Question: Describe a time when you showed initiative when working on a major project.

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Describe to me in detail a time when you took the initiative in a major project.

Follow-up questions:

N/A

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Basic – Science and Logic,Complex Problem Solving,Systems – Judgment and Decision Making,Systems Analysis

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality

Other Factors:

Personal Improvement (Growth),Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts),Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Estimating Characteristics of Objects, Events, or Information,Information Input – Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings,Interacting with Others – Monitoring and Controlling Resources,Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People,Mental Processes – Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work,Mental Processes – Processing Information,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity)

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

Interpersonal Relationships – Interacting with Upper Management,Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Subordinates,Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Supervisor,Interpersonal Relationships – Work With Work Group or Team (As a member, not a leader),Job Structure – Level of Responsibility (Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Organization Results)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Analytical Thinking,Attention to Detail,Dependability,Handling Ambiguity,Initiative,Social Orientation (Work Alone vs Group Work)

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for the candidate to show initiatives and display responsibility for the betterment of the team and the organization on a whole.
If the candidate narrates a specific example where they took charge of the task and owned it fully.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate gives vague answers like, they did work on many such projects, however there is no clarity on what exactly did they take initiative for.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.jobbankusa.com/interview_questions_answers/