When have you had to think outside of the box to solve a problem?
Talk to the interviewer about a time that you solved a problem, creatively. Walk them through the process, your thinking and approach, and your work style. Speak to your resourcefulness and drove your decision. Were you happy with the outcome? What were the steps that you took to ensure your success?
"In my current position we saw a decrease in clients due to a local economic downturn. I recommended to our head office that we begin to generate business outside of our region for the first time in many years. They agreed, and the idea turned things around for us that fiscal year."
"I once had to deal with a space issue in our warehouse. We arranged and re-arranged several times and could not make it work. I thought outside the box and rented some outside pod storage until we were back to normal inventory levels."
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
When I joined a bank and noticed that many tasks were being performed manually. Specifically, there were certain account journal entries that required manual writing and file submission to the accounting department at the end of each closing cycle, despite the fact that the system had the capability to generate these entries automatically.
Recognizing the potential for increased efficiency and accuracy, I took proactive steps to address this issue. I wrote a detailed ticket to our IT team, explaining the formulas and processes necessary for automating the generation of these journal entries. I provided examples and outlined the potential benefits, such as time savings and reduced chances of human error.
Through effective communication and collaboration, the IT team was able to implement the necessary changes and automate the journal entry generation process. This improvement not only streamlined our workflow but also significantly reduced the manual workload for our team members.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! You've used the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) beautifully here. Your answer is detailed (making it impactful) and shows exactly how you think outside of the box to solve problems. Great job!
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