Question: Imagine this scenario: You have an approaching deadline and you know you are not going to be able to submit your work on time. Would you try to finish your work by working overtime or request an extension?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

If you had a deadline you knew you weren’t going to meet would you be more likely to work through the night to hit it or ask for an extension? Why?

Follow-up questions:

How would you handle this situation?
Would you ask for help from others?
Explain to me your decision-making process in this situation.

Question Details:

Question Type:

Situational

Skills:

Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Management of Time,Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Systems – Judgment and Decision Making

Abilities:

Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Personality-Job Fit,Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts)

Work Activity (Task):

Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work,Mental Processes – Scheduling Work and Activities (Rostering)

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

Job Structure – Consequence of Error,Job Structure – Duration of Typical Work Week,Job Structure – Freedom to Make Decisions,Job Structure – Frequency of Decision Making,Job Structure – Handling Time Pressure,Job Structure – Level of Responsibility (Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Organization Results),Job Structure – Work/Life Balance

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Cooperation,Persistence/Perseverance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

Look out for time management skills, integrity/honesty, asks for help (self-aware), perseverance, and decision-making skills. The interviewee could mention alternatives such as first asking for help from their colleagues/team members before making the decision to work longer hours or ask for an extension. Ultimately, make sure that the interviewee’s answer matches with the work culture of the company.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Just because the interviewee is willing to work overtime at every instance, it does not mean that it is the ideal answer. The red flag is if the interviewee’s work style does not fit with the team or organization’s work style and work culture. If it is expected that everyone works overtime, then a red flag will be someone who will only ask for extensions. If the organization highly values work-life balance, then a red flag will be someone who will always work overtime.

Also, look out for answers that indicate that the interviewee would rather compromise quality in getting the task done, or a refusal to ask for help, or if the interviewee is answering untruthfully and is pandering their answer to what they think the ideal answer should be.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-interview-questions