Tell me about a task-focused job/project or role you have had in the past that required you to work independently for most of the day. How did you manage the work?
It’s a well known fact that looking at a candidate’s past behaviour is the best way to predict their future performance.
So don’t waste any more precious interview time asking hypothetical questions. Behavioural interview questions will let you understand in detail how a candidate has acted in specific situations.
First, identify the core behaviours you’d like your candidates to demonstrate. Then you can then select your specific questions from the list below.
Stop wasting precious interview time asking hypothetical questions. Download the Behavioural Interview Questions Checklist and get your interviews on track.
How to answer the interview question: Tell me about your experience working independently.
Tell us about a time when you had to solve a problem on you own.
The first one is a classic, scenario-based question. Regardless of your former jobs, you had to solve some problems. And they wonder whether you managed to do it on your own. They key is to demonstrate (while narrating a situation from your past) that you can do that, that you do not panic, and won’t stay put until you have a chance to talk to your manager.
It can be any problem–you struggled to meet a deadline, had a conflict with someone, something on your computer didn’t work, you struggled to find a solution to this or that issue, etc. Just describe how you approached the problem, and what exactly you did while trying to solve it on your own. Your attitude matters the most here, not the eventual outcome. Regardless of how hard we try, sometimes we just cannot solve a problem without someone’s help. It is all right describing such a problem. The key is to show them that you tried your best, before you eventually had to contact someone for help (if you had to).
Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
We have a separate article online for this question, with 7 sample answers, so let me analyze it just briefly here. Think about the job description, and your role in the company. Will you work mostly alone, or with someone? Will you share the office with other people? What will be the type and methodology of your work?
Obviously your preference (or at least your interview answer) should align with the reality of your new job. If you’ll work mostly on your own, you should prefer so. And if you cannot figure it out from the job description, you can say that you like both. You enjoy working on a team and sharing the workplace with colleagues. If you have to be on your own, however, and manage some tasks independently, you do not mind doing that, and you do not need someone to stare over your back making sure that you actually do work, instead of checking social media online.
Tell us about a time when you reached a goal alone.
They say that “every great result is a team effort”. And while there’s some truth to that quote, you can achieve great results independently in a job, for example as a sales representative (generating some sales volume), or as an engineer (coming up with a critical idea or innovation). Think about it for a while.
Your personal life, or school, can also help you with a good answer to this one. Maybe it was your goal to pass a certain exam, get some certification, etc. Hardly anyone could help you much with that. It was you who had to study, prepare hard, and pass the tests later. Do not hesitate to give yourself some credit. Interviewers should get an impression that you do not depend on others when it comes to achieving goals. On the contrary, you are capable of achieving goals alone, at least those goals one can achieve on their own…
ANALYTICAL SKILLS / PROBLEM SOLVING
FAQ
How do you answer Can you work independently?
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages. …
- Explain your preference. …
- Use past experiences to support your preference. …
- Refer to the job description in your answer. …
- Discuss your flexibility with both work environments.
How do you answer the interview question do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
- Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure. …
- How do you handle a challenge? …
- Have you ever made a mistake? …
- Give an example of how you set goals. …
- Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.
What are the 10 most common behavioral interview questions and answers?
Can you work independently under pressure in a team?
