Manufacturing and testing blood is an important part of the work we do at the American Red Cross. Talk about a time where you encountered a problem while working in a lab and how you overcame it.

"I used to work in a blood manufacturing lab. My job was to test incoming samples for a number of diseases quickly and accurately. I worked with a fellow lab technician to accomplish this task, and together we processed hundreds of samples each day. Soon after I first started that job, I realized our output was starting to slow down although our work input had remained consistent. After examining our workflow, I realized that one of our centrifuges wasn't functioning at peak performance. I checked the maintenance manifest and realized it was long overdue for its routine servicing. My lab partner informed me that previously he had performed maintenance as needed, so I worked with him to schedule a regular service appointment for the centrifuge."

"My previous experience working in a lab has largely revolved around the process of labeling and storing samples we receive on a daily basis. I have to ensure each label is accurate and descriptive and that it is stored safely and securely according to regulatory standards. After working in the lab for three months and familiarizing myself with the way my team operated, I started to notice opportunities for improvement between bloodwork requests and receiving, labeling, and storing samples. To guarantee the veracity of my labeling system, I worked with one of our IT specialists to develop a digitized form that could be instantly transferred to our lab. This cut back on missing documentation, reduced errors in labeling, and boosted our overall efficiency as a lab."

Any time you are describing workplace problems or conflicts, try to avoid being overly negative about others involved in the situation. Show that you can resolve problems calmly and professionally.