Posted on

What is your approach to problem-solving? Interview Question

One of the most in demand skills in the workplace is problem-solving.

It makes sense then that a ‘problem-solving’ interview will be asked during most job interviews.

The question may be phrased differently, depending on the job sector and advertised position, but all interpretations of the question require a step-by-step explanation of the applicant’s individual approach when faced with a problem.

Different versions of the ‘problem-solving’ question.

  • Tell me about a problem you faced and what you did to overcome this?
  • What is your approach to problem-solving?
  • If X happened what would you do?

In structured job interviews, employers ask either behavioral job interview questions or situational questions.

Behavioral interviews ask for evidence of previous experience – ‘tell me about time you had to overcome an unforeseen problem?’ and situational questions are future-oriented: ‘how would you deal with a problem you haven’t prepared for?’

For both versions of the interveiw questions, the answer needs to meet the criteria on the interview scorecard.

Interviewers, when listening to interviewees’ answers make notes of what each applicant has stated. Post-interview, the interview panel discusses the answers giving each an allocated point depending on how many criteria the applicants have referenced during the job interview.

The highest scoring candidate is offered the job role.

How to create high scoring interview answers.

Employers only know what an applicant stats during the job interview.

Missing information, ambiguous statements or a lack of detail simply won’t make the cut.

Research shows how the delivery of a longer answer, embedded with emotive language, when communicated confidently, increases the allocated points.

The duration of the interview answer alone isn’t enough to score high, what is needed a longer and relevant answer.

How to answer the problem-solving interview question.

There are several ways to answer this question:

  • Listing facts
  • Giving an example
  • Quoting problem-solving models

List building interview answer

The weakest way to answer the problem-solving question is fact listing.

Nervous candidates, such as the amateurish interviewee, often default to fact listing as they struggle to deliver a structured interview answer.

An example of fact listing to the ‘what is your approach to overcoming a problem?’ could be ‘finding the problem, looking at solutions, completing a risk assessment, delegating tasks.’

Overall, the list answer, if delivered correctly, can cover the key elements required for an employer to recognise the applicant’s level of experience, but a list does not score high because high scoring answers require elaboration.

Using examples in the job interview

Real-life examples, on the other hand, often have enough information and detail to gain a high score.

The structure of the example answer is key. A weak example of an answer would sound something like: ‘I worked on X project where (Problem), to overcome this problem we did (A&B)’

The above structure states the problem and actions but is missing the detail to receive additional points; the creative process, the outcome, and any unique selling points.

Example answers should also elicit emotions. The storytelling process of an example answer takes the employer on a journey. Not only does the interviewer visualise the story they go on an emotional rollercoaster, as the interviewee talks about the highs and lows, the ups and downs, of the situation being discussed.

A strong interview structure for example answers

  1. State the problem that required solving
  2. Explain the negative effect the problem would have if it wasn’t solved
  3. Discuss the creative problem-solving process used to find a solution
  4. Detail how the solution was implemented
  5. End with the positive outcome

Embedding models and theories into interview answers

The job interview process, simply put, is to predict the job performance of each applicant. The candidate who is believed to be able to perform the best is offered the job role. Performance prediction is based on the perceived level of industry knowledge and sector experience.

Experience and knowledge can be expressed through the explanation of relevant theories and models, as an example, if asked a ‘problem-solving’ question a candidate can initiative the answer by referring to a relevant model:

‘The 6 step problem-solving model states that to a solve problem you first need to define what the problem is and the root cause, as understanding the root cause, using tools like the fishbone diagram, will help ensure the problem doesn’t repeat itself. Once the problem and cause are clear, the next stage is to develop solutions using mind-mapping, analysing best practice logs and shared experience. After selecting the most suitable solution, the final stags are to implement and then evaluate the success of the solution.’

  1. Define the Problem
  2. Determine the Root Cause(s) of the Problem
  3. Develop Alternative Solutions
  4. Select a Solution
  5. Implement the Solution
  6. Evaluate the Outcome

Breaking down a model into easy to digest steps shows a high level of understanding. To score even high, a real-life example can then be added to the interview answer: ‘…an example of using the 6 steps problem-solving model was when I worked at ….’

Conclusion

Many job interviews will ask a version of the problem-solving interview question. Research has shown that the more detailed description of a problem-solving answer will score higher. Interviewers are also impressed by an applicant’s industry knowledge, including that of the use of relevant sector models and theories.

Don’t presume the employer knows the process you would have taken, as this leads to an applicant missing out on the discussion of relevant data. Instead, give as much detail as possible as this increases the number of job criteria the interviewee will reference when answering the interview question.

Job Interview Advice

Posted on

What motivates you? Interview Question

Recruiting processes are designed to cross references a candidates skills, qualifications and experiences against the job criteria.

The employer, therefore, uses the job interview questions to predict the applicant’s potential job performance.

More than ever before interviewers are focusing the interview questions on the interviewees temperament, with a goal of creating a positive company culture.

Strength-Based interviews, which are becoming more commonly used, are designed with the culture fit in mind. But even in competency-based job interviews, employers have always, and still do, embed personality questions into the interview process.

One of the most common interview questions used to find the ‘right fit’ employee is the ‘what motivates you?’ interview question.

For the applicant, having an open-ended question to answer, allows them to create a reply that meets many of the criteria on the interview scorecard.

The employers perspective

Employers ask the ‘motivation’ question to help understand what encourages an employee to work harder.

Career psychologists know that by hiring a team that will naturally work well with the environment and culture of the organisation, the team will be more productive, have a lower number of sick days and staff members are less likely to look for new opportunities at competitive companies.

The cost of recruitment is high and eats into the company profits. Recruiters are always looking for the right job interview question that will help them to hire, not only the most skilled and experienced employee, but one that will fit well within the current team.

Honest interviewee

There are two approaches to the ‘motivation’ question.

Honesty, is the first approach. The advice is always to be honest within a job interview.

The problem with true honestly is that many career professionals suffer from imposter syndrome.

A lack of self-belief results in an increase in the self-disclosure of weaknesses, weak worded job interview answers and excessive use of filler words creating an ‘amateurism’ interview identity.

What is needed, throughout the job interview, is a ‘self-assured’ interview identity to help the employer view the candidate as employable.

Being honest, even when the candidate is suitable – the candidate would fit in well with the company culture, can say the wrong thing, resulting in a low scoring answer.

Interview questions like ‘are you a self-starter or a team player?’ or ‘do you like starting or finishing tasks?’ can force an interviewee to choose an option that they don’t really have a preference for – they enjoy working both within a team or on their own initiative.

Not being honest doesn’t mean lying

A career professional can have a natural preference to follow processes and procedures – a detailed employee. But if this same employee ends up landing a job in a creative company where they hire innovative, out the box thinking, do it your own way people, the same details career professional can excel.

In fact, depending on the applicant’s past employers (and their company culture) creates an experience – a frame of reference, that shapes the answer they give. In this way not all honest answers, are honest.

Creating high scoring answers

Researching the company culture prior to the job interview is key to creating high scoring interview answers.

Obvious, I know, but I don’t mean researching the company history blah, blah, blah. What is required is an understanding of the company culture.

The organisations vision directly influences the company values, the company values affect the company manager’s decision-making process creating the workplace environment – the company culture.

Disney’s vision is ‘to make people happy.’ Imagine, in the job interview, being asked what is your purpose? or what motivates you? And the interviewee talks about quality, making great cartoon films, or designing fast-paced roller coasters. All good answers, all relevant to Disney’s brand, but the employer hearing this answer, thinks something is missing, something isn’t quite right.

Employers want to hire employees who are motivated by the same reason as the organisation is – their vision.

In this example, the ‘quality’ driven applicant can reframe their interview answer to be inline with the company vision ‘ to create quality animated films that make people feel good…’

To back up the ‘motivation’ answer, add an example to the initial opening line ‘…in my last company, I always focused of the outcome of films – making the audience to be happy. When working on X project……”

Conclusion

To be successful in a job interview, applicants need to research the culture of the company as the day to day environment of an organisation affects all decisions, including hiring decisions.

Answering questions by referencing how the applicant meets the culture and values of the company will improve the level of scores allocated to each job interview answer, increasing the number of job offers an applicant will receive.

Job Interview Advice