When have you been asked to perform a function or complete a task in which you had little or no experience in doing?
"When my manager went on unexpected medical leave for three months last year I was asked to step into her position in the interim. I knew the basics but was certainly not trained on the specifics of the role. I was able to take it on successfully by leaning on my team, reading a lot of company manuals, and asking many questions. Once my manager returned she was very pleased with the progress that I made, and I was awarded a promotion."
"I am often asked to perform tasks outside of my wheelhouse. This includes customer dispute resolution and interviewing potential new employees. I am a diverse employee and am happy to take on additional functions."
Suncor has a strong track record of hiring interns and recent graduates who are unlikely to have in-depth experience with many of Suncor's products. Even if you're an energy sector veteran, you may be asked to work with technology and systems that are unique to Suncor. Your interviewer wants to make sure you can handle yourself when asked to do something new on the job, so walk them through a time when you handled something new with ease and be sure to mention anything you learned along the way.
"I was assigned a major team project this past year in college. While everyone wanted to focus on the engineering tasks, I knew it was also important to develop a project plan and monitor its execution. I had never worked in a formal project management role, but I decided to step up to help the team.
The plan I created was solid and it helped us to stay on track throughout the project. Of course, small changes were needed as unexpected challenges occurred, but having a member of the team available to adjust the plan and maintain the schedule kept us from procrastinating or getting too far behind.
I learned a lot about project management and leadership during that project. I feel confident I can use the skills I used here at Suncor if hired for the mechanical engineering role."
