Question: Describe a time when you attempted to solve a problem with an unusual solution. What was the solution and was it successful?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Tell me about one case when you tried to solve a problem with a totally different approach than is normally used. What was the result?

Follow-up questions:

N/A

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Science and Logic,Complex Problem Solving,Systems Analysis,Systems Evaluation

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Fluency of Ideas (Idea Generation Frequency),Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Openness to Experience (Open Mindedness),Personal Improvement (Growth),Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity),Mental Processes – Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Coordinate or Lead Others,Interpersonal Relationships – Responsibility for Outcomes and Results of Others,Interpersonal Relationships – Work With Work Group or Team (As a member, not a leader)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Attention to Detail,Independence,Initiative,Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for the candidate’s logical thinking and problem solving ability.
You are looking for the candidate’s creative thinking to find solutions.
If the candidate is open to try out new ideas and implement learnings from them.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate does not sound flexible to implement new ideas to accomplish a task or solve a problem.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.jobbankusa.com/interview_questions_answers/