Discuss a time when you had to deliver some bad news.
"I had a coworker who decided to quit, but instead of calling management, for some reason they called me. I wasn't a supervisor, yet I was put in this awkward situation. So I had to approach management and inform them that Chris had quit. They then reassigned their project to me. The project Chris was working on should have been close to completion. When I investigated where they left off, I realized the project was never started. This was the second piece of bad news I had delivered. That was an uncomfortable day. But I maintained a positive attitude, and put my all in, assuring them they could rely on me to get it done. Even though the news was bad, I wanted them to know that I had the right attitude."
This question aims to reveal your attitude toward communicating sensitive situations. The interviewer wants to know how you handled such situations and your reasoning for bringing attention to the situation. Are you bold and willing to step outside of your comfort zone, answering the call of duty, or are you more shy and try to avoid such situations? In your example, share how you prioritize the welfare of your coworkers, the needs of the team, while working in the interest of all involved parties.
The assessment vendor will study your performance for any signs of discomfort or dishonesty. Verbal cues they'll analyze to identify if you're exaggerating or not being honest include repeating a question before answering, speaking in sentence fragments, displaying a change in speech pattern, irregular speech, and rising and falling tone. When your words don't match your gestures, it's your gestures that will be seen as the truth. So maintain eye contact and confident body language, be comfortable, and speak from the heart.
Unlock all 30 State Farm questions
Prepare for on-demand video questions that State Farm uses to screen candidates.
Get Started