Tell me about a time you took initiative on your own.
Smith & Nephew values employees with the ability to be self-starters and take ownership of tasks or projects. Consider a time you took the lead on a project or identified a problem and took the initiative to address it and problem-solve. If you do not have experience in the workplace, consider a time you took the initiative as a student or as part of a volunteer group.
"I noticed we were taking at least 2 hours a week on a manual report that seemed to be a big waste of time. I started playing around in our system at the different reporting features and was able to test and customize a report that could take the place of the manual report. After my testing, I brought the idea to my boss who made a few tweaks, but was thrilled I had discovered a more efficient way to give customers the same information."
"I noticed a huge skill gap in the team's use of Microsoft Excel & PPT. Because I come from a different industry, I had to utilize these tools a lot and volunteered to host a series of lunch & learns for anybody who wanted to brush up on them."
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
I noticed a large gap in training for some of my colleagues. So, I put together a training manual that would give them the tools they need to be successful out in the field.
Marcie's Feedback
Great example! Can you provide more details? What type of training was missing? How long did it take you to put together a training manual and did you work alone or with others to do this? How did you communicate to your coworkers about the new training manual? What was the end result? The more information you can give, the more your answer will resonate with the interviewer.
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