How to Answer: What is the most difficult case you have worked on?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Fire Investigator job interview.
2. What is the most difficult case you have worked on?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to see what you consider challenging and how you work through a complex case. They also want to see what types of cases you have worked on to determine your experience level.
Written by Krista Wenz on April 18th, 2022
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on describing a problematic case and how you used your critical thinking and problem-solving skills to determine the cause of the fire. Or, it could be another reason the case was challenging, such as multiple people died in the fire, or it was intentionally set and caused major damage and it unsettled you. If you are a new Fire Investigator and have not had a challenging call, describe how you would handle one.
Written by Krista Wenz on April 18th, 2022
What to Avoid
You want to avoid giving an example of a case you could not solve. If you could not determine the cause of a particular fire, the interviewer may question your investigative skills.
Written by Krista Wenz on April 18th, 2022
Answer Example
"The most challenging case I have worked on was a gas explosion at a pre-school. While I easily found the cause of the fire, it was difficult for me because there were so many young children killed. I have two young children, and it hit close to home. I was able to complete the case working alongside the fire department, but we all required critical incident debriefing after the call."
Written by Krista Wenz on April 18th, 2022