Tell me about a time you had to quickly solve a problem without all the information you needed on hand.
Your interviewer is curious about how resourceful you are. This is not only an evaluation of your ability to think outside of the box, but also on how well you manage your stress in high-pressure situations, and your ability to step outside of your comfort zone. Someone who allows their stress to get the best of them is more likely to suffer from task paralysis or task procrastination, and wait for others to make decisions for them. Whereas some who can manage their stress are more capable of taking decisive action when needed.
"When faced with complex problems, I tap into the resources and tools provided by my company, but also the knowledge I've gained from actively listening to and learning from my leaders and coworkers. The answers are often hidden in plain sight. My last job presented a unique challenge in troubleshooting outdated technology. We desperately needed upgrades, but our IT department was focused on rolling out a new software system. Additionally, the current manuals for our legacy systems were missing, leaving us scrambling when they inevitably failed. One day, our systems got stuck in a loop, preventing us from completing our end-of-day reports. Reaching out to the software company was too late. I was determined to find a workaround. I dug through outdated manuals for older versions of the software and online forums, relentlessly exploring the software. Eventually, I remembered a backdoor solution I saw our IT guys use once when I was curiously looking over their shoulders about a year back. Retracing their steps, it worked, allowing me to import the data into another software function, route it back, and break the loop, enabling us to close our systems for the day."
Maersk recognizes that work very seldom goes according to plan, and relies on their employees' innovation and skills to get the job done. They offer guidelines in their code of conduct and in their values on how to navigate such situations when they arise. "Making the right decision is not always easy. Learn from success in your day-to-day work. Pause, think, and listen. Speak to others. Take action and learn. Make an informed decision. Evaluate the results of your decision. What was the outcome, and what did you learn from the situation?"
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