How to Answer: Talk about the most difficult decision you have had to make recently.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Edward Jones job interview.
5. Talk about the most difficult decision you have had to make recently.
The Goal
Edward Jones wants to know how you approach complex decisions. The goal of your response is to showcase your strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Written by Rachelle Enns on May 18th, 2022
Pro Tip
One common mistake that interviewees make is to give a highly personal response. This question is not the time to talk about the hardest personal decision you've ever made. Be sure to keep your answer career-focused and related to the job opportunity at Edward Jones.
Written by Rachelle Enns on May 18th, 2022
How to Answer
Behavioral-based interview questions like this, where the hiring managers are looking for a real-life example, are best answered using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide Edward Jones with the right amount of information and detail.
Use an example relevant to your work, such as changing majors in university, quitting a job that wasn't healthy for you, selling your business and re-entering the traditional workforce, relocating to a new city for better opportunities, or even starting a new professional venture.
Be sure to highlight how you approached the decision and take the decision-makers through your critical thinking and decision-making process. You should also include details of how your decision worked out for the best. At the end of your response, remember to connect your critical thinking skills and how they will benefit Edward Jones, should you be the successful candidate.
Written by Rachelle Enns on May 18th, 2022
What You Need to Know
The average HireVue interview takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. This one-way video interview typically includes 3-5 questions. Depending on Edward Jones' parameters, the HireVue platform will typically give you 30 seconds to prepare a response and up to 2 minutes to answer each question. It's important to note that HireVue stops recording as soon as your time limit is up, so it's better to run under time than overtime.
Written by Rachelle Enns on May 18th, 2022
Answer Example
"(Situation) Choosing my major was one of the toughest career decisions I have made. (Task) I was on the fence between B2B Marketing and Consumer Behavior. (Action) After some contemplation and interviewing alumni and existing students, I chose B2B Marketing as my major. (Result) Today, I am thankful that I made that choice. B2B strategies are changing fast, and I love to learn new ways to position my clients in this incredibly competitive marketplace."
Written by Rachelle Enns on May 18th, 2022