The “Case Interview” is the cornerstone of consulting recruitment, and it is crucial to the outcome. Your “consulting” skills will be put to the test in 30 minutes as you work with the interviewer on a fictitious “consulting project.”
Yes, this is a BIG topic. With numerous chapters covering topics for beginners as well as more advanced ones, this single article has an enormous amount of content. You should save this page and return to it frequently throughout the course of your preparation.
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INTERVIEW QUESTION: Tell Me About A Time You Handled A Difficult Situation? (The BEST Answer!)
As an experienced candidate
Candidates with more experience may be able to draw from a variety of experiences to respond to this question in an interview. Pick an experience from each of these that best exemplifies your commitment to excellence, your capacity for leadership, and your capacity for patience with others.
Example: “In my previous position as the director of student support and wellness, we had an automated system that allowed students to report concerns about their mental health or other matters that required attention. I relied on these reports to identify the students who needed help so that I could get in touch with them and direct them to the appropriate resources. Unfortunately, due to her frequent tardiness, my coworker who processed these reports delayed many of our interventions with students, which was a significant issue given the emergent nature of some of the situations we dealt with.
My coworker acknowledged her inefficiency, but I realized she might not have fully appreciated how the delay affected the workflow for the entire team. One day I invited her to lunch and gave my account of the situation. My coworker explained that since her processing duties were becoming too demanding, it would be best if she shared them with another employee. Thankfully, after using this system for a while, the problem went away after two weeks. I learned from this experience that, with persistence and teamwork, I can solve any issue with my coworkers, no matter how challenging it may seem. “.
Why do employers ask questions about working with difficult people?
Reviewing sample answers and using them as a model for your own responses may help you answer this question more successfully. Here are two sample responses about dealing with challenging people from both a novice and experienced viewpoint:
As an entry-level candidate
Candidates at the entry level might have fewer experiences to discuss when responding to this question. You might gain from concentrating your response on a situation in which you encountered a problem with a coworker and resolved it successfully by asking for guidance from a manager or supervisor if you only have a few experiences to draw from.
Example: “As a part of my studies, I took part in a fellowship program over the summer. I was able to conduct my own research project through the program with the aid of university tools like the library’s special collections archive. Three other fellows who were enrolled in the program and carrying out their own projects collaborated with me. We worked together to develop our research questions, and one of my coworkers was particularly critical of how I handled my project. In one of our joint meetings, I asked her about her worries because I wanted to understand them.
Unfortunately, she avoided my question. I then spoke with my research mentor and requested her advice. My mentor advised me to speak privately with my coworker, so I later that day invited her to get coffee with me. In our conversation, I requested her opinion on my project. She was going to use the same archive as me to support her research, and I saw that she was worried about the space and resources being available. I assured her that she would also have access, and we together developed a schedule that suited us both. “.
Example 1
Here is an example response from a candidate who dealt with a dissatisfied client:
“I was a team leader at a supermarket in my previous position.” Online and in print advertisements in our stores, we promoted weekly sales. Sports drinks from one particular brand were on sale for “buy one, get one free,” and they were quickly consumed. The entire stock in our store had been depleted by the middle of the sales week.
One client came up to me and voiced their displeasure with the scarcity of stock. I expressed my regret to them, informed them that my grocery clerks had ordered additional inventory, and assured them that the drinks would arrive the following day. I handled the situation coolly and provided a justification for the events. I also discovered that I should stock up on more of this brand for the subsequent sale. “.
Example 4
Here is an illustration of a response from a candidate who took on too many assignments:
I accepted article assignments from an online queue while working at my first job as a content writer. I accepted more than I could handle because I wanted to demonstrate my skills. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to submit all of the assignments on time without compromising the quality. I explained what had happened to my supervisor in a very open and honest manner. They reassigned some of the work to available team members. When submitting articles, I’ve learned to prioritize quality and not take on more than I can handle. “.
How to answer “Tell me how you handled a difficult situation”
Here are four samples of responses to this interview question that you can use as models:
PwC Technical Interview Questions: For Freshers and Experienced
Our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems.
Whether it be capital markets, tax systems, or the economic systems that underpin business and society, we assist intricate systems in functioning, adapting, and evolving in an increasingly complex world so they can produce lasting results for communities and society.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change and have an impact on people, businesses, and societies all over the world, it is becoming increasingly clear that things will not go back to the way they were. We have the chance to decide on a new normal in which social and economic advancement are compatible.
As the systems upon which economies and societies depend are disrupted and evolve, establishing a shared purpose will aid in guiding business through the subsequent stage of evolution.
What is the STAR method?
The STAR method is a technique that is taught to assist individuals in providing thoughtful responses with fully-formed beginnings, middles, and ends. Situation, Task at Hand, Action You Took, and Result make up the acronym STAR. This technique enables you to tell a fluid story that begins with the situation, moves to the task you were given, continues with the action you took, and ends with the outcome of what happened in this specific instance. Hopefully, the story you told was a successful one.
Dudley explained that they employ this technique to ensure that they are telling a story that has a beginning, middle, and end.
FAQ
How do you answer share an experience you had in dealing with a difficult person and how you handled the situation?
Think back on it and accept responsibility for your own actions. Talk about the situation, think about it, and try to take responsibility for your own actions. Think about whether there was anything you could have done to prevent the conflict you encountered.
How do you answer tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem?
- Be objective and give context. When this question is asked during an interview, the first thing you don’t want to do is start playing the victim role.
- Detail how you resolved the situation. …
- Explain what you learnt from the experience.
