Question: Describe a time when you faced a difficult situation at work and how you overcame it.

Alternative Question Phrasing:

What is the most difficult situation or scenario you have faced at work?

Follow-up questions:

Did you anticipate you would face this situation early on?
Was there a better way you could have handled this situation?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Active Listening,Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Management of Time

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility),Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Flexibility of Closure (Pattern Detection),Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Visualisation

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Agreeableness,Big 5 – Conscientiousness (Work Ethic),Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Evaluating Compliance with Standards,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work,Work Output – Process Management

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

Job Structure – Consequence of Error,Job Structure – Freedom to Make Decisions,Job Structure – Frequency of Decision Making,Job Structure – Handling Time Pressure,Job Structure – Work Accuracy (Importance of Being Exact or Accurate)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Attention to Detail,Handling Ambiguity,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

Look if the employee was open to discuss their plan with their supervisor on how to handle the situation. Look for specifics. What initiatives they have taken to deal with the problem

Red Flags to Watch For:

If they are self-focused and discussing them in a superior light. If they have mentioned shortcomings but without mentioning their growth. If the employee is experienced, choosing a situation out of workplace.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: Unknown