How to Answer: Describe a change you recently made that improved the performance of your work.
4. Describe a change you recently made that improved the performance of your work.
How to Answer
Making a change to improve your performance shows the interviewer that you are self-driven, a go-getter, and able to correct yourself when needed. Give an example of a time when you made a choice, unprompted, to change a habit or process to improve your performance. This change could be something small like cutting out one scheduled coffee break, packing your lunch, organizing your desk, setting a boundary with a chatty colleague, or cleaning up your computer's desktop.
Answer Example
"I recently asked for a transfer to a quieter part of the office because I was finding that being to close to the kitchen was distracting to me. I am not easily distracted; however, there was always a group of colleagues gathering, and it's human nature to want to participate!"
Admin
"I took a few hours last week to reorganize the file room. Things were pretty messy in there, and I was finding myself losing time throughout the week just searching for things. This week, I have noticed a major improvement in my time spent."
Manager
"I recently created a more thorough training manual for the new employees that we onboard. The information this new manual contains is detailed, and I find that I am answering fewer questions with new hires. The average learning curve has also improved. This change has allowed me to spend my time on other important matters."
Marketing
"Not too long ago I decided it was about time for me to organize my digital files! I kept a lot of unnecessary things on my desktop. Now that it's been cleared out, I am working faster, and my computer seems to be as well."
Retail
"I recently changed the order of things behind the counter, where I am a customer service representative. Manuals that I refer to often, I moved from the back room to the top shelf of my counter, for instance. Everything that I use on a daily basis is within arms' reach. It's a small but useful change."
Sales
"Recently I decided to move my call list and other important information to Google docs so that I can access it from my tablet when I am on the road. This accessibility allows me to make cold calls even when I am away from the office. There are other documents that I plan to add as well to improve my time and efficiency further."
Teacher
"I moved my classroom around not too long ago and organized it all. I had a lot of unnecessary materials and clutter in the classroom. The class now has an airier, more minimalistic feel which I appreciate and I think the kids do too."