When have you had to think quickly in response to sudden change?
The heart of this question is how well you deal with stressful situations on the job. Sudden changes can be wildly interpreted in a variety of ways. Assure the interviewer that you are capable of responding quickly and professionally to sudden changes in the workplace. Relay that even in the most stressful situations, you have complete governance over your emotions and are wholly capable of performing under even the most strenuous circumstances.
"I am able to think quickly on the job and I do respond well to sudden change. Last week I was asked to tweak a presentation with just 30 minutes notice. The changes were significant but luckily I work well under pressure. The presentation went well and our clients were very happy."
"The insurance industry can be quite volatile so I would suggest that I think quickly in response to change, multiple times per day. When I do need to pivot quickly, I do so in a safe and calculated way that can benefit all parties."
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
In 2019 as a supervisor at Optum, we were in the process of moving clients to a new system platform that was changing several times a month as enhancements were made. I would quickly review the enhancements, meet with my team & present how to incorporate the changes into our processes.
Rachelle's Feedback
This sounds intense! To add more dimension to your answer, try adding in details such as timeline, team size, and what was at stake, overall.
Anonymous Answer
I had to think of re-prioritize all my current assignments to handle the sudden changes. For instance, one day I was asked by my manager to update one of the infrastructure’s architectural diagram for his presentation, I quickly shifted gears, dropped everything I was doing, focused on the updates, and then provided the updated diagram to my manager.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! This is a good example that shows your willingness to work hard and be flexible. Consider changing your language from 'dropped everything I was doing' to something along the lines of 'moved less urgent tasks temporarily down in prioritization' so it doesn't sound like you forgot about other important tasks. Also, did the updated diagram allow your manager to give a successful presentation? Don't forget to talk about the end result and how your actions impacted it. Great job!
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