Question: What is your approach when you encounter an unfamiliar problem?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

What do you do when faced with an unfamiliar problem?

Follow-up questions:

Question Details:

Question Type:

Skills:

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

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Visualisation

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Neuroticism (Emotion Regulation),Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Personality-Team Fit,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity)

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

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),Job Structure – Structured versus Unstructured Work

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Attention to Detail,Handling Ambiguity,Initiative,Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for the candidate’s confidence and positive approach in such situation.
You are looking for the candidate’s initiative taking ability, resourcefulness and analytical thinking skills.
You are looking for the candidate’s go-getter attitude to contribute in a team.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate talks about a situation that is not job related.
If the candidate is overly optimistic about handling such problems when they face it.
If the candidate does not highlight any particular skills to solve the unfamiliar problems.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/interview-advice/interview-questions