Describe your process for addressing/resolving problems or issues that may arise.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Focus Your Answer On
Stay Away From
Problem/Issue Resolution - General Good Answer Example
Give an Example - Better Example

The interviewer wants to know you can think quickly to address or resolve a problem. They want to hear about some level of analyzation skills in terms of how you noticed the problem, addressed it, and researched its resolution.

Problem-solving skills. You want to appear confident in addressing problematic situations, like if a customer is irate, the copier breaks down, or the fire alarm goes off, for example. Be prepared to share an example about how you noticed/addressed/resolved an issue, no matter how minor it may sound. The interviewer does not need to hear that you saved the world; they just want to know you can process issues and find a way to address them either by yourself or knowing the appropriate co-workers or supervisors to contact for help.

Appearing that you've never encountered a problem before. We all have. So again, even if the only example you can think of seems like a "little thing" to you, focus on emphasizing your process for problem-solving.

"This answer could be difficult! So many things can happen from irate customers to copiers malfunctioning. My process is to first identify the problem, figure out what options there are to resolve it, and then pick the best solution to act on. For example, if the copier malfunctions, I would make sure it wasn't a minor issue I could fix myself first. Next, I'd contact the support team. If a customer is irate, I would try to help them relax if possible, but I also know when to ask for support from appropriate co-workers or supervisors."

"I can tell you about a very memorable time when I was front office receptionist at XX company. A very angry customer barged through the front door, and I was in their line of fire. At that time, I was not privy to much of the confidential information involved with this particular customer, and she was ready to walk right back into the office and find her Account Representative. I remained calm and professional and asked her to please take a breath and let me help. She allowed me to do this, and I figured out who her Account Representative was. I asked her to please have a seat and let me get her a coffee or a bottle of water while I located the individual. She complied, and I tracked down her Account Representative. Luckily, he was in his office and came to the front to get her. It was a bit scary because she was VERY angry at first. But I was able to calm her enough to avoid a major issue."