Question: Describe a time when you attempted to solve a problem with a novel idea or solution that had not been used before. What was the solution and was it successful?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Can you tell me about a situation, which you tried to solve a problem with ideas and methods that had not been tried before?

Follow-up questions:

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

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

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

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

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Innovation Management,Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity)

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

Interpersonal Relationships – Responsibility for Outcomes and Results of Others

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Initiative,Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for the candidate’s research ability and follow a process to implement a new plan efficiently.
If the candidate narrates about a specific problem that they solved which was impactful to the business.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate never implemented a new idea to solve a problem.
If the candidate’s idea sounded too impractical.

Sample Answer:

N/A

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