Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. What did you learn from it, and how will it fundamentally help the people you are hiring. As long as you use the STAR technique for your answer and clearly show how you personally worked to overcome the challenge. When working as an office manager, one of my responsibilities was to manage events. Grove, Allen. They are good examples of displaying resilience. Upload your CV so recruiters can find you. Grove, Allen. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/describe-challenge-you-overcame-788851. During our team meetings, I gave examples of how I would distribute the work, but one challenge arose when a long-tenured legal assistant demanded that she be responsible for overseeing the deposition summaries. Finally, you must show the outcome of your work and what the challenge taught you. I passed the exam with an extremely high mark and continued into my second year of study with my peers. Additionally, throughout your story and as part of the conclusion, you should highlight the soft skills that you possess which allowed you to tackle this challenge. Did you overcome a physical problem to excel in your sport? I did this through a combination of workplace training, shadowing experienced staff and wider reading outside of the role. One of the worst interview mistakes that some candidates make is forgetting to comment on the lessons they learnt when they were faced with a challenge. If so, let us know in the comments section below wed love to hear your stories! You can link this to your strong organizational and time management skills. Example: "When starting something new at work, I stay motivated by reminding myself that this an opportunity to grow. What interviewers are looking for with their questions is to identify certain skills and attitudes that you possess. If at all possible, pick a challenge that involves working with other people to overcome the problem, rather than you working alone. One person backed out, which left a total of four legal assistants among which I would divide six major tasks. Ifyou struggled, but ultimately succeeded, in a specific class, you might find this to be a perfect topic to discuss during your college admissions interview. Keep this part of your response brief, as you should focus the conversation on the process of overcoming the challenge rather than the initial struggle. Quantify your answer if its possible to do so. You should convey the fact that you relish a challenge and cant wait to get your teeth into this role. When describing the challenge in your interview, begin with a brief summary of the challenge itself. Just frame your answer to reveal your problem-solving abilities. Hiring managers wonder how you respond when facing adversity. Finally, as part of the STAR approach, youll need to end your story by illustrating the Results. Make a list of obstacles you have overcome and write notes on key factors that helped you overcome each. Explain the parameters within which you had to work to fix the problem. Your answer to this question tells a lot about your personality. Paper Type: 1200 word essay Examples. To do this, think about what situations could relate to the position youre applying to and which skills youd like to highlight through your example. 548227, reg. As the senior partner's legal assistant, I was responsible for enlisting the help of three other colleagues, based on their experience and familiarity the senior partner's preferences for trial prep. Unfortunately, this meant I had to retake it in the summer or face starting the whole year over. ", What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses? Example Answer #3. My biggest obstacle was to get to vet school. You might even consider asking the interviewer if she would share with you some of the challenges that you might face should you accept a position with the company. An academic challenge is one of the more predictable responses to this question, but it is perfectly appropriate. Here you can discuss your thought process and the approach you took to solve the problem. Who has impacted you the most in your career? Interviews are all about preparation, and there are many general interview questions you may be asked that assess the compatibility of your skills, experience, education and character traits in a certain role and workplace. Maybe you failed in ten other interviews, but you are still here, trying your luck again. By saying you havent faced any challenges will portray to the interviewer a lack of objectiveness and self-awareness. All rights reserved. Yes, it can feel that way at times. First, open-ended questions like this will test your communication skills. Many challenges are personal. You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, dealing with ambiguity, and other tricky scenarios that happen in the workplace. I had to establish whether the event could still go ahead, or whether we should cancel. Or maybe you negotiated an extension on the deadline? We have a couple of options when faced with adversity. This means youll give context and describe the circumstances around the challenge. Many challenges have solutions that aren't 100 percent ideal for all parties involved, and there is nothing wrong with discussing this reality with your interviewer. These sentence starters help activate " humble curiosity ": I'm curious about Tell me more/say more about that Help me understand Walk me through that I'm wondering They can trigger. In events management, developing an excellent network is integral. I was the only legal assistant who could devote full time to this case because other team members had their normal job in addition to this trial prep. I invited the others on my course who were struggling to attend a meeting in the kitchen of my halls of residence. Ensure your answer is something the employer will be able to relate to. Any type of challenge or draw back that someone faces will have some type of effect on their life. It was fairly quiet, and only one colleague and I worked there when we encountered an aggressive customer.' 2. I have an interview coming up and I honestly never know what to say to this question. Additionally, thoroughly understanding your clients needs will allow you to book the correct guests and plan outstanding events. By using positive thinking in these situations, I feel driven to get started. This includes behavioral interview questions where the recruiter or hiring manager will expect you to explain workplace challenges you encountered and how you resolved those challenges. We dealt with all of the issues surrounding the venue move and the event was a great success. To transition from the challenge to the process of overcoming it, take the interviewer through your thought process. College Interview Tips: "Tell Me About a Challenge You Overcame". But it is paramount that you prepare an answer and do not avoid it. I previously worked as an events coordinator in a college. I was incredibly proud to have been given this role and conducted thorough research into finding the ideal guest. You can do this by explaining the favourable outcome of your actions. A good outcome doesnt necessarily mean that you overcame the adversity, rose like a Phoenix from ashes, and relished in your sweet victory. However, another team member - not the director - successfully developed marketing campaigns for the same kind of product and has been with the company for 10 years. People sitting in the interviewing panel can easily connect with your words on a very personal level, because they may have experienced something similar in their life years ago, or are even experiencing it right now. Your first step in providing adversity examples is to describe the situation. An answer that mentions specific qualities relevant to the role will set you apart from other candidates. Dealing with adversity is a hugely important skill, required for every role in every company. "College Interview Tips: "Tell Me About a Challenge You Overcame"." Following the same scenario, you could say, "My tasks involved assessing all of the jobs that needed to be completed before the case went to trial, and estimating how much time each job would take to complete. An ethical dilemma is a situation in which you must decide between two options, neither of which is clearly the greater moral choice. Keep it professional and show what kind of employee you will be; responses that go down the route of, "My boss was useless, so cleaning up his mess every day was a challenge" will not paint you in a good light. They have also had their share of problems (and maybe still face adversity), often in their personal life. And thats not a bad impression to leave in the interviews, especially when you compete with many other people for a lone vacancy, and try to stand out from the pack. Or you did not get to the school of your choice. Most challenges in real life don't make for good stories because they're overcome with a simple grind. By doing so, you provide examples of overcoming obstacles at work concerning your position and authority. But it also gives you the opportunity to learn how you can improve your responses to questions that are designed to measure your ability for overcoming workplace challenges and adversity. While you are preparing for interview questions, practice describing your work history. 1. And, of course, don't reveal personal information about any other parties involved in your scenario. Some traumas you experienced, demons you battled with, mental blocks you had to overcome. Then, you could discuss how this taught you the value of agreeing to realistic timeframes moving forward. Employers are essentially using your experience to predict how youll adapt in the new position. Answers to this question can also raise red flags to the employer. Example for people with and without previous working experience. It can also help to practice answering this question and other tough interview questions. Do you have any tips on how to explain workplace challenges in interviews? You're no longerexcited about going to the office like you once were. Next, you must describe your exact role in this challenge. This part is about providing background information and setting the scene. He helps job seekers from all walks of life to pursue their career goals, and to prepare for their interviews. Stay Optimistic. Can you step out of your comfort zone when situation demands it? Overcoming Adversity. If you were asked about a time you overcame adversity, an example response is: . Here's an example. When you are describing adversity that involves colleagues (or, supervisors) avoid negativity. They say laughter is the best medicine. It's wise to shy away from anything that's too personalyou don't want your interviewer to feel uncomfortable. Give enough details about the situation so the interviewer doesn't have to ask too many follow-up questions. The two questions above are examples of behavioral interview questions that companies use to gauge if you're the right fit for the position they're hiring for. For example, maybe you worked two part-time jobs in order to pay for your college tuition. 1. Full Example 1: One of the biggest work challenges I've overcome happened at my last job. You may be unsure as to how best to answer this . Tell them about the task In this answer, describe what went wrong. While preparing for your interview, jot down three examples of times when you have been challenged at work or when you faced adversity in the workplace. Why Should I Offer You This Job? Overcoming challenges can be tough. If you are effective in resolving conflict between peers or colleagues, that demonstrates that your coworkers respect you. Examples of Adversity: A Help Out of the Hole When trudging through the weeds of a big problem, it's often helpful to know that you're not the first one who's been there. Here, I had to quickly understand the company's software and the day-to-day running of the organization. It is up to us to choose to grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ or become bitter in our trials. Whether it's someone who is paralyzed after an accident or someone who was born with their physical disability. When you are describing your work history, make sure both you and the interviewer have a copy of your resume to which you can refer during your 60-second summary of work experience. 1. Did you receive positive feedback or generate new sales? These are the "death by a thousand cuts" types of adversity that can grind at us if we let them. Keeping the answer to this question relevant to a workplace situation will work in your favor. But you can be sure theyll be trying to identify your level of self-awareness, your resilience to issues in the workplace and how you handle tough situations. Whereas those in back-office positions may face tight deadlines, or even personal prejudices with colleagues questioning their credentials. If you want to make sure that you stand out with your answers and outclass your competitors, have a look at our Interview Success Package. Hamlet, when faced with adverse conditions . Rather, the question is designed to help the interviewer discover what type of problem solver you are. The ideal scenario would be to choose a challenge youve faced before that is likely to come up in this role. An Example Of Overcoming Adversity And Overcoming Struggles In Life 795 Words4 Pages Overcoming adversity and obstacles can be some of the greatest struggles in life. The way you deal with difficult people says a lot about you and gives your interviewer a glimpse into your ability to deal with an annoying roommate or a demanding professor. I purposely selected three other legal assistants, whose workloads appeared to be rather light, so that they wouldn't be overwhelmed and could volunteer to help." The interviewer isn't necessarily interested in hearing about some horror story from your past. Working through challenges can be hard and draining and can make us feel like we are not coping very well with life. Therefore, I dedicated the first month of the job to absorbing as much information as possible. Go back to the job description to keep in mind the pertinent requirements and responsibilities of the position. I want to hear about a career challenge where there was a problem, and they overcame it. Whether you pushed yourself to run a six-minute mile or write 50,000 words for National Novel Writing Month, this can serve as a good response to the challenge-you-overcame question. So I want to hear some of your stories. Storytelling is a sure-fire way to engage your listener. Leading interviews, we hear the same answers each and every time, maybe with a slight adjustment here and there. Do not forget to check also 7 sample answers to other tricky interview questions: Toll free customer service line: +18332008648 (free for US based customers, for international calls standard rates apply). It might also demonstrate your leadership capabilities where in a client-facing role and show the interviewer that you are comfortable handling situations that involve people whose perspectives differ from your own. My adversity that I have in mind also has to do with why I pursued a medical career. All rights reserved. Here are a few examples - car trouble, job stress, relationship stress, your daily commute, an annoying neighbor, and lots of things that make up the day-to-day hassles in life. Build a support network To encourage teamwork and cooperation in challenging situations, you can develop a support network in the workplace. First, you must choose the right situation where there was evident adversity. Rehearse your answers as much as possible to avoid waffling on the day. It is something that everyone will likely experience which leads one's personality to develop to go with these circumstances and to rely on their closest relatives and allies. This is a really easy question. Be excited. It's beginning toaffect your job performance and your supervisor put you on a performance improvement plan with just 30 days to improve. I assigned a member of the team to each stakeholder group and tasked them with contacting them to relay the new information and make sure they were happy. Describe A Challenge You Faced. I talked through their concerns and reassured them that I respected their experience at the caf and would need their support. What Do You See Yourself Doing 10 Years From Now? Employers need confirmation that you will not give up when times get tough. This experience taught me the power of learning from many different sources. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. Action Talk about the actions involved to overcome the challenge. However, explaining the hiring managers that you are actually aware of the problems others face, that you do not live in a small bubble of your personal existence, but see whats going on in the world, and in the light of these things consider yourself extremely fortunate, regardless of problems you had to overcome, is an extremely powerful answer indeed, and can help you stand out from your competitors in the interviews. Was there an aspect of your sport that didn't come easily to you? Its understandable, therefore, that employers want to see how candidates overcome them to help decide if that person is a good fit for the role. Hence it makes sense to ask it in almost any job interview. Adversities Throughout Time In a world full of conflict and struggle, people of all ages must develop certain skills to thrive. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Tell me about a time you overcame an obstacle is a common interview question, specifically categorised as a behavioural question. Example: 'I was working at a petrol station on an evening shift. This way youll be able to present a situation where your attitude and your actions led to an effective solution. College is all about developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, so the interviewer wants to see whether you show promise in these areas. Those are great stories to share about how you took initiative in order to climb over roadblocks. Given a task outside my standard skills, built up my abilities, and thrived. This is a great example for someone moving into a more senior position, where organization will be a key element of the role. Explain to the interviewer any necessary context so that she can understand the circumstances you faced. Describe how you approached the challenge in the Action stage of your STAR response. Thats the attitude hiring managers seek in great job candidates. For example, you could begin with, "When I was the senior partner's legal assistant at Smith & Doe, there was a class action matter that required a team of four legal assistants to adequately prepare the case for trial. It also highlights that I take responsibility for my actions. Thats why examples from your private life (family, relationships, health issues) work great in this case. It's your body's. I was tasked with the role of booking a speaker for the start-of-year welcome meetings. Its important to choose a situation that is relevant to the job and that will clearly demonstrate the skills you can bring to the role. 1. The STAR method is an excellent approach for responding to behavioral questions during your interview. Remember that this step isnt the main focus of your answer, so it should be concise and brief. You should concisely explain the issue or error and spend most of your answer focusing on the positives. TRY READING You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, dealing with ambiguity, and other situations that can happen in the workplace. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation. He identifies the cause of his adversity is a sales quota that feels impossible to reach. The other students were the same, and we all graduated with a 2:1 or above. Depending on the company, this might be the job of account managers. Ruth resides in North Carolina and works from her office in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. This way, you don't have to interrupt your adversity-related responses with an explanation about the jobs to which you're referring for each example about handling adversity. 7 sample answers to "Think of a time you overcame a challenge or obstacle. Examples would include an increase in sales or market share directly tied to your efforts. But you tried your best, learned your lesson, didnt give up. Employers want to see your real-life experiences, so feel free to use your volunteering, education or even personal life where the context is appropriate. During this stage of your STAR response, you introduce your challenge or adversity and provide sufficient detail about the tasks involved. Now that I am in the workforce, I continue to use the skills I gained, and I am always trying to improve on them as well. Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry," and she has been cited in numerous publications, including journals and textbooks that focus on human resources management practices. Questions that many recruiters and hiring managers ask is "Describe a challenge you overcame," and "Provide examples overcoming obstacles at work." But we are always much stronger and braver than we give ourselves credit for, so what are you proud of yourself for this year? By describing these traits, youll be ticking boxes for the interviewer. In the summer of 1936, the weather was the hottest on record. If the interviewer shares with you some of the challenges that previous employees have had in that role, you can describe - using the STAR method, of course - when you have encountered a similar challenge throughout your work history. Make sure your answer here presents you in a good lightpouring hot coffee in an annoying customer's lap or telling off your boss isn't the type of response that an admissions officer will look upon favorably.