Creative Thinking Mock Interview

Master 15 Creative Thinking interview questions covering innovation, problem-solving, and originality.

Question 4 of 15

Tell me about a time when you created a unique idea or solution, and it was rejected by your colleagues. How were you able to bounce back?

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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I am often creating unique solutions or ideas in the workplace. Last year we launched an employee satisfaction survey. After reading the results, it was clear to me the work that needed to take place. We needed to train our associates better, and further equip our leaders with best practices to ensure their team's success. I suggested implementing them right away. Leadership rejected the ideas citing they wanted them to keep process simple. We did end up implementing some of the ideas over time. It was a learning experience for me on how to better gain buy-in from my peers before introducing new ideas."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I once requested a 'suggestion box' when we experienced high turnover and employee morale issues. Ironically, management rejected my suggestion. The leadership team thought it would just turn into a complaint box. I was disappointed, but I did not let that deter me from continuing in my pursuit to help find a solution to our turnover issue. Instead, I verbally checked in with the employees, creating a safe place for them to provide feedback and suggestions."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I recently asked my boss if we could implement a couple of workplace planning tools that would make it easier for myself to connect with the cross-departmental teams. I was already familiar with the tool, from using in a previous role. However, my boss prefers to run the business very lean and does not want to spend any money. It was unfortunate, but I understand that some people simply like things how they are."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I asked my boss if we could change the sales script slightly, as some of the wording was outdated. Unfortunately, he was offended, since he wrote the script....twenty years ago. I didn't take it to heart, as he's a bit old school; however, I am hoping that he will let the idea simmer and revisit it at a later time."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"Hoping to take my class to the museum to see a recent art installation I recently put in a request for a class field trip. The principal felt that the school could not justify the cost compared to the learning opportunity. I was disappointed because I knew it would be an excellent experience for the students. As a workaround, I sent a memo to the parents notifying them of this new exhibition, and how it related to our current social studies topic, in the hopes, they would take their children on the weekend."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"At times I will have funny slogan ideas that I think we could incorporate into a project. I keep a little notebook full of weird ideas. Some of them stick, and some of them do not. This life is one of a marketing professional!"

Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

The interviewer would like to know how you handle rejection when you present a solution at work. Putting yourself out there with new ideas can be intimidating, and we all want to be accepted. Talk to the interviewer about how you would handle the feelings that come with having your opinion rejected.

Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

"A couple of years ago I made a recommendation for scheduling that would have included some split shifts. The result was less overtime and reduced expenses for the company. My colleagues were unhappy with the idea of split shifts. I was able to see their perspective which made it much easier to bounce back from the rejection. My overall attitude is, you win some - you lose some!"

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Creative Thinking Mock Interview

Tell me about a time when you created a unique idea or solution, and it was rejected by your colleagues. How were you able to bounce back?

15Creative Thinking Interview Questions & Answers

1.When have you had to think outside of the box to solve a problem?

2.What is the most creative or innovative project you have worked on?

3.When have you taken an existing process and used your own creativity to make it better?

4.Tell me about a time when you created a unique idea or solution, and it was rejected by your colleagues. How were you able to bounce back?

5.Outside of work, what type of creative activities do you like to pursue?

6.When have you created a new product or service?

7.Would you consider yourself a creative person?

8.What ideas have you created in the last year that benefited your current or former employer?

9.Tell me about a project you worked on where a conventional approach was not suitable.

10.How do you like to encourage ideas in others?

11.How often do you discuss work with your colleagues in order to think up new systems and styles of working?

12.When have you used an inventive method to stretch company resources beyond the normal level?

13.When did you come up with an innovative solution to a challenge your company, class, or organization was facing?

14.What does the word 'innovation' mean to you?

15.How can we inspire your creative side?