Academic Advisor Mock Interview
Practice 35 Academic Advisor interview questions covering student success, retention strategies, and advising philosophies.
Question 18 of 35
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?
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Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
The interviewer would like to know more about your problem-solving skills and personality. Discuss how you tackle problems when they arise, and keep your answer work-related if you can. Whether you are the type to jump right into solving a problem or are more methodical in your approach, highlight to the interviewer that you can handle issues professionally while using sound judgment. The best response will include you being able to handle problems quickly while also carefully assessing the issue.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"When faced with a problem, I am more likely to jump right into solving it. I believe that you cannot leave a problem to fester, or it will become bigger than it already is. You have to take ownership of the issue and involve yourself in the resolution right away. That said, I am responsible for my decision-making and certainly don't jump in blind. If I am unsure what action to take, I will ask my leader for advice."
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"That depends on the situation and seriousness of the problem. I will not jump in with rash decisions on a problem that has a major impact on our students or the institution. On the other hand, if there is an issue that needs an immediate resolution, I am excellent at problem-solving and thinking quick on my feet."
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 have been with my current educational facility for many years, so the majority of problem-solving comes second nature to me at this point. However, when I first started this job, I would have to spend more time in careful consideration before jumping in. I would say that when I have a problem, I have a healthy balance of the two."
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Anonymous Answer
It depends on the problem. Some problems are clear-cut and there is a quick solution. For example, I could quickly help a student who came to me asking for help finding a specific campus resource. Other problems require more detail and information, especially when it involves another party. In this example, I would need to carefully assess the issue.
Rachelle's Feedback
You make an important distinction, and the examples that you provide are great! If you have a specific methodology for assessing issues when problem-solving, this question may be a good opportunity to discuss your approach.
Anonymous Answer
I have learned to take a deep breath and assess. The only thing that usually could or should be handled quickly is acknowledging and affirming a student's feelings or needs. The answers will be most effective after digging into the details first.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! Any interviewer will agree with your thoughts about assessing the issue first. (Good job emphasizing that you would jump to acknowledge and affirm a student's feelings and needs, though.) Is there an example you can include here of a time when you carefully assessed a problem and were then able to successfully remedy it? If so, consider adding it to further strengthen your answer. Excellent!
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