As an Academic Technology Specialist, I am often asked things I know nothing about. My job title, admittedly, is confusing. Do I work in IT? Do I work in audio-visual engineering? I do neither of these things: I’m an educator who builds curriculum, develops resources, and consults on how we teach with technology in all of its forms. My background is in English through both of my degrees, so I’ve accumulated nine years of humanities education (with a smattering of some social science) and not much else. I took as few science, engineering, or math courses as I could possibly get away with, without so much as a single STEM-oriented hobby. And yet my title makes it sound like I could just as easily work in IT. Or audio-visual engineering. Or a help desk. As a result, I got questions about hardware, software, cables, plugs, adapters, screen resolutions, outputs… you name it.
When I first started my job, I felt really insecure about not knowing literally anything about how any equipment worked. I was hired as a “technology specialist,” and while I understood that my job was to be critical of technology, to assess its usages and applications for writing pedagogy, my field of true expertise, I still felt somehow pressured to be good at all things related to technology. If it ran on electricity, I felt like I needed to understand how it worked. I have less of an anxiety about that now that I’m a couple of years into the job, but I’m still spending a lot of time learning on the fly.
So, what do I do when I get asked questions I don’t know the answer to? How do I help resolve problems when I literally have no clue what the first step is?
I’ve compiled a list of ways that I’ve managed to build confidence in myself and to start to solve problems even when I am totally lost on what to do.
I still get frustrated when I’m asked to solve a problem I don’t initially understand. I still don’t exactly love the process of staring into opaque black boxes, fumbling around with tangled cables, and mashing random and unresponsive buttons. But I’m trying to understand these experiences as ways that I can grow and become more flexible in my own thinking.
Just today, I managed to get slide content projected onto a wall, and a colleague exclaimed, “Wow, I could have never done that!” While those around me began to heap me with praise (seriously, there are no other occasions where I receive more praise than when I get a projector to work), I immediately responded, “I think you could have.” Initially, I wondered if that was a mistake to say. I didn’t want the colleague to think I was accusing her of being lazy or accusing her of being unwilling to solve the problem. I could understand why she asked for help, especially since she was feeling overwhelmed. At the same time, I meant what I said: with enough perseverance and calm, I bet she could have figured it out too. Maybe it would have taken her longer than it took me. Maybe it would have felt more frustrating or more enraging. But given my journey to solving technical problems without any technical background, I’ve become an even stronger believer in anyone’s ability to learn something they know very little about.
Is my knowledge or understanding of audio-visual equipment deep? No. Do I understand all of the world’s hardware and software? Not even close. But I can get by and I can figure out when I’ve reached my limits. That, to me, is an unintended benefit of having a confusing job title and learning more about how to learn… on the fly!
Competency Assessment Learning on the Fly
Theres a lot to consider when job searching, and it can be tough trying to do everything on your own. Social Securitys Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. The Ticket Program connects you with free employment services to help you decide if working is right for you, prepare for work, find a job or continue to be successful while you are working.
To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit choosework.ssa.gov or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8Â a.m. to 8Â p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket Program Find Help tool.
In the first of our series about Behavioral Interview Questions, we described what behavioral interview questions were, why interviewers ask them, and how you should prepare for them. Today, were taking the next step and talking about answering a specific and common question: “Tell me about a time when you had to learn something very quickly but knew nothing about it before.” This question is the interviewers way of acknowledging that you probably arent going to know everything that the new job will require. They want to know your method for learning new material so they can evaluate how well you might do in their organization.
During the interview process employers might want to know your method for learning new material so they can evaluate how well you might do in their organization. Thats why a common interview question asked is: “Tell me about a time when you had to learn something quickly, but knew nothing about it before.”
As we wrote in the previous blog post, you need to think about a situation that you experienced so that you will have an example ready. Once you identify that situation, it helps to approach your answer by breaking it down into specific parts using the STAR method. Heres an example.
Identifying Key Soft Skills in the Hiring Process
So, how can you identify a candidate’s soft communication skills? Unfortunately, someone with poor or underdeveloped soft skills can harness enough superficial charm to convince a hiring manager they possess these attributes in spades. But being able to put on an act in a short interview isn’t the same as using soft skills in the workplace. In these cases, the manager might not see the truth until it’s too late.
According to Forbes, these are a few of the key soft skills all employers want workers to possess:
Apart from the right experience and qualifications, employers want workers with good soft communication skills, the ability to work well in a team, good problem-solving skills, good time management and planning skills, the ability to take criticism, and a strong work ethic. Anyone being considered for a people (versus project) management position should also possess coaching, mentoring, and influencing skills.
Asking the Right Soft Skill Interview Questions
When we consider that resumes are usually reviewed for technical skills, correctly discerning your candidate’s soft skills sounds nearly impossible. After all, 45-90 minutes (the length of the average job interview) is not a lot of time to gain real insight into a person’s true character.
Here then, are ten soft skills interview questions to help you make the most of your time (and the candidate’s) and focus on key soft skills in the workplace.
I still get frustrated when I’m asked to solve a problem I don’t initially understand. I still don’t exactly love the process of staring into opaque black boxes, fumbling around with tangled cables, and mashing random and unresponsive buttons. But I’m trying to understand these experiences as ways that I can grow and become more flexible in my own thinking.
When I first started my job, I felt really insecure about not knowing literally anything about how any equipment worked. I was hired as a “technology specialist,” and while I understood that my job was to be critical of technology, to assess its usages and applications for writing pedagogy, my field of true expertise, I still felt somehow pressured to be good at all things related to technology. If it ran on electricity, I felt like I needed to understand how it worked. I have less of an anxiety about that now that I’m a couple of years into the job, but I’m still spending a lot of time learning on the fly.
As an Academic Technology Specialist, I am often asked things I know nothing about. My job title, admittedly, is confusing. Do I work in IT? Do I work in audio-visual engineering? I do neither of these things: I’m an educator who builds curriculum, develops resources, and consults on how we teach with technology in all of its forms. My background is in English through both of my degrees, so I’ve accumulated nine years of humanities education (with a smattering of some social science) and not much else. I took as few science, engineering, or math courses as I could possibly get away with, without so much as a single STEM-oriented hobby. And yet my title makes it sound like I could just as easily work in IT. Or audio-visual engineering. Or a help desk. As a result, I got questions about hardware, software, cables, plugs, adapters, screen resolutions, outputs… you name it.
Is my knowledge or understanding of audio-visual equipment deep? No. Do I understand all of the world’s hardware and software? Not even close. But I can get by and I can figure out when I’ve reached my limits. That, to me, is an unintended benefit of having a confusing job title and learning more about how to learn… on the fly!
So, what do I do when I get asked questions I don’t know the answer to? How do I help resolve problems when I literally have no clue what the first step is?
FAQ
What do you learn quickly interview question?
- Adaptability.
- Thinking under pressure.
- A willingness to learn.
- The ability to react quickly to changes.
- The ability to recognize skills within yourself which need improving.
How do you answer Tell me about a time you had to learn quickly?
- Ask plenty of questions. …
- Demonstrate your passion for gaining new skills. …
- Earn certifications and take additional courses. …
- Request information about training and growth opportunities. …
- Pitch new ideas based on your research.
How do you say you are willing to learn in an interview?
- Reflect on your experience. Before answering the question, take a moment to reflect on your experiences at your most recent job and determine what challenges you overcame while working there. …
- Explain what you’ve learned. …
- Reflect using the STAR method.
How do you answer what did you learn in interview?
- Reflect on your experience. Before answering the question, take a moment to reflect on your experiences at your most recent job and determine what challenges you overcame while working there. …
- Explain what you’ve learned. …
- Reflect using the STAR method.
