By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments.
This question mainly applies to engineering positions which have some combination of office work and field work. The time and resources available to solve a problem and the safety requirements to be met may vary depending on whether you are in the field or in the office. This situation also applies in the consulting field because different clients will have different goals, and it is important to be able to approach a problem in a way that makes sense to them. For a strong answer, tell your interviewer about a time when you discussed the same situation in multiple contexts or a previous job or situation that changed every day. The sample answer is for an entry-level position where the applicant had a previous internship.
"Last summer, I interned at a railroad. Part of my summer was spent working on AutoCAD files in the office, part of it was spent on the railroad doing bridge inspections, and part of it was spent in the shop next to the office learning about how box cars are repaired. Obviously, that experience required navigating several different environments; the weather was often pretty bad when we were out inspecting bridges and I still had to get out there, take pictures, and accurately record what we saw. Working in the office wasn't as difficult physically, but it was challenging to learn a new computer program. Both of those situations were different from the couple days I spent in the shop, where there were pretty strict union rules on what I could or could not do. It was a challenge to learn all these different environments over the course of one summer, but I feel like in doing so, I gained a thorough introduction to the railroad industry."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
When I was documenting our processes in the molding, tool room, and extrusion areas, I learned to develop a rapport with each area lead despite each area not getting along. In doing so, I was able to communicate with each person and have them engage with the process while also sharing with me improvements that could be implemented. The effect was mutually beneficial and allowed me to be the liaison to address some of the conflicts between the departments.
Amanda's Feedback
This is a solid example of your ability to collaborate with a variety of people to address the needs of multiple situations or environments. You can give this response more impact by talking about how you built rapport by adapting to each lead's communication or work style or by engaging in active listening to understand each department's needs.
Anonymous Answer
For 15 years I have worked for a global company with ______ and teams spread all over the world. There was one demo that I had to prepare for. The first week the team had to go to France, load the code and test it with the customer's data. We were literally locked in a conference room working with a team from France, India, US, and Japan. We started at 8 am and finished most nights at 10 pm. It was rough and not everyone was always in a happy mood. In the second week, the presales team (without ______) traveled to Canada and the US to meet up with the US sales team, who were well rested. We rehearsed in hotel lobbies and hotel rooms until we were ready and then went to the 2 customer sites for the demos. It was worth the craziness of 2 sleepless weeks. We were a part of a 10M 3-year implementation.
Marcie's Feedback
Wow! Sounds exciting and like it was worth all the hard work! You have used the STAR method successfully here to explain the situation, your role/actions, and what the result was. Consider ending your response with a sentence that reminds the interviewer of how adaptable you are and that you look forward to using this skill in this new role. Excellent job!
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