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Why is problem-solving considered an essential workplace skill? Problem-solving is important to organizations as it helps exert control over the immediate environment. In other words, it helps identify challenges and solutions to fix those challenges.
A majority of job interviews require you to solve problems and think critically. Recruiters want to assess your problem-solving skills because they’re hugely beneficial for organizational performance and growth. There are various examples of problem-solving interview questions and answers to explore. Read on to learn more.
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What Recruiters Really Want To Know
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How To Answer Problem-Solving Interview Questions
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What Are The Questions You Can Expect?
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Examples Of Problem-Solving Interview Questions And Answers
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Prepare With Ace The Interview
What Recruiters Really Want To Know
Problem-solving interview questions are usually related to the industry you’re applying to. These questions are common in technical sectors that require strong problem-solving skills. By asking problem-solving interview questions, recruiters want to gauge
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How you approach complex situations
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Whether you can analyze data and identify the underlying issues
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If you can perform under stressful and unexpected situations
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How you react when your beliefs are challenged
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If you’re able to think on your feet
Therefore, it helps recruiters understand how effectively you gather information, evaluate it, make decisions and communicate your findings. Additionally, problem-solving is a key leadership quality and employers value individuals who can successfully work towards solutions and lead the way.
How To Answer Problem-Solving Interview Questions
Successful problem-solving requires a combination of sound analytical skills, creative thinking and logical reasoning. It’s easy to go overboard and spend time on unnecessary evaluations. Here’s how you can strategically address problem-solving interview questions.
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Approach the question step-by-step; identity, analyze, compare alternatives and choose the most appropriate solution
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Do your homework before the interview; recruiters are likely to create hypothetical situations that have occurred or may occur on the job
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Push yourself to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions; provide fresh perspectives and stand out from the crowd
In addition to these strategies, make sure that you practice a few standard questions in front of the mirror or with the help of a friend. It’ll help you feel more comfortable and confident.
What Are The Questions You Can Expect?
Here is a list of some of the best problem-solving examples for interview. Consider these questions and prepare well for your next interview.
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Describe a situation where you faced a problem you couldn’t solve. What did you do?
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Give an example of a time you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent.
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Describe a time when you used a creative solution or approach to solve a problem at work.
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Recall an instance where you successfully mitigated a crisis. List some of the skills you used.
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Tell me about a time when you faced serious challenges in your role and how you overcame them.
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How do you cope with a challenge you’ve never faced before?
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When solving a problem, do you address it on your own or ask others for help?
As you can see, a majority of these questions begin with ‘tell me about a time…’ or ‘describe a situation when…’ These are also known as situational questions and the best way to address them is the STAR response technique.
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Situation (S):
Where the problem arose
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Task (T):
The problem you had to solve
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Action (A):
The process you initiated to solve the problem
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Results (R):
The result of your problem-solving action
Examples Of Problem-Solving Interview Questions And Answers
Now that you know the type of problem-solving questions you can expect in an interview, let’s look at some of the sample responses you can use to enhance the quality of your answers. While the following are some of the most common questions and answers, do consider creative problem-solving examples for interview as well.
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Do you weigh the pros and cons before making a decision at work? If yes, how?
Sample Answer: Yes, I do. While listing the pros and cons, I check if the cons will cause a significant impact. If they do, I check whether the pros outweigh the cons and lead to desirable outcomes. When pros outweigh the cons, I pursue the decision and deal with any negative effects.
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Recall a time you had to change your course of action at the last moment. How did you manage?
Sample Answer: When I was working as a design manager, my client requested a last-minute change before the campaign poster was about to go live. As the poster needed minor tweaks and we had publicized the launch, we released only a part of the image. I added: stay tuned for more. I launched the revised poster in a few hours.
Prepare With Ace The Interview
Harappa’s Ace The Interview course is designed to help you practice and prepare for your next job interview. It’ll help you overcome challenges and make you feel comfortable answering some of the most frequently asked questions. The STAR technique in particular will prepare you for situation-based questions. Learn relevant tips and tricks and develop engaging responses with the guidance of a star-studded faculty. Prepare answers on the spot and impress your interviewers.
Explore topics such as General HR Interview Questions, How To Improve Interviewing Skills, How to Answer “Tell Me About a Time When You Failed” & How to Prepare for a Mock Interview from Harappa Diaries and crack your next interview.
