What sources do you look to when solving complicated problems?
The interviewer wants to know if you think outside the box or ask for help when you are stuck with a complicated problem. It will offer them insights as to how resourceful you are as well as how self-reliant you are in your work versus asking your supervisor for help every five minutes, punting your work onto them and distracting them from their work, when it may have been something you could have handled on your own. How you answer this question will attest to your professionalism as well as how innovative you are.
Share the 'tricks of the trade' you'll lend to their organization. Where some might rely on instinct, others might explore all their resources before committing to a course of action. Try to strike a balance between being independent and resourceful, and not being afraid to ask for help when all other options have been exhausted. Whether you are one or the other, or both, should depend on the situation. Back up your claims with an example where you've put your skills to practice. Show the interviewer that you are knowledgeable and equipped to handle different types of scenarios. Offer varied examples to display your understanding of the nature of this question.
By phrasing the question the way they have, the interviewer set up your answer to provide greater insight. How well you pick up the meanings of each question the interviewer poses the better. The easier you make the interview process for the person interviewing you, the better an interview you'll deliver.
"I would say I'm a very resourceful person. So I turn to the resources I have on hand any time I have to solve a complicated problem. That's the first step. Too often people can hit task paralysis and have trouble even getting started tackling the problem. So I reach for the closest resource just to get the ball rolling, and proceed accordingly; taking the wisest route I can afford, depending on how pressing the complicated problem in question might be."
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