Winning Answer to 500 Interview Questions - Page 24

60. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult choice between your personal and professional life.

Why this question is being asked: The interviewer would like to understand how you balance your professional and personal life.

Strategy: The interviewer is not looking for you to say that you always prioritize your professional life. Provide an example of a challenging situation that may relate to the job you are applying for. Explain how you resolved the situation to a mutual benefit.

Sample answer: It can be difficult to maintain a balance between professional and personal life. As my daughter is a toddler, she is usually asleep by 7:30pm so ideally, I would get home while she is still awake. I know that is not always possible so my spouse and I have come up with different ways to make that work. If I know that I will be out that late, I may wake up an hour earlier to spend time with her. I will also discuss with my supervisor what work must be completed in the office or what I may be able to do remotely (instead of staying late). Sometimes, just talking it out with a supervisor helps. When I started my job, two days a week of overtime was mandatory. After six months, I explained to my supervisor that clients were only coming in late one of those nights and suggested being available earlier one morning a week for client convenience instead. This change helped me to be more effective professionally and also to spend more time at home.

61. What do you do if you can't solve a problem on your own?

Why this question is being asked: The interviewer wants to know how you solve problems that are beyond your own abilities.

Strategy: Explain the process of acknowledging that the problem was out of your area of expertise, how you went about finding someone to help you and what the end result was.

Sample answer: I have served clients in many different regions of the world, but the needs of the banking industry in Australia were uniquely unfamiliar to me. I quickly did my best to acclimate to their needs but I knew that I could not gain the level of expertise needed in just a few days in order to compete for the account. After consulting with my supervisor, I reached out to our division based in New Zealand, as I knew they would have a better idea of the industry culture. We partnered to gain the account and it worked out great in the end.

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