Undoubtedly, this is one of the most difficult questions for employees. This question “Describe a time in your life when you faced a difficult challenge” is not just asked to understand your challenges only, in addition to it you can highlight the areas you did excellently well, the lessons you learned, and how you were able to overcome the challenge.
The objective of this article is to educate you on some of the reasons why employers ask this question so that you can be able to know how to answer “Describe a time in your life when you faced a difficult challenge” in your next interview. Let’s get right into it!
Reasons Why Interviewers Ask You To “Describe A Time In Your Life When You Faced A Difficult Challenge”.
This question poses itself as a hard nut to crack for many people, hence their inability to answer correctly. Therefore jeopardizing their chances of being hired. In this section, we will look over the reasons why most interviewers ask you to “describe a time in your life when you faced a difficult challenge”.
1. One of the reasons interviewers often ask you to describe a time in your life when you faced a difficult challenge is to evaluate your problem-solving skills; to be sure you can handle tough situations in your workplace when they arise and not look for excuses to leave the company.
2. They ask to evaluate your adaptability or flexibility skills. This is quite paramount as it is among the necessary soft skills to include in your CV/resume. They ask this to ensure you can adapt to certain situations and are also willing to embrace change.
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3. To identify your values. How you respond to challenges reflects your values and ethics, hence the interviewer will get to understand you better when you share your story to ascertain whether or not you deserve a spot in the company.
4. How did you react in the face of the challenge? Did you learn something tangible from that experience? Before you reply to your interviewer, answer these questions yourself because what they want to understand is your leadership and initiative skills. If you are proactive, or nonchalant.
Knowing these reasons will guide you on how to describe the difficult challenge you have faced.
Ways To Answer “Describe A Time In Your Life When You Faced A Difficult Challenge” During An Interview
The best way to describe a time in your life when you faced a difficult challenge is to
1. Describe The Situation
Ensure to keep it as concise as possible. Share the nature of the task you were assigned to do and how you planned to carry it out.
2. Explain The Obstacle Encountered
Talk about what obstructed the plan from coming to reality. Was it internal or external, briefly point out the obstacle you encountered.
3. Highlight The Action Taken
What were the steps you took to assuage the situation? Succinctly list the actions that were taken.
4. Mention The Result Of The Action
Lastly, mention the outcome of the action that was taken. Ensure to tell a story where you were victorious or even if it didn’t end well, remember to highlight the lessons you learned and how you could have done it better in case it arises in the future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to describe a time when you faced a difficult challenge is quite easy if you follow the STAR method. The star method starts with the Situation, then the Task and the challenge encountered, followed by the Actions taken to curb the challenge, and lastly, the Result of the specific actions that were taken. Hopefully, you will ace your next interview! Also, do not forget to check other related articles listed in the editor’s recommendation.
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