Do you consider yourself a creative thinker in the workplace, or do you prefer to follow a predetermined set of rules?

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Your interviewer wants to know how you would describe yourself and whether you are aligned with the qualities they are looking for in their ideal candidates, which they define on their website as "never satisfied with how things are because we understand how things could be. We empower our people to explore every opportunity, to picture the future we want to see on the horizon and use it to inspire and guide us forward." Most organizations prefer to hire candidates who respect their code of conduct, protocol, and guidelines. But, being able to showcase your drive, propensity towards innovative collaboration, resourcefulness, and ability to think outside of the box isn't mutually exclusive. Assure the interviewer that you are an individual who can achieve both.

"At first, I prefer to keep my head down, soak up as much information as possible, actively listen and play everything by-the-book. I ask a lot of questions before making suggestions. I'm never presumptuous enough to think my idea has never been thought of before."

"In the workplace, I naturally lean towards my preference of straightforward rules and expectations. Once I am comfortable with my knowledge base, I can think outside the box. So - to answer your question - I would say I bring a healthy balance of both."

"I am most comfortable when my creativity is challenged. I like to think of new ways of working and create alternate solutions to a variety of scenarios. With that said, I am more than capable of following a predetermined set of rules."

Anonymous Answer

"I consider myself a creative thinker in the workplace most of the time because I always like to think in my own structures and mindset. However, I also like to follow a pre-determined set of rules because they give me direction and guidance in areas that I am not familiar with."

Stephanie's Feedback

You balance creativity with following the rules, which is a perfect mix for a lot of workplaces! I suggest pitching this as a strength by using this response as an opportunity to highlight your flexibility and ability to acclimate to all different types of work environments. On the creativity side, I suggest providing a specific example of a time when creativity showed up in your work.