How do you respond to problems that require a quick solution?
When it comes to complex problem solving, decisions are not always readily reached. It takes practice, experience, and confidence to learn what sorts of decisions yield the best results. Walk the interviewer through your process when it comes to making quick decisions. Do you rely on past experiences? Perhaps you go with a gut feeling. Maybe you have read case studies that you lean on in these instances.
Problems that require you to act quickly can be emergency situations such as knowing where the fire extinguisher is and grabbing it fast enough to put out a small grease fire in the company kitchen. Other quick decisions could be if you are asked to take on a new responsibility and are only given five minutes to decide if it's something you are prepared to take on. Going with your gut is a skill, and the more you learn to trust your intuition, the easier it becomes to make these types of decisions. Demonstrate that you are confident and able to react swiftly when the need arises.
"I thrive under pressure and always have, so when I'm given a time-sensitive situation to address, I light up and get down to business. I am more impactful and even more creative when I have little time to do much besides jump in and take charge. This ability to make fast decisions is especially helpful in my role as manager when there is an inventory, personnel, or customer issue."
"I respond well to emergency and fast-moving situations that require intuitive decisions. I was raised to trust my initial response so, I do just that! One recent example was when we had a kitchen fire in my previous place of employment. Many of the staff panicked, but I relied on my training, found the fire extinguisher, put the fire out, and made sure that everyone was okay and uninjured."
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
I respond very well to quick solutions to problems. In addition to remembering what I learn in training, I make sure I am aware of my surroundings. For example, if a small fire breaks out, I make sure I know where the fire extinguisher is, so the fire can be put out quickly.
Marcie's Feedback
Great! Including an example here definitely strengthens your answer. Is there an example you can include instead that actually happened to you? (Instead of a hypothetical example...) If this is possible, it will show the interviewer that you are truly capable of thinking quickly on your feet (because you've successfully done it before!)
