Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond.
How you answer this question stands to inform your interviewer of your work standard and work ethic. Whatever you share as an exceptional work performance should not only indicate what going the extra mile looks like for you but also what your status quo looks like as well. So when setting the stage for what they could expect from you, try to offer examples that show your status quo as going the extra mile, and above and beyond as going the distance, all the way.
"This past week was a whirlwind at work. A power outage paralyzed our systems, requiring extensive IT intervention. One team leader lost their progress on the following week's schedule, forcing them to restart at the end of the second day. This delay frustrated several staff members eager to know their upcoming schedules. Just as I was about to leave, a customer with a baby and two young children struggled with her bags. Seeing my supervisor about to help, I volunteered instead, knowing they were already juggling trying to finish the schedule. After assisting the customer, I offered to stay late to help with any other tasks and to help with any customer support that might be asked of them, so they could finish the schedule. For the next three hours, I provided support and shielded them from distractions, allowing them to complete the schedule before their shift ended."
"Zalando is what you make of it. Optimism creates opportunities. We focus more on what can be gained than what can be lost. The measure of a good day is accomplishment, not activity. And while we start with yes, we don't necessarily end on yes. We separate real priorities from noise. We own our destiny and are not stopped by circumstances. We keep the big picture in mind. We stay in touch with reality. "Ownership" is about being responsible to our customers, partners and colleagues, not about being entitled."
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