SCENARIO-BASED Interview Questions & Answers! (Pass a Situational Job Interview!)
12. Describe a situation where you used Photoshop to complete a project
Example Job Specific Situational Interview Question and Answer
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We had a chance to win over a high-paying client. My design was shortlisted for a Design Week Award. We got their repeat business and raised annual revenue by 15%. |
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I’ve used Photoshop daily for 10 years. I guess one of my projects was to design a Tri-Fold for a client. |
Which of those two graphic designers would you hire?
These next situational interview questions get at your problem-solving skills. More than half the hiring managers surveyed count that as a key requirement.
How to Answer Situational Interview Questions
Preparing for situational questions should be just like preparing for any other type of question that might be thrown at you during an interview…through practice! As you read these example questions, don’t just figure out how you would answer them; dig deep through your own work history and see if you’ve already encountered similar situations.
If you have, take a hard look and really analyze them. Look for problems you encountered and how you solved them, as well as what you learned from the situation overall.
Being asked a situational question and having to come up with an answer on the fly can be intimidating to someone who hasn’t taken the time to practice their own answers. But for someone who has spent some time going through their past and analyzing potential problems and scenarios, it’s not just a snap; it might just even be fun!
3 Situational Interview Questions and Answers
EXAMPLE ANSWER:
5. Describe a situation where you saw a problem and took steps to fix it.
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Our rechargeable forklifts had two different plugs. If you used the wrong one, you could wreck a $3,500 battery. I added zip-ties as cord-shorteners so you could only reach the right outlet. We haven’t lost a battery since. |
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I saw one of our ladders had a broken step and marked it for repairs. |
See the difference? Scenario-based interview questions are looking for a benefit.
How to Prepare for a Situational Interview
Have answers ready for scenario-oriented situational interview questions about the most important soft skills. Based on research, they are:
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List of Soft Skills |
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Strong Work Ethic |
Time Management |
Detail-Oriented |
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Dependable |
Steady Under Pressure |
Problem Solving |
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Positive Attitude |
Communication |
Decision Making |
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Self-Motivated |
Flexibility |
Customer Service |
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Team Oriented |
Confidence |
Critical Thinking |
Looking for situational interview questions for managers? Focus on the managerial skills shown in our guide: Manager Resume: Sample and Complete Guide [20+ Examples]
Are you team-oriented? The three collaboration interview questions below try to find out.
3. Describe a situation where you weren’t satisfied with your job. What could have made it better?
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Our online ordering page let clients order incompatible components, causing heavy complaints. I asked if we could put a product check in place. The software engineer added warnings when two products weren’t compatible. Complaints went down by 35%. |
That applicant just got the job. Answering situational interview questions like that shows initiative.
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Our online order forms created a lot of complaints. Management could have put in some kind of checking algorithm, but I guess they didn’t want to waste the time on it. |
See the problem? No effort or result.
