"Last year, during my third year of schooling, I faced a major illness, the death of a close family member, and a large workload in school. I learned so much about myself in two weeks, which gave me the confidence to handle any situation in my career. This was the first time in my life I can remember being strained emotionally, mentally, and physically. The first thing that helped me work through the situation was communication and reaching out for help. After my grandmother's death, I contacted my professors immediately to set a plan for my coursework. Then I leaned on my loved ones for support when I became sick. Knowing that putting off classes for another semester just wasn't an option to reach my goal of graduation this year, I had to have a sharp focus on my work and needed to battle through the pain. It was all a mindset for me, and I did it."

"I face unexpected difficulty frequently in my current position. The company is under financial strain, and some days we cannot deliver the customer experience that we should. While this is hard to choke down some days, I overcome it by giving everything I have. I control what I can control, and I always strive to leave a good impression on customers."

Talk to the interviewer about a time when you encountered an unexpected challenge on the job. Paint a clear picture of the situation and describe the action you took. Remember that your ability to communicate in these types of situations is critical. Last, ensure that you carefully explain the positive result of your actions. And always remember that how you face unexpected difficulty can say a lot about your character.