If faced with a problem that requires a quick solution at Johnson & Johnson, how would you respond?

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They're hoping to gauge your confidence in your own abilities. Going with your gut is a skill, and the more you learn to trust your intuition, the easier it becomes to make intelligent decisions. Whether taking charge when no other leadership is present or hurrying to inform your supervisor when the need arises while respecting the chain of command, they want to make sure you have the team's best interests at heart.

If you have an example of a time when you had to think on your feet to solve a work-related issue, talk about how you worked through it. Detail your example by presenting the situation, the task at hand, your course of action, and the result.

Striking a balance between quickly assessing priorities, while protecting the company's assets, and respecting the chain of command. Exercising sound judgment exhibits you as an asset. Making ill-informed decisions proves a person as a liability.

"When an urgent problem arises at work, I always try to respond in a calm and assuring manner. I am a natural leader, which means that my team often looks to me for answers. One instance of my fast thinking was just last week when we had an administrative employee no-show on a crucial and busy day for us. I called a temp agency, and they had the position filled in just one hour."

"I react swiftly in emergency situations. Perhaps my skills come from my years as a parent, having to think fast and put out fires! If a quick solution is required, I will do a fast overview of the facts and make a decision based on risk factors. In these situations in the workplace, communication is vital in ensuring that a fast solution is the best solution possible."

Anonymous Answer

"I make sure that I understand the situation first. Then I quickly identify the problem and associated stakeholders by setting up quick calls, and eventually group discussions, to come to a collective agreement on how the problem should be resolved. If the situation does not allow for this approach I am not afraid to speak up and make decisions myself."

Rachelle's Feedback

Terrific! You sound very confident and ready to make important decisions in the workplace. If you have ever used this approach to solve a problem, this is a great opportunity to give a story-based example that highlights your skills in action.

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Anonymous Answer

"I always make sure I have all the information before I respond. I stay calm, focused and use my 20 year sales experience to find a quick solution."

Margarita's Feedback

Excellent! Let's put this in order. Furthermore, your process already speaks on your experience.

"My process for producing quick solutions entails staying calm, focused, and making sure I have all information needed before devising the answer."

Anonymous Answer

"I would first ensure I understand the brief and have all the available information I need in order to solve the problem and then use my developed critical analysis skills to use my knowledge from my degree and experience to give my best possible answer."

Amanda's Feedback

Problems can arise that require you to think on your feet, depend on prior experience, and use your instincts to solve them quickly. This question can best be answered using a real workplace example to walk the interviewer through your process when it comes to making quick decisions. Talk about the experience, instincts, or information you relied on to make a sound decision quickly. Remember, it's important to illustrate that you can resolve issues quickly with confidence.

Anonymous Answer

"If I was faced with a problem for a quick solution I would first remain calm. I would then gather as much information as I could in a short amount of time and see if I could form a rational decision if I could not I would contact anybody that was available and decide on a solution as a group to ensure I made the best possible solution in the shortest amount of time."

Amanda's Feedback

This is a solid start for walking the interviewer through your process when it comes to making quick decisions; however, there may not always be time for research or a group decision. Consider enhancing your answer by sharing an example of a situation when you were required to come up with a quick solution. A strong example could include taking appropriate action in a medical emergency or taking on a new responsibility without much time to consider it when your team is shorthanded. In these kind of situations you likely rely on your extensive training and intuition to make the right call. When sharing your example make sure to demonstrate that you are confident and able to take the right action at the right time when the need arises.