The questions hiring managers ask candidates during a job interview are usually aimed at discovering more about the candidate’s personality as well as their skills and employment experience. One way they might try to learn about you is to ask about something you wish you had done differently in your past or at a previous job. Preparing an answer to this question ahead of time could help you provide a reply that gives a positive impression to the interviewer.In this article, we discuss how to answer the job interview question “What would you differently?” and provide five sample responses to show different ways you can focus your answer.
Tough Interview Questions: What Would You Do Differently? | JobSearchTV.com
Example answers for “What would you do differently?”
These sample answers may help you find your own reply to the “What would you do differently if you could?” or “What would you have done differently if given the chance?” interview question:
Example 1: Education and training
“If I could change something, I would go back to college and add an information technology minor to my business major. Understanding more about IT would have helped me to progress faster in my career and made it easier for me to understand some aspects of my first few jobs. Thats why Ive made a point of gaining some hands-on experience in this area, and Im excited to continue learning more in my next role.”
Example 2: A missed opportunity
“I once had the chance to take the lead on a big project. I was nervous that I couldnt handle it, so I declined, but now I think that I could have done an excellent job, and I regret missing the opportunity to show my supervisors what I can do. Instead, I supported my co-worker who took the lead as much as possible, but Im looking forward to taking on more responsibility in the future.”
Example 3: A career mistake
“I wouldnt have quit my last job when I did. You might have noticed on my resume that I havent been working for the last year. I left my previous job for an opportunity with a startup, but the company failed pretty quickly. However, I learned a lot from that experience, and from all my research into your company, I know Im not making that mistake again.”
Interviewers often ask questions designed to gauge how you view your own life and accomplishments. The theory is that the way you think about yourself is very telling over the type of personality you will be in the office. In addition, questions about weaknesses or mistakes can potentially reveal some juicy responses if the candidate is not prepared to answer them.
The right way to answer questions about what makes you unique or special is not to badmouth the competition. Caroline Zaayer Kaufman, Monster contributor
Answering the question, “What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?” can put you in a pickle in an interview. You want to sound impressive, but not conceited. And it’s not like you even know the other candidates!
It may help to know what the interviewer is getting at in order to tell them why they should hire you. “Tough questions like this are an attempt by an interviewer to uncover how the candidate problem solves and thinks on his feet,” says Todd Horton, who has over 15 years of HR experience for companies such as IBM and Honda, and is the CEO of the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company KangoGift.com.
Use this dialogue to help you prepare for this common job interview curveball.
Keep your answer parallel to the values of the company
What one company perceives as a shortfall another may see as a positive. You need to familiarize yourself with the company’s values. This will help you talk about improvements the business would actually be interested in making. For example, your old company may have focused on family values, so you could say the company might improve by making family even more important by hosting more picnics and company events.
However, not all companies want family to be the center. Only suggest improvements in areas that fit the goals, reputation and values of the business. Keeping this in mind will make you seem like a candidate who would fit in at the company.
FAQ
What would you bring different to the company?
- Positive Attitude. …
- Organization. …
- Accountability. …
- Take Credit for your Accomplishments. …
- Goal Setting. …
- Help Others. …
- Push Yourself and Your Team. …
- Step out of your Comfort Zone.
What do you do differently from others?
