Question: Describe a time when you realized that a potential problem was also an opportunity. What did you do about it?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Describe a situation in which you recognized a potential problem as an opportunity. What did you do? What was the result? What, if anything, do you wish you had done differently?

Follow-up questions:

How did you make the connection?
Do you think your background or past experiences helped you make this realization?
What happened in the end?
How did you solve the problem in the end?
To what extent did you manage to capitalize on this opportunity?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Complex Problem Solving

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility),Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

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 Style (Person-Job Fit):

Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for problem solving skills, creativity and innovation in the interviewee. You are also looking at the thinking behind answering the question.

Red Flags to Watch For:

The interviewee having no such experience is not a red flag. Else, there aren’t any specific red flags as the past scenario in the question is rather specific.

Sample Answer:

N/A

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