How do you handle situations that could cause you to be late or miss work?
This question probes deeper to assess how organized and conscientious your work ethic is. Describe the measures you take to ensure you are prepared for your morning and arrive to work early or on time. Share with your interviewer how you handle unexpected situations that could make you late or cause you to miss work.
"I'm a mom, so I constantly think of strategies to respond to the unexpected. I believe you should always be prepared for something to go wrong. Since I'm constantly strategizing how to react to a problem, I usually have a good plan in place when the unexpected happens. But I make sure everyone on my team knows so that it allows them to adjust things on their end if needed."
"I stay calm and composed when issues arise. My dad got rear-ended one time when driving me to school. I texted my friend to see if she could tell my teacher what happened. I explained the situation to my teacher when I got to class. If this happened on my way to work, I would call ahead of time to ensure someone could cover my shift."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
What I would do is call my supervisor, explain the details of the situation, and let them know I might be late. After that, I would work out a way to get to work ASAP.
Marcie's Feedback
This sounds like a good plan of action. It also wouldn't hurt to let the interviewer know that you always strive to be punctual and that you rarely miss work unless it's for planned time off.
Anonymous Answer
Things could happen... But I will call my manager right away and try to see if a co-worker covers for me.
Marcie's Feedback
Great! Calling your manager is important. Be sure to also emphasize that you strive to be punctual and reliable as much as possible.
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