What is the riskiest decision you have ever made in the workplace?

How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example
Community Answers

LinkedIn believes in taking smart risks, and now the interviewer wants to know how you handle making risky decisions. As a successful professional, you know to calculate risk in your industry. Tell the interviewer about a work-related risk you have taken and what the outcome was.

Start with an overview of the decision you needed to make, and explain why it was risky. Describe who the situation affected, as well as the possible outcomes. Complete your answer by sharing how the decision paid off, or by mentioning any recognition you received for your success.

"The riskiest decision I ever made was to leave the typical corporate world to move into software development, as a consultant. The risk meant that if I were unsuccessful, I would be looking for a new job in a plodding economy. The pay off would be that I could work with clients of my choosing. I made a great career for myself for the next eight years, which has brought me here today - with an exceptional opportunity in front of me."

"The riskiest career choice I have made was asking for a reduction in hours, from full time to part time employment, to pursue my Software Engineering degree. My boss could have let me go, but he didn't. He openly supported my pursuit of higher education."

Anonymous Answer

"The riskiest decision was changing one project to another. While feeling very confident, with a prospect of climbing a career ladder I chose to leave all that behind by changing the team that worked on one project to a team that worked on a project that had no career path, was very complicated and very different from everything I had done before. I didn't know if I fit in, if I do well, but at the same time, it was an intelligent risk I had to take because the nature of the project overweighs all my concerns. I was highly fascinated by it and wanted to be part of it. As a result, although I took a risk, I have gained so much more."

Marcie's Feedback

This is a great example to cite in order to show how you've taken educated risks in the past at work. It sounds like you were driven by a desire to learn something new, which speaks volumes about your inquisitive nature and love of learning. Perhaps consider talking a bit more about the final outcome; was the project you moved to ultimately successful? Did you end up learning a lot?