The health insurance industry is very complex. All of our positions require strong organizational skills and attention to detail. How do you ensure that your work is properly organized and highly accurate?
As one of the primary core values at UnitedHealth Group, performance in the form of striving for high-quality results will be important for any new employee there. They became one of the largest healthcare companies in the world with a net income of over 20 billion by being detail-oriented in serving their members and providers. Your interviewer poses this question to ensure that you understand all aspects of the job you are interviewing for that will require keen attention to detail and top-notch organizational skills. As you discuss these, highlight your ability to perform in both of these areas by discussing times you had to do the same in the past.
"Combing over the fine details and ensuring my work is accurate is always something I have prided myself in. As an administrative professional, my success has always started with my ability to prioritize my work based on importance and ensuring that I have a calendar and to-do list that is up to date. I tend to focus on one task at a time through completion, and then move on to the next task. Of course, important things do arise and I need to set down what I'm doing to accomplish something urgent and I'm always willing to do that. In this role at UnitedHealth Group, I understand that I will be supporting a dynamic field-based team, processing referral requests, and responding to phone calls. My first goal upon starting would be to meet the team, understand where I can support them the most, and get to work setting my own goals and priorities based on those needs."
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
I would like to answer this with a personal example. Generally, students take three courses in a semester and feel that it's hectic. I took five in the first semester, worked as a student tech in the business school, and also led college club activities when I served as Vice President. All of this was possible because I was very organized and would accurately plan in advance. I used to make a list of tasks according to their priority before I went to bed. This would give me a plan for the next day. I would get many short breaks during the day which I would use to think about my classes or complete small tasks like applying for job opportunities or reading blogs.
Rachelle's Feedback
Good! Answering a question with a story is often a very impactful way to portray your skills and characteristics. It sounds like you are very detailed, organized, and focused! At the end of your response, I recommend adding a qualifying statement that connects your actions as a student to how you will approach your workload at UnitedHealth Group. I have provided a starter for you below.
"I take pride in my level of focus and organization. For instance, in my first semester of college, I took 5 courses. Generally, students take 3 courses to keep their workload manageable. In addition to these 5 courses, I worked as a student tech in the business school and led various activities as the vice president of our college club. I could juggle all of these expectations because I was very organized and would plan tasks accurately and ahead of time. The night before, I would make a list of the upcoming days' tasks and rank them according to priority. This way, I would have an organized plan for the day. I would take short breaks during the day which I would use to recollect class teachings or complete small tasks like applying for job opportunities or reading blogs. If I were to join UnitedHealth Group, I plan to apply this same strategy to keep my tasks organized. This approach will ensure that I exceed expectations and meet my deadlines."
Anonymous Answer
I am a very detailed and organized individual in every aspect of my life. In my work life, I use my calendar to organize events and set alarms for important deadlines, meetings, and any follow-up that needs to take place.
Cindy's Feedback
Good start. Can you provide an example of how you stay organized? Does staying organized achieve any goals for you, like increased efficiency or reducing error?
Anonymous Answer
Check and recheck the data being entered. Establish a routine and stick with it to minimize errors.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! Doublechecking your work and establishing a routine will definitely help you to minimize errors. You might also mention that you develop checks to help ensure that your work is accurate (like using benchmarks or rule of thumbs to help you notice if something looks off). Creating checklists is another great way to make sure you don't forget tasks. Finally, make sure to emphasize that you learn from any mistakes you make and then implement changes to help ensure you don't make them again.
Anonymous Answer
I am a very detailed person, and I thrive on having structure and organization in everything that I do. This organization includes my daily planner, paperwork, etc. I also utilize my outlook calendar and set deadlines for myself for certain things. Therefore, if I am offered a position with UHG, you will never find me unorganized!
Amanda's Feedback
Good answer! You've shared the tools and strategies you use to handle complex work effectively. You can enhance the impact by sharing how you prioritize tasks, delegate tasks, manage incoming mail or phone calls to eliminate errors. Also, consider providing an example that demonstrates how you successfully handled a complex project or workload with a high level of accuracy in the past.
Anonymous Answer
I have a great eye for detail. I am always working to improve upon my organizational skills. I keep a detailed list of deliverables on my calendar so that I don't miss any deadlines.
Marcie's Feedback
It's great that you keep a list of deliverables on your calendar so you don't miss deadlines. What other methods do you use to stay organized? (Do you establish daily routines, use to-do lists, rely on calendars to track meetings and deadlines, or determine project prioritization based on urgency and importance, for instance?) Do you check your work to ensure its accuracy or have others look it over too? Discuss several ways you guarantee the organization and accuracy of your work to really strengthen your response.
Anonymous Answer
I am an extremely organized professional, paying attention to every detail as my profession demands. I have a well-organized to-do list and a calendar documenting all the deadlines of deliverables. Integrity and accuracy of data and sensitivity of deadline are something embedded in me. I structure my work in such a way that checkpoints were created to ensure numbers are tied at every level. I demand that I build a solid and thorough knowledge of the business and drivers behind the financials, enabling me to discover any inconsistency. Automating the analysis and build logic into it help minimize the error too. Experience and good business acumen also help ensure the business story makes sense at a higher level.
Marcie's Feedback
Great! You have provided in your answer a number of different ways that you ensure your work is accurate. You definitely come across as highly organized and detail-oriented, which is exactly what the interviewer is seeking. Wonderful answer
Anonymous Answer
I like to keep my work organized in folders by subject and with file names that make them easy to find that is logical in the event, someone else needs to access my work. Legal work inherently requires high attention to detail, so I am in the habit of reviewing my work carefully for accuracy before submitting. If time allows, I like to read things that I have written the next day to have the opportunity to step away and read them with fresh eyes.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent. It sounds like you are naturally very organized and detail-oriented. The interviewer will appreciate that you explain exactly how you stay organized. If possible, include an example of a time when you caught an error that benefited the company. Great job!
Anonymous Answer
Working as an internal medicine NP in my early career, when I had to admit a pt from the ER into the hospital and make rounds on the various unit, taught me how to keep my day organized. I had my daily plans and everything that I needed to do lined up in order. In my current role when I have to see pt at the clinic, I make sure to check my schedule in advance and know the number of pts and get the pieces of equipment that I need for each pt. I also utilize my Outlook calendar and set deadlines for myself for certain things. Therefore, with the Housecalls position with UHG, you will not have to worry about me being disorganized.
Jaymie's Feedback
These are all great strategies to use! You did a great job giving specific details and demonstrating that you are very proactive.
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