Problem Solving Mock Interview

Practice 25 Problem Solving interview questions covering analytical thinking, decision-making frameworks, and real-world scenarios.

Question 8 of 25

When faced with a problem, how do you decide on the best solution?

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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.

"When it comes to problem-solving, I will always weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. I will also bounce my thoughts off of some co-workers if I still feel conflicted after that."

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.

"As I consider a problem and its solutions, I make a note of what my gut tells me what to do. Then I take a step back and reflect on times that I have faced the situation before. I recall the actions that I took, the outcome, and then pivot as necessary. I trust my instinct because I am heavily knowledgeable in this industry, but I believe in relying on fact as well."

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.

"When I face a problem, I am sure to draw on previous experiences both as a customer and an employee in retail. I then use these experiences to make the most informed decision that I can about the problem at hand. Generally speaking, if I've already seen or experienced a very comparable situation, I can be impactful and exact in my approach by drawing from those experiences."

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 am typically a follow-my-gut type of person, so I follow my instinct when possible. I make a note of what my initial inclination was and then I make sure to compare and contrast solutions. Once I have identified the best solution, I check in to see if it feels right. More often than not, my initial instinct is correct. Of course, I am sure to be analytical as I weigh out each decision."

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.

"My decisions are always based on three factors. One, what is best for the company. Two, what is best for our clients. Three, what will boost employee morale. Now, not all decisions will be popular with all three groups, and I do keep that in mind. In those instances, it is my job to watch our bottom line but ensure customer satisfaction at all times."

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.

"Rock, paper, scissors! Kidding - of course! Our team will collaborate on tough decisions, and we often vote. Majority wins in our office for many creative decisions."

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.

There may be more than one solution to a problem, and the interviewer would like to know how you make a final choice when you're in a situation like that. Effectively comparing and contrasting, or weighing the pros and cons, is essential when choosing the best way to solve a problem. The interviewer wants to see that you are capable when it comes to calculating risk vs. reward. Think about a time when you have compared the risk and reward to a potential solution.

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.

"If I have a problem with multiple solutions, I always go back to the classic pros vs. cons method. I fully understand that although no solution is perfect, and some solutions offer lesser sacrifice while others pose potential loss. I have been trained to take the solution that is 'closest to the money' which means that if I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, I will choose the solution that is most beneficial to the company's bottom line."

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My decisions are always based on three factors. One, what is best for the company. Two, what is best for our clients. Three, what will boost internal staff morale. Now, not all decisions will be popular with all three groups, and I do keep that in mind. In those instances, it is my job to watch our bottom line and ensure customer satisfaction at all times.

Stephanie's Feedback

You exhibit very positive mindsets here. It is evident that you care a lot about the company and about your colleagues! To take your response up a notch, I suggest providing specific step-by-step examples of how you work toward a solution when you are faced with a problem at work. Providing specific examples, rather than general ones, is key!

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Problem Solving Mock Interview

When faced with a problem, how do you decide on the best solution?

25Problem Solving Interview Questions & Answers

1.Tell me about the most challenging problem you have encountered in your professional career.

2.In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

3.Tell me about a time when you discovered a problem and went beyond regular expectations to fix it.

4.Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.

5.When a problem requires a quick solution, how do you respond?

6.When it comes to problem solving, are you a strong collaborator?

7.When you cannot seem to find the right solution to a problem, how do you deal?

8.When faced with a problem, how do you decide on the best solution?

9.How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

10.Tell me about a recurring problem that you run into in your current position, and how you handle it.

11.Tell me about a time when you failed to solve a problem. How did you overcome the failure?

12.What sources do you look to when you need to solve a complicated problem?

13.After you implement a solution to a problem, how do you test the effectiveness of that solution?

14.When a major problem arises, what is your first reaction?

15.What steps do you take when you have to make an immediate decision without all the relevant information?

16.How do you deal with distracting coworkers who stand in the way of your progress?

17.Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot to solve a problem.

18.Tell me about a time when your analysis of a problem was deemed to be incorrect. What would you have done differently?

19.Tell me about the most challenging aspect of your previous job. How did you overcome it?

20.When faced with a problem, are you more likely to jump into solving it, or are you the type to carefully assess the issue first?

21.Give me a recent example of a valuable lesson you learned from a problem you faced at work.

22.When change occurs in the workplace, it can create new problems. Do you see these as inconvenient problems, or opportunities to learn?

23.Rate your problem solving skills from 1-10. How do you justify your rating?

24.What do you think might be the greatest challenges faced in this job? How will you overcome these challenges?

25.What steps do you take to solve a problem?