Tell me about the most challenging aspect of your current job. How did you overcome it when you started in that role?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Every day, Lonza tackles the toughest challenges in developing and producing life-changing pharmaceutical and biotechnology products. Your interviewer needs to know that the candidate they hire joins their team with the ability and wherewithal to handle any challenges thrown their way at Lonza.

Sometimes the most significant workplace challenge is a difficult task that puts you outside your comfort zone. You could discuss a situation that required skills you hadn't mastered yet or your weaker qualities. Explain to the interviewer why it was difficult, but be sure to spend more time highlighting the actions you took to overcome the challenge and what you learned that you can bring to work at Lonza.

"The most challenging aspect of my last job was troubleshooting some of the older technology. We needed some serious upgrades, but they weren't in the budget. Learning how to work around this problem was quite a challenge, but I learned how by referring to old manuals and online forums. I ended up becoming one of the strongest users of this program in our entire office! I quickly became the go-to person when anyone had questions about the technology."

"When I joined my current company eight years ago, it was a huge step from a small-scale manufacturer to a very large-scale one. The biggest challenge was learning and working closely with many more internal stakeholders as part of the engineering team. I learned great skills in my first year related to getting to know the individuals to better work with them and support them. If I'm fortunate enough to join Lonza, I'm confident in my abilities to overcome the challenge of getting to know the new stakeholders I will be working with and supporting."