In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?
WSP Group wants to know that you have a systematic approach to problem-solving. Consider the skills and qualities that help you successfully face problems, or get through a challenging project. Perhaps you have a keen eye for detail. Maybe you can see opportunity when others can only focus on the issue. Share your strengths as a problem solver, and your ability to come up with innovative solutions for your clients.
Strong problem solvers are:
- Systematic thinkers
- Open minded
- Okay with being wrong sometimes
- Always researching and exploring
- Able to identify the core problem
- Able to reverse engineer a challenge to avoid future issues
- Able to come up with multiple avenues that work well for all stakeholders
- Do-ers and not worriers
"I am a great problem solver because I can compartmentalize all aspects of a problem before studying it. I also like to bring more experienced team members in to add to the solution. I will never try to be a hero and solve a complicated problem without tapping into the resources around me."
"I have been told that I am an excellent problem solver and I believe this is because I have a bit of an engineering mind. I can take the issue, work backward to solve it, and then use that resolution as a basis for avoiding the same issue on future projects. I am also a big-picture thinker which allows me to come up with various resolutions per problem."
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 believe that my ability to see the big picture makes me a great problem solver and I have proven this time after time in previous job roles. During my volunteering role, we recently lost a significant amount of the workforce to university. This halted proceedings and we needed to find a solution. I saw this as a perfect opportunity to involve the community and therefore made some door"“to"“door invitations asking for their involvement. Out of the twenty doors knocked on, 75% of people said they would happily be involved and helped us with some of the laboring work in the project. One person stated that this gave them a real appreciation for their local community and stated that the work really had a positive effect on their mental health. This ability to see the bigger picture and stay calm when confronted with an unseen problem means I can come up with various resolutions per problem.
Amanda's Feedback
This is a solid answer using a recent example of how you thought creatively to solve a project problem. It illustrates your ability to bring people together to build strong networks and share skills or knowledge. You can improve your response by sharing 1 or 2 additional skills or characteristics that help you get to the root of the problem or build consensus.
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