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Boeing Mock Interview

Question 35 of 38 for our Boeing Mock Interview

Boeing was updated by on June 5th, 2023. Learn more here.

Question 35 of 38

Rate your problem-solving skills that you would bring to the Boeing team from 1-10. How do you justify your rating?

"I would rate my problem-solving at a 6 out of 10. Compared to my peers, I feel I do a good job at solving problems in life and in a professional setting. However, I am early in my career and I realize I have not yet had exposure to many of the integrated and complex problems that arise in a more demanding role. I feel it would be unfair of me to rate my skills any higher until I have the opportunity to test them in a role such as the entry-level Quality Specialist position here at Boeing.

I would like to add that I do love challenges, puzzles, and digging in to better understand complex concepts. I feel those traits will serve me well if I am offered the position."

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How to Answer: Rate your problem-solving skills that you would bring to the Boeing team from 1-10. How do you justify your rating?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Boeing job interview.

  • 35. Rate your problem-solving skills that you would bring to the Boeing team from 1-10. How do you justify your rating?

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      No matter what job or department you are interviewing with, your interviewer wants to hire a creative and solid problem solver. Boeing thrives on handling the toughest of issues in the aviation, aerospace, and defense industries and it is important to identify candidates with advanced skills in this area.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 31st, 2023

      How to Answer

      When asked questions about your problem-solving abilities, you of course want to give yourself a healthy rating. However, it's crucial that you remain realistic as you answer. Try to avoid giving yourself a 10 because nobody is perfect and you do not want to come across as overly confident or someone who has no room for feedback and improvement. Alternately, avoid giving yourself too little credit. You do not want to paint the picture that you are a problem-solving dud! Try to remain in the 7.5-9.5 range while staying honest and accurate. Everyone has room to learn and improve! Be sure to justify your score as well.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 31st, 2023

      Entry Level Example

      "I would rate my problem-solving at a 6 out of 10. Compared to my peers, I feel I do a good job at solving problems in life and in a professional setting. However, I am early in my career and I realize I have not yet had exposure to many of the integrated and complex problems that arise in a more demanding role. I feel it would be unfair of me to rate my skills any higher until I have the opportunity to test them in a role such as the entry-level Quality Specialist position here at Boeing.

      I would like to add that I do love challenges, puzzles, and digging in to better understand complex concepts. I feel those traits will serve me well if I am offered the position."

      Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022

      Answer Example

      "I rate my problem-solving skills as an 8/10. I will, on occasion, have times when I am not as efficient as I would like to be but all in all, I do feel that my problem-solving skills are above average. My supervisor and co-workers will attest to my fast reflexes when a problem arises, and they would also say that I remain calm under pressure and am able to communicate effectively with all that I work closely with. If I were fortunate enough to join your team at Boeing, you would quickly find out that I bring great critical thinking skills to help solve your greatest of problems in this department."

      Written by Ryan Brunner on November 13th, 2021

      Experienced Example

      "I would rate my problem-solving skills as a 9 out of 10. As a senior manager, the majority of my day is spent supporting others through their own problem solving processes, solving problems for my teams, solving problems for the groups we support, or working with my peers to solve problems on behalf of our managers. I am able to remain calm, gather the information needed to analyze the situation, brainstorm solutions, anticipate outcomes, develop action plans, and measure the quality of the solution. I feel confident I will be able to leverage these same skills effectively here at Boeing."

      Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022

      Business Analyst Example

      "I would rate my problem solving skills at an 8. I learned formal critical thinking and problem solving techniques at a young age while enrolled in various gifted educational programs. We learned to solve problems using critical and outside of the box thinking techniques within individual and group settings. I have been working with those skill sets ever since.

      I am also formally trained in several root cause analysis techniques. I believe that uncovering the root cause or causes of an issue is a critical step in the problem solving process that is often overlooked or skipped to save time. In my experience, skipping this step can lead to solutions that mask symptoms without solving the problem.

      I believe my experience solving problems daily as an analyst combined with my critical thinking and root cause analysis skill sets justifies my score of an 8 out of 10. I know there is always room to grow, and I look forward to a life long pursuit of continual improvement in this area."

      Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022

      Project Manager Example

      "As a project manager, one of my main duties is to solve problems on behalf of my team. I also spend ample time anticipating problems that might occur and developing strategies to mitigate them. Additionally, I am usually involved in the development of solutions for business critical or customer-focused problems. Given my experience, and the fact I continually use and refine my problem solving skills on a daily basis, I would rate myself a 9 out of 10 in this area."

      Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022

      Software Engineer Example

      "I rate my ability to solve problems as an 8 out of 10. Developing software is like working on a never-ending puzzle. There are always issues to resolve or opportunities to improve. I have been engineering software for a long time, but my experience is limited to enterprise application software. I feel I need to grow my skills by working with problems within different industries. That is why I am interviewing for the position here at Boeing. I feel I can immediately put my experience to use within this department while ultimately learning about and solving problems within the aerospace and defense industry."

      Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "I would rate my problem-solving skills at an 8. Being a critical thinker, thinking outside the box. Root cause analysis means step-by-step analysis of how the outcome happened and what were the steps that caused it. I know there is always room to grow, and I look forward to continual improvement in this area."

      Jaymie's Feedback

      You provided a justification for your rating by highlighting your critical thinking skills, ability to think outside the box, and your approach to root cause analysis. This adds substance to your rating and provides insight into your problem-solving approach. You did an excellent job acknowledging that there is always room for improvement, and by expressing a willingness to continually improve, you demonstrate a growth mindset, which is valuable in any industry! Consider providing brief examples or situations where you applied your problem-solving skills effectively. Real-life examples add credibility to your self-assessment and offer concrete evidence of your problem-solving abilities.

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    About the Author

    Karrie Day

    As a former technologist, I was excited when I learned I would be working on the Boeing Q&A set. I knew going in that Boeing had a strong track record of innovation and excellence when it comes to their use of technology, but I learned so much more when I dug in to research the company. Here are a few things that impressed me personally:

    Product Development Process Maturity
    I spent time digging through the open roles at Boeing and I noticed roles that indicate that the process of developing products at Boeing is advanced. They know their stuff! For example, they employ multiple levels of scrum masters. This means they assign highly skilled and advanced product development facilitators to teams working on mission-critical projects. Additionally, some of their teams utilize SAFe (scaled agile framework). This means Boeing understands how to bridge multiple teams together in a scaled agile setting for maximum collaboration and success. That's important!

    Lean Practices
    Boeing leverages lean principles within their manufacturing sectors, software engineering, and operations groups. This means they understand how to maximize value, ensure quality, and reduce waste. Each of these practices is good for the company, good for its clients, and in theory, good for the employees of Boeing.

    Well Developed Careers Site
    The career coach in me really appreciated Boeing's careers pages. They are very clear about what they are looking for in each of the roles listed. They offer a breakdown of responsibilities and the types of traits/soft skills needed. They use descriptive language such as 'relentless improvements' and 'thinking beyond boundaries'. They also offer salary range, benefits, and relocation assistance information. All of this tells me that Boeing is committed to identifying candidates that are a great fit for their needs and their culture.

    Talent Development and Long-Term Career Options
    Boeing has a strong internship program. This is a smart move in my opinion. They invest in bringing young talent in, showing them the world of Boeing, and then convincing the best to come back and work full-time. Programs like these help to develop future leaders, and Boeing isn't shy about their preference for promoting from within. They also have a well-developed leadership program, a healthy list of business resource groups, demonstrated commitment to hiring veterans, and several continual learning programs. If the idea of working your way up in a company like Boeing sounds appealing, they may be the perfect fit for you!

    In summary, there are always new and exciting opportunities at Boeing that offer a wide range of benefits. No matter what type of role you are interested in, landing a job at Boeing results in an impressive addition to your future resume. I hope this Q&A set has helped you prepare and boost your excitement about your upcoming interview at Boeing. I wish you success, and I encourage you to keep Boeing on your radar in the future!

    Learn more about Karrie Day