Give an example of a problem and how you dealt with it?

Answer 1

When you are asked to give an example where you had to find a new approach to solving a problem, think back to a time when you had to do this. Perhaps you had to meet a deadline when your work computers were down. Or maybe a client threw a wrench in your plans and you had to change direction.

Answer 2

I used to spend a lot of time interviewing applicants when I needed to hire a large number of staff for peak periods. Conducting one-on-one interviews with potential hirees was very time consuming and often fruitless, having been based solely on the info provided in their resumes. I started conducting group interviews which brought a group of 20 potentials to a session that included games that helped me see how they interacted with others, how well they listened to instructions, and how they handled stressful situations. They were also given a short written test that ordinarily would have been too time consuming to conduct dudring a one-on-one. The group interview took about 2 hours to conduct and from that I would be able to reduce down the number of people I would need to interview one-on-one. Those interviews were much more productive and would generally result in a hire. So I was able to save a lot of time and improve my results.

Answer 3

First of all, most interview problems are not about knowing the answer straight away, it's about seeing how you tackle solving problems. If you're thinking is analytical, critical, adaptable and creative, you're going to have fun!

1. Understand the problem - Think about what's being asked.

Ask questions if you able to, to confirm your interpretation of the problem.

Research the problem space to gain as much information as you need.

If you get stuck, you're lacking information which will prevent you connecting dots...

2. Once you understand the problem think of possible ways it can be solved.

3. Bullet-point a high-level process to getting the answer.

This will guide with the details, but might be wrong. This is okay. It shows you're at least thinking. Keep re-working this step until you're confident that you have possible solutions.

4. Be critical with each possible solution. Even if a hypothesis is wrong, it will help shape a better solution as you're exploring and discounting your theories.

5. If you don't understand the problem, you're doomed. You're obviously not able to exploit any knowledge you have, so get researching so you're in a position to exploit what you know.

6. If you're still stuck, ask for help if you're able to! Remember that it's okay to have limitations, and that it's very helpful to know what you don't know.

7. Don't be scared to try out ideas! If you don't feel confident, say so, but still have a go. This will show that you're able to communicate, feel the fear and do it anyway!

8. You will be asked questions about weaknesses with your solution. Don't be egotistical - this will rattle your potential employers.

9. Treat it as a challenge. It will stretch your thinking. Even if you come away knowing you've flunked the challenge, you'll certainly know how to solve that problem if you're ever asked to solve the same problem again elsewhere!

Answer 4

This is one of the types of question that you may get at an interview; they are intended to get you to talk about yourself in a fairly informal manner. The questions are usually about some aspect of your own life so it is not possible for anyone else to answer them for you.

You should think carefully, before attending the interview, about such questions as this so as to be prepared when asked. There are several such questions and there is a great deal of information on the internet and elsewhere about techniques to employ when attending interviews.

Answer 5

Give an example where you have had to find a new approach to solving a problem - job application question?