26 Good Examples of Problem Solving (Interview Answers)

Examples of Problem Solving in the Workplace · Correcting a mistake at work, whether it was made by you or someone else · Overcoming a delay at work through ... 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ByBironClarkEmployersliketohirepeoplewhocansolveproblemsandworkwellunderpressure.Ajobrarelygoes100%accordingtoplan,sohiringmanagerswillbemorelikelytohireyouifyouseemlikeyoucanhandleunexpectedchallengeswhilestayingcalmandlogicalinyourapproach.Buthowdotheymeasurethis?They’regoingtoaskyouinterviewquestionsabouttheseproblemsolvingskills,andtheymightalsolookforexamplesofproblemsolvingonyourresumeandcoverletter.Socomingup,I’mgoingtosharealistofexamplesofproblemsolving,whetheryou’reanexperiencedjobseekerorrecentgraduate.ThenI’llsharesampleinterviewanswersto,“Giveanexampleofatimeyouusedlogictosolveaproblem?”ExamplesofProblemSolvingintheWorkplaceCorrectingamistakeatwork,whetheritwasmadebyyouorsomeoneelseOvercomingadelayatworkthroughproblemsolvingandcommunicationResolvinganissuewithadifficultorupsetcustomerOvercomingissuesrelatedtoalimitedbudget,andstilldeliveringgoodworkthroughtheuseofcreativeproblemsolvingOvercomingascheduling/staffingshortageinthedepartmenttostilldeliverexcellentworkTroubleshootingandresolvingtechnicalissuesHandlingandresolvingaconflictwithacoworkerSolvinganyproblemsrelatedtomoney,customerbilling,accountingandbookkeeping,etc.TakinginitiativewhenanotherteammemberoverlookedormissedsomethingimportantTakinginitiativetomeetwithyoursuperiortodiscussaproblembeforeitbecamepotentiallyworseSolvingasafetyissueatworkorreportingtheissuetothosewhocouldsolveitUsingproblemsolvingabilitiestoreduce/eliminateacompanyexpenseFindingawaytomakethecompanymoreprofitablethroughnewserviceorproductofferings,newpricingideas,promotionandsaleideas,etc.Changinghowaprocess,team,ortaskisorganizedtomakeitmoreefficientUsingcreativethinkingtocomeupwithasolutionthatthecompanyhasn’tusedbeforePerformingresearchtocollectdataandinformationtofindanewsolutiontoaproblemBoostingacompanyorteam’sperformancebyimprovingsomeaspectofcommunicationamongemployeesFindinganewpieceofdatathatcanguideacompany’sdecisionsorstrategybetterinacertainareaProblemSolvingExamplesforRecentGrads/EntryLevelJobSeekersCoordinatingworkbetweenteammembersinaclassprojectReassigningamissingteammember’sworktoothergroupmembersinaclassprojectAdjustingyourworkflowonaprojecttoaccommodateatightdeadlineSpeakingtoyourprofessortogethelpwhenyouwerestrugglingorunsureaboutaprojectAskingclassmates,peers,orprofessorsforhelpinanareaofstruggleTalkingtoyouracademicadvisortobrainstormsolutionstoaproblemyouwerefacingResearchingsolutionstoanacademicproblemonline,viaGoogleorothermethodsUsingproblemsolvingandcreativethinkingtoobtainaninternshiporotherworkopportunityduringschoolafterstrugglingatfirstYoucansharealloftheexamplesabovewhenyou’reaskedquestionsaboutproblemsolvinginyourinterview.Asyoucansee,evenifyouhavenoprofessionalworkexperience,it’spossibletothinkbacktoproblemsandunexpectedchallengesthatyoufacedinyourstudiesanddiscusshowyousolvedthem.InterviewAnswersto“GiveanExampleofanOccasionWhenYouUsedLogictoSolveaProblem”Now,let’slookatsomesampleinterviewanswersto,“Givemeanexampleofatimeyouusedlogictosolveaproblem,”sinceyou’relikelytohearthisinterviewquestioninallsortsofindustries.ExampleAnswer1:Atmycurrentjob,Irecentlysolvedaproblemwhereaclientwasupsetaboutoursoftwarepricing.Theyhadmisunderstoodthesalesrepresentativewhoexplainedpricingoriginally,andwhentheirpackagerenewedforitssecondmonth,theycalledtocomplainabouttheinvoice.Iapologizedfortheconfusionandthenspoketoourbillingteamtoseewhattypeofsolutionwecouldcomeupwith.Wedecidedthatthebestcourseofactionwastoofferalong-termpricingpackagethatwouldprovideadiscount.Thisnotonlysolvedtheproblembutgotthecustomertoagreetoalonger-termcontract,whichmeanswe’llkeeptheirbusinessforatleastoneyearnow,andthey’rehappywiththepricing.IfeelIgotthebestpossibleoutcomeandthewayIchosetosolvetheproblemwaseffective.ExampleAnswer2:Inmylastjob,Ihadtodoquiteabitofproblemsolvingrelatedtoourshiftscheduling.Wehadfourpeoplequitwithinaweekandthedepartmentwasseverelyunderstaffed.Icoordinatedaramp-upofourhiringefforts,Igotapprovalfromthedepartmentheadtoofferbonusesforovertimework,andthenIfoundeightemployeeswhowerewillingtodoovertimethismonth.Ithinkthekeyproblemsolvingskillshereweretakinginitiative,communicatingclearly,andreactingquicklytosolvethisproblembeforeitbecameanevenbiggerissue.ExampleAnswer3:Inmycurrentmarketingrole,mymanageraskedmetocomeupwithasolutiontoourdecliningsocialmediaengagement.Iassessedourcurrentstrategyandrecentresults,analyzedwhatsomeofourtopcompetitorsweredoing,andthencameupwithanexactblueprintwecouldfollowthisyeartoemulateourbestcompetitorsbutalsostandoutanddevelopauniquevoiceasabrand.Ifeelthisisagoodexampleofusinglogictosolveaproblembecauseitwasbasedonanalysisandobservationofcompetitors,ratherthanguessingorquicklyreactingtothesituationwithoutreliabledata.Ialwaysuselogicanddatatosolveproblemswhenpossible.Theprojectturnedouttobeasuccessandweincreasedoursocialmediaengagementbyanaverageof82%bytheendoftheyear.AnsweringQuestionsAboutProblemSolvingwiththeSTARMethodWhenyouanswerinterviewquestionsaboutproblemsolving,orifyoudecidetodemonstrateyourproblemsolvingskillsinacoverletter(whichisagoodideaanytimethejobdescriptionmentionproblemsolvingasanecessaryskill),IrecommendusingtheSTARmethodtotellyourstory.STARstandsfor:SituationTaskActionResultIt’sasimplewayofwalkingthelistenerorreaderthroughthestoryinawaythatwillmakesensetothem.Sobeforejumpinginandtalkingabouttheproblemthatneededsolving,makesuretodescribethegeneralsituation.Whatjob/companywereyouworkingat?Whenwasthis?Then,youcandescribethetaskathandandtheproblemthatneededsolving.Afterthis,describethecourseofactionyouchoseandwhy.Ideally,showthatyouevaluatedalltheinformationyoucouldgiventhetimeyouhad,andmadeadecisionbasedonlogicandfact.Finally,describeapositiveresultyougot.Whetheryou’reansweringinterviewquestionsaboutproblemsolvingorwritingacoverletter,youshouldonlychooseexampleswhereyougotapositiveresultandsuccessfullysolvedtheissue.WhatAreGoodOutcomesofProblemSolving?Wheneveryouanswerinterviewquestionsaboutproblemsolvingorshareexamplesofproblemsolvinginacoverletter,youwanttobesureyou’resharingapositiveoutcome.Belowaregoodoutcomesofproblemsolving:SavingthecompanytimeormoneyMakingthecompanymoneyPleasing/keepingacustomerObtainingnewcustomersSolvingasafetyissueSolvingastaffing/schedulingissueSolvingalogisticalissueSolvingacompanyhiringissueSolvingatechnical/softwareissueMakingaprocessmoreefficientandfasterforthecompanyCreatinganewbusinessprocesstomakethecompanymoreprofitableImprovingthecompany’sbrand/image/reputationGettingthecompanypositivereviewsfromcustomers/clientsEveryemployerwantstomakemoremoney,savemoney,andsavetime.Ifyoucanassessyourproblemsolvingexperienceandthinkabouthowyou’vehelpedpastemployersinthosethreeareas,thenthat’sagreatstart.That’swhereIrecommendyoubeginlookingforstoriesoftimesyouhadtosolveproblems.TipstoImproveYourProblemSolvingSkillsThroughoutyourcareer,you’regoingtogethiredforbetterjobsandearnmoremoneyifyoucanshowemployersthatyou’reaproblemsolver.Sotoimproveyourproblemsolvingskills,Irecommendalwaysanalyzingaproblemandsituationbeforeacting.Whendiscussingproblemsolvingwithemployers,youneverwanttosoundlikeyourushormakeimpulsivedecisions.Theywanttoseefact-basedordata-baseddecisionswhenyousolveproblems.Next,togetbetteratsolvingproblems,analyzetheoutcomesofpastsolutionsyoucameupwith.Youcanrecognizewhatworksandwhatdoesn’t.Thinkabouthowyoucangetbetteratresearchingandanalyzingasituation,butalsohowyoucangetbetteratcommunicating,decidingtherightpeopleintheorganizationtotalktoand“pullin”tohelpyouifneeded,etc.Finally,practicestayingcalmeveninstressfulsituations.Takeafewminutestowalkoutsideifneeded.Stepawayfromyourphoneandcomputertoclearyourhead.Aworkproblemisrarelysourgentthatyoucannottakefiveminutestothink(withthepossibleexceptionofsafetyproblems),andyou’llgetbetteroutcomesifyousolveproblemsbyactinglogicallyinsteadofrushingtoreactinapanic.Youcanusealloftheideasabovetodescribeyourproblemsolvingskillswhenaskedinterviewquestionsaboutthetopic.Ifyousaythatyoudothethingsabove,employerswillbeimpressedwhentheyassessyourproblemsolvingability.ConclusionIfyoupracticethetipsabove,you’llbereadytosharedetailed,impressivestoriesandproblemsolvingexamplesthatwillmakehiringmanagerswanttoofferyouthejob.Everyemployerappreciatesaproblemsolver,whethersolvingproblemsisarequirementlistedonthejobdescriptionornot.Andyouneverknowwhichhiringmanagerorinterviewerwillaskyouaboutatimeyousolvedaproblem,soyoushouldalwaysbereadytodiscussthiswhenapplyingforajob.Relatedinterviewquestions&answers:Howdoyouhandlestress?Howdoyouhandleconflict?Tellmeaboutatimewhenyoufailed HoldUp!Beforeyougoonaninterview...GetourfreePDFwiththe top30interviewquestionsandanswers.Join10,000+jobseekersinouremailnewsletterandwe'llsendyouthe30must-knowquestions,plusourbestinsidertipsforturninginterviewsintojoboffers.KeepReading05Oct,2021WhyCareerChange?InterviewQuestionandAnswers21Sep,202121Entry-LevelJobInterviewQuestionsandAnswers14Sep,2021HowDoYouPrioritizeYourWork?(InterviewQuestion)07Sep,2021Answersto“WhoInspiresYou?”(5Examples)PreviousPostIfYouSawaCoworkerStealing,WhatWouldYouDo?(Answers)NextPost12PeerInterviewQuestionsandAnswers