When a problem requires a quick solution, how do you respond?
"Perhaps my fast-thinking skills come from my years as a parent, having to act immediately and put out fires! If a quick solution is required, I will do a fast overview of the facts and make a decision based on risk factors considering the potential financial loss and client satisfaction."
When it comes to complex problem solving, decisions are not always readily reached. It takes practice, experience, and confidence to learn what sorts of decisions yield the best results. Walk the interviewer through your process when it comes to making quick decisions. Do you rely on past experiences? Perhaps you go with a gut feeling. Maybe you have read case studies that you lean on in these instances.
Problems that require you to act quickly can be emergencies where a temp does not show up to work, and your client is angry. Going with your gut is a skill, and the more you learn to trust your intuition, the easier it becomes to make these types of decisions. Demonstrate that you are confident and able to react swiftly when the need arises.
"In staffing, there are often split-second decisions to be made. Sometimes, I make these decisions after hours. On more than one occasion, I've received an evening phone call on my cell, from a candidate saying they won't be going back to their temp assignment. I have to remember the details of the particular job order and get creative with how to meet the customer's needs for the following morning. Due to the urgent and reactive nature of temporary staffing, I have to be comfortable making split-second decisions. Luckily, due to following my gut, I've been able to make speedy decisions in the best interest of the agency and our client."
