\u201cCan you describe a challenge you overcame?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People face and overcome challenges every day, but few of them are worthy of mentioning in an interview setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This article will explore this question in more detail, talk about what\u2019s really being asked, and how best to structure your reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we start, it\u2019s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different variations of this question so you don\u2019t get caught off guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the most common:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asking this question, the interviewer is gathering information that helps them determine the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All jobs come with their own unique set of challenges, and you\u2019ll eventually have to figure out how to navigate a tricky situation you find yourself in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coming up with a solution is key. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s not a single solution for every hurdle life throws at you, so your ability to think on the fly and come up with a creative fix is what the interviewer wants to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your answer should have 3 components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keeping the answer to this question relevant to a workplace situation will work in your favor. I mean, this is a job<\/em> interviewer after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you\u2019ve gone through a significant personal challenge in your life that you\u2019ve overcome, taking this approach can be more powerful than any work-related story could ever be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenge doesn\u2019t have to be something that was immediately resolved. Some of the bigger challenges we face can take weeks, months, or even years for us to work our way through them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The point here is to think of something that was a legitimate challenge for you at the time, it doesn\u2019t matter how big or small. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you describe what the challenging situation was, explain how you resolved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, this will be relative to the story you\u2019ve set up, and whether it was a work situation or a personal one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you explain the resolution steps that were taken, you\u2019re essentially leading the interviewer from start to finish through the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This paints a vivid picture in their mind about how you respond to unexpected situations and helps them make the link between your skills and if they\u2019ll be useful to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overcoming any challenge will help you grow as an individual, and you want to convey this to the interviewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re then positioned as a candidate that\u2019s successfully learned how to identify challenges and make the necessary adjustments to resolve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should take some time to reflect on what you took away from the experience. Without sounding clich\u00e9, here are a few examples to get you on the right path:<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s the theory covered, but how do you actually put this all together in a real interview scenario? Below are some sample answers to give you a better idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor as long as I can remember I\u2019ve always been strong-willed in my work habits, thinking I can do anything and everything. <\/p> I once worked for a company that recognized my work ethic and gradually began increasing my duties. One day, I realized I was completely overwhelmed by the additional workload.<\/p> Not only was I working extra hours to get everything done, but I was burning myself out in the process. After some self-reflection, I realized I couldn\u2019t do it all by myself, which was hard for me to admit.<\/p> I voiced my concerns to my boss and he was more than understanding. He ended up hiring an assistant for me, which greatly reduced my stress and resulted in an increase in productivity.<\/p> I can now admit when I need help, and that there\u2019s no shame in asking for it, as everyone requires a helping hand at some point in their lives.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cA few years back I worked in advertising sales for a dog magazine. <\/p> Every month we were expected to bring in a certain amount of business for the company. It was a high-stress job but one that I was good at, until one month when I realized I was considerably behind my quota and only had 1 week left.<\/p> I worked like crazy in those 7 days. Every spare minute I had, I was on the lookout for new leads and pulling 12 hour days. <\/p> While I didn\u2019t quite hit my target, I came very close. Ever since then I\u2019ve been able to use that experience to push through and charge ahead whenever things look bleak. I now know that sales, like most things in life, is cyclical.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cI do wedding photography in my spare time, and I always provide examples of my work upfront so clients know what to expect.<\/p> One couple I worked for hated the wedding photos I took for them. They said the photos appeared \u201ccold and dark\u201d — which baffled me because they were near carbon copies of the examples I showed from previous weddings I did.<\/p> Obviously, I couldn\u2019t reshoot their wedding, so I offered to re-edit the photos and \u201cwarm them up\u201d.<\/p> Long story short, it took 3 rounds of edits until they were satisfied. <\/p> By staying calm, taking time to understand their concerns, I was able to capture their special day exactly the way they wanted it. I also threw in a few free prints and apologized for any trouble.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve talked about the right things to do, but it\u2019s worth mentioning some of the mistakes people often make so you can avoid them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s best to keep your interview largely positive, as you don\u2019t want to come across as someone who\u2019ll exude negativity in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the example you\u2019ve chosen to go with is work-related, make sure it\u2019s one that doesn\u2019t include ex-coworkers or bosses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will make it seem like you might be the problem (remember, you\u2019re the one who\u2019s currently out of work), rather than someone who works to resolve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The interviewer wants to know if you can handle adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you dwell on the challenge while answering, you may come across as someone who has trouble moving through difficult situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They want to see that you can accept challenging circumstances and begin working towards a solution, and you can\u2019t do that by merely focusing on the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make no mistake, this is reflected in your answer by how much time you choose to talk about the challenge itself rather than the steps you took to overcome it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCan you describe a challenge you overcame?\u201d People face and overcome challenges every day, but few of them are worthy of mentioning in an interview setting. This article will explore this question in more detail, talk about what\u2019s really being asked, and how best to structure your reply. Variations Of This Question Before we start, it\u2019s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different variations of this question so you don\u2019t get caught off guard. Here are the most common: What\u2019s the most difficult situation you\u2019ve overcome? What’s the biggest challenge you\u2019ve faced at work? What situations do you\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[66,69],"tags":[],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10889"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10889\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehireups.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. Explain The Steps You Took To Solve It<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Finish With The Lessons You Learned<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Putting It All Together (Example Answers)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Example #1: Asking For Help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Example #2: Meeting Quota<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Example #3: Demanding Customer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How NOT To Answer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Mention Conflicts With Bosses Or Colleagues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Dwell On The Problem (Or Challenge)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n