When have you had to explain a process or idea, to someone who was either stubborn to the idea, or just did not understand the idea or process?
Essentially, these are questions that are evaluating your problem-solving process, your industry expertise, and your communication skills. This is a common way for employers to get more information about your probable success in the position.
"In my previous role, I was tasked with the training of a new, junior planner. We were learning some of the basic steps on a project and he could not seem to understand 'why' we were doing things that way. I was able to break down the reason for his inability to learn and it was simply because he didn't understand the larger picture or end goal. We were able to move past that and now I am aware of the best way to communicate with him."
When you work as a manager, however, or have any position in sales, the skill to use persuasion to convince other people becomes critical for your professional success. You should be able to explain information so that it is easy for others (non-professionals) to understand. If you can't explain something simply, you may not have the best knowledge of it. Be prepared to give the hiring manager a complete example of a complex situation that you made simple for people who were not familiar with your industry's technical terms.
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
During the process of getting important figures on board with the One Stop Shop permitting system it was difficult sometimes because some people did not understand the idea, so we had to set up multiple meetings and have much more communication with them than other people who understood the idea more easily.
Rachelle's Feedback
This is a good example of a time when you needed to account for people learning at various paces. It may be useful to add in a bit about your ability to remain patient and helpful through the process.
Anonymous Answer
I tried to explain the process of my financial investigation to an irate taxpayer once. He couldn't quite grasp why I needed so much information from him. So I patiently went over every detail with him until he understood.
Stephanie's Feedback
This is a great example, but I suggest adding an additional sentence to show what the impact was. What occurred as a result of the taxpayer's understanding?
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