Question: Describe a time when you spotted a problem or opportunity before others. Did you act on what you discovered?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Have you ever recognized a problem or opportunity before anyone else? What happened?

Follow-up questions:

How do you spot a problem right away?
How did you realise it was a problem or opportunity that you could take advantage of?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Systems Analysis

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility),Cognitive – Flexibility of Closure (Pattern Detection),Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts)

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Gathering Information,Information Input – Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (for Problem Identification),Information Input – Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings,Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People

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

Job Structure – Freedom to Make Decisions,Job Structure – Frequency of Decision Making,Job Structure – Handling Competition

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

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

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

The candidate’s problem identification skills.
The candidate’s analyzing skills.

Red Flags to Watch For:

The candidate’s inability to analyze situations and problems. The lack of experience discovering and sezing opportunities could be a red flag.

Sample Answer:

There was a time when I noticed something was not right with a report that we were supposed to submit to the management committee. I informed my boss and we were able to revise accordingly before the meeting.

Question Source: Unknown