Tell us about a project you worked on which required you to get out of your comfort zone? Walk us through your decision-making process.
Answers
Answer:One of the most common competency-based questions for any role requiring some project management experience is “Describe an important project you’ve worked on.” There are a few reasons why interviewers ask this question. They want to see how well you can manage a project or a situation, what your approach to dealing with challenges is, and how your skills would help you to successfully lead a project. They also want to know what your work ethic is like, and gain insight into how you handle stress. So how are you going to answer this question?
First, you need to prepare an answer in advance. It’s very hard to give a well thought-out, five-star answer if you haven’t done prep before your interview. To get started with prepping a response to this interview question, write out a list of all the important projects you’ve worked on in your career. Then, note what the goal was of each project, and what part you played in bringing each project across the finish line. Then, note the outcomes of all the projects.
The next step is to hone in on the project (or projects) you’ll discuss in an interview situation. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to create a concise (yet thorough) answer. Make sure your answer demonstrates your abilities with setting priorities, making decisions, hitting deadlines, and delegating tasks (if you’ve been in a management role). Below are some points to consider when preparing your answer.
Choose the Right Example
Select a project you’ve worked on recently, and not one from several years ago. One of my coaching clients who was applying for a managing director role told me about an impressive achievement during a mock interview. When I asked him when the achievement took place, he said 10 years ago (!). It’s important that you focus on something more recent—you don’t want to give the impression that the last significant achievement in your career took place eons ago.
Also, make sure you pick a project that was actually successful (unless you want to talk about an unsuccessful project that you turned around and made a success). You don’t want to rattle off a bad example in an interview! I’ve heard many stories of candidates realizing halfway through their answer that they’ve chosen a bad example, and that the outcome they worked towards in the interview situation was actually a disastrous one.
Ideally, pick an example that’s most relevant to the responsibilities of the job you’re applying for.
Be Specific
It’s not enough to mention a few responsibilities when discussing the important project or achievement. The interviewer wants to know not just what you’ve done, but how you led, or how you made decisions.
Explanation: