thinking about tomorrow’s issues.
Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership skills.
Tell me about a time that you took the lead on a difficult project.
When have you delegated effectively?
Describe a time when you led by example.
Who have you coached or mentored to achieve success?
Tell me about a time that you led an important meeting.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Describe a success you’ve had from applying a novel approach to a situation.
Tell me about a time when you independently made a decision and took action in a non-routine situation.
Describe a situation in which you had to make a reasonably quick decision but lacked complete information. What did you do?
Share an example of a time when you carefully considered the impact of various options when making a decision.
Describe a problem you solved in which you had to separate the causes from the symptoms.
Even though a problem might be an exciting challenge, it is sometimes more effective to learn from others than to try to solve it in isolation. Share a problem-solving experience in which you applied lessons you learned from others who encountered similar problems or challenges.
Tell me about a time when you had to gather data and diagnose causes of a problem before taking action. How did you identify what data were needed and how did you obtain the data or information?
Describe a situation in which you found a creative way to overcome an obstacle.
Tell me about two improvements you have made in the last six months.
What was the best idea you came up with at your last job?
Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
Tell me about a time when you had to analyze information and make a recommendation.

ABILITY TO DEAL WITH FAILURE

Think of something you did well because you had learned from past successes and failures. Please describe it and highlight how you changed your behavior as a result of what you learned.
In this position, you will likely have some failures mixed in with your successes. Describe a time when you were highly effective at rebounding after a failure.
Think about a setback or rejection you faced. Describe the steps you took to maintain high performance afterward.
What’s your greatest professional failure?
Tell me about a mistake that you made.
What was your biggest mistake and what did you learn from it?
Tell me about a decision that you regret.
What’s your greatest professional regret?