Question: Describe the most recent time you ‘thought outside the box’ to solve a problem. What happened and how did you come up with the idea?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

When was the last time you thought “outside the box” and how did you do it? Why?
Describe a time when you came up with a creative or innovative solution to a problem. What happened and why?

Follow-up questions:

Do you feel your solution was effective?
How did this affect your relationship with the management and your colleagues?
How did you come up with the idea?
Where did you get your inspiration from?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility),Cognitive – Originality

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Openness to Experience (Open Mindedness),Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts)

Work Activity (Task):

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):

Job Structure – Structured versus Unstructured Work

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Initiative,Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for the interviewee’s creativity and ability to innovate.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the interviewee appears to not be innovative, that is not necessarily a red flag, but it would not be what you are looking for. If the interviewee appears as if they cannot accept new ideas whether the new idea came from them or someone else, that is a red flag.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.zippia.com/employer/behavioural-interview-questions/