Describe a time you overcame a challenge.
"A supervisor was running a project our team was working on when they called out sick. I was asked to take over the project, but I didn't have all the information required to proceed. I was used to anticipating this supervisor's needs and was familiar with their processes. So, to obtain the missing information, I turned to the resources they would have used and found the answers I was looking for. Then, I accurately predicted their next move. When my supervisor returned, they complimented my decision-making, saying it was executed exactly as they would have done."
"In my last position, I was determined to achieve the next of my career goals. However, there was only one opportunity, which two of my coworkers were also vying for. I was concerned that this competition would be detrimental to our team's morale and hamper our productivity. So I decided to include another career goal in combination with this one - coaching and mentoring others on my team. I knew what needed to be done to earn the position, and in my spare time, I researched the best techniques and approaches to accomplish what needed to be done. I also learned new methods to enhance my communication skills and mentor others. Then, instead of competing for the position, I coached my coworkers to improve their skills to win the position, committing to support whoever should earn that promotion based on their inherent talent and skills. Once we all reached the finish line together, I earned the promotion, and my coworkers supported the decision, but they were both promoted shortly after me, and everyone won."
This question aims to assess your aptitude for being resourceful. How you answer will inform them of how much of a creative thinker you are and your ability to think outside of the box. PNC defines problem-solving as having "knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations." Consider this when formulating your answer.
The assessment vendor's algorithm will study the words you choose and your vocal inflections. So be consistent when answering each question. The algorithm will note when you place stress or emphasis on certain words, stutter or take long pauses, use incomplete sentences, ramble on in a roundabout way, or repeat the question. It will also observe your volume. Do your best to speak in a relaxed, even tone, delivering coherent and succinct answers.
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
Last semester we had a final project where one of my team members was not communicating properly and not working on their part of the assignment. We tried contacting him consistently but to no avail which left us with telling the professor about the situation. We had to remove him from the group and I and the others had an additional workload.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is a challenging situation and a great example to use. Take this opportunity to really highlight your role in the situation and the impact you had on the outcome. Did you help facilitate the communication or perhaps strategize and help delegate the workload? What did you learn from this situation that might translate well into this role? Doing so will help tie things together in your response to the interviewer.
Anonymous Answer
I was the only tech on site and the network crashed so this meant no internet for the half building. My colleagues who would typically handle this were off. I contacted my boss to seek direction and obtained information from the network closet to see where it was failing. This issue involved communicating with another department so I got ahold of a member of that team and worked with him to get the issue resolved.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is a good example to share! It shows you can remain calm in a stressful situation, use your available resources to troubleshoot and work quickly and interdepartmentally to solve the problem!
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