Question: Describe a time when you had to adjust to changes outside of your control. How did you deal with the situation?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Tell me about a situation in which you have had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How did you handle it?

Follow-up questions:

Did you have any particular challenges?
How did you handle them?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Complex Problem Solving,Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Systems – Judgment and Decision Making,Systems Analysis,Systems Evaluation

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility),Cognitive – Speed of Closure (Thinking Speed)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Openness to Experience (Open Mindedness),Personality-Job Fit,Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts),Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Change Management,Mental Processes,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 – Thinking Creatively (Creativity)

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

Job Structure – Consequence of Error,Job Structure – Freedom to Make Decisions,Job Structure – Level of Responsibility (Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Organization Results)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Handling Ambiguity,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for how well the interviewee responds to and manages stress.
Levels of self-awareness and self-control of the interviewee.
You are looking for how flexible the interviewee is at adapting to new situations. You are also looking at the approach and thinking when working out an answer.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the interviewee is incapable of rationally handling and managing stress. If the interviewee has trouble adjusting and adapting to situations.

Sample Answer:

N/A

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