How to Answer: Tell me about a time when you used good judgment and logic to solve a problem.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Admin Assistant job interview.
17. Tell me about a time when you used good judgment and logic to solve a problem.
How to Answer
Admin Assistants often face decision-making requirements without the assistance of others. In your new role, you will be expected to work independently and make sound decisions based on logic. Think of a situation where you used good judgment to solve a work problem. Share a brief overview of the problem, discuss the pros and cons of each decision you could have made, and tell the interviewer why the solution you chose was the best. Be sure to showcase your reasoning abilities.
Behavioral-based interview questions that begin with 'Tell me about a time...' are best answered using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer.
Written by Rachelle Enns on August 22nd, 2020
Entry Level
"(Situation & Task) I work part-time in a retail clothing store where we have a firm return policy on footwear. Last month, I handled a customer who wanted to return a pair of shoes purchased 45 days prior, and our return policy stands for 30-days. (Action) I took the time to explain to the customer that her return was outside of the 30-day window, and I could not take the shoes back. She continued to berate the company as a whole and was speaking loudly so that other customers in the store would hear her. It was clear that this person was not going to be happy, despite my best efforts of being friendly and explaining the store policy. My manager was away for the day, and we did not have any other team leads on the floor. I kept a friendly demeanor and thought about what my manager would do in this situation. I told the customer that I would take the risk and allow her to have a store credit rather than a refund. I continued to work with the customer to find another pair of shoes in exchange. (Result) By making a compromise, I avoided a big scene in the store. I knew the risk was that the company would write me up for not following their return policy; however, I felt it was worth the risk knowing that the customer would leave happy and not do futher damage to the store's reputation. In the end, my manager was happy with my logic and good judgment as I did what she would have done."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Answer Example
"(Situation) In my current role, I face a multitude of scheduling problems every day. (Task) As an Admin Assistant, I must use good logic every day. (Action) For instance, I use logic by figuring out how to arrange the company owners' work and travel schedule through the path of least resistance. If a scheduling hiccup occurs, I will first call the most flexible appointments to reschedule and work my way down the list from there. (Result) By following this logic, I can solve many problems very quickly."
Written by Rachelle Enns on August 22nd, 2020