7 Situational Interview Questions to Prepare For

7 Situational Interview Questions to Prepare For7 Situational Interview Questions to Prepare For In an interview, lets say I asked you, Tell me about a time you worked through a conflict with a coworker?Youd probably think about a past experience, consider the lessons you learned from it , and articulate what happened and how it felt. Youd likely mention any shortcomings you had, how youve grown, and how youd deal with conflict with coworkers in the future.But lets say I asked you a slightly different version of that question instead How would you handle it if you were assigned a project with a coworker, and you two had differing opinions on how to proceed?That changes the game a bit. To answer , you could no longer rely on any fairly familiar story about yourself.Instead, you must use your problem-solving skills and your sense of self to answer how youd hypothetically deal with a conflict that could arise in the future, without the advantage of hindsight. And, youd need to think on your feet.We previously covered behavioral interview questions like the STAR method , which asks candidates to articulate past experiences and what they learned. Its important to use behavioral questions in an interview, but tzu siches another method you should integrate, as well.Situational interview questions are largely hypothetical and can be intentionally ambiguous, such as, How would you handle X if you ? or What would you do if ?Situational questions give you the opportunity to show off your quick-thinking skills, and show hiring managers how you respond to curveballs, which is critical information when they are deciding whether you are qualified for the role.Here are seven situational questions you may face in your next interview and what recruiters or hiring managers are looking for in your answerWhat recruiters want to hear Companies want a candidate to express respect and awareness of a teams opinions and thoughts, while also demonstrating an abi lity to implement initially unpopular ideas.Ideally, you would say something like this First, Id work on understanding the reasoning behind my teams resistance. Perhaps its because they arent familiar with a new system I want to put in place, and many of them are comfortable with the old way of doing things. Once I understood their point of view, Id put together either a presentation, or a training, to show my team why my idea is a good one. Id do this while being cognizant of their hesitation, and incorporating their doubts into my presentation. Id also allow my team to offer anonymous feedback, so each employee felt his or her opinions could be incorporated into the new system - Id never want it to seem like my idea was the only way. Hopefully, research or training sessions could help my team come around to the idea.In this case, the candidate approached the situation from a place of compassion and understanding, rather than frustration. Instead of dwelling on his/her teams resi stance, he/she wisely found appropriate ways to introduce the idea to counteract his/her teams doubts. The candidate showed that she is able to problem-solve well, even when her own ideas or reputation are at stake, and even under pressure from her team.What recruiters want to hear If youre looking to fill a leadership position, youll need to show you handle tough conversations with employees. Hiring managers will want a candidate to express honesty and transparency with each employee, while recognizing the importance of constructive feedback.Ideally, you would say something like this Ive had this happen before, and its never an easy conversation. However, its important to provide feedback to my employees and remain transparent with them when I think they arent performing as well as they could. Thats my job as their manager. Id start out with something positive about their performance, to let them know I recognize their good behavior. Then Id point out where theyre falling short, and ask them why they think that is - most of the time, the employee is already aware of her shortcomings. Finally, Id suggest ways to improve, to show the employee I want to be a resource to help them grow.With this answer, you show a level of maturity when delivering tough feedback. Youll want to mention the importance of feedback, and youll also want to show good communication skills when dealing with issues with employees.What recruiters want to hear This question looks for a candidate who aims to understand their colleagues point of view. Youll want to demonstrate flexibility and an ability to compromise. Plus, its simply important to give recruiters a sense for how you handle conflict.Ideally, you would say something like this Another project manager and I were assigned a project together. I quickly saw my colleague handled follow-up and communication with the client differently than I did. I like to follow-up often and chat on the phone at various stages of the process wit h the client, but my colleague didnt see the purpose in communicating with the client so frequently. Eventually, I talked with my coworker about her follow-up style versus mine. We compromised and agreed to follow up with the client every two weeks, rather than every week, to make collaboration smoother. I was glad I approached the situation head-on, and also understood and appreciated that my colleague had a different work approach.Undoubtedly, any applicant will eventually collaborate with someone who works differently. Youll want to show you arent emotional or deckung when you run into conflict, but rather, you approach it from a business-perspective and communicates problems when they arise.What recruiters want to hear A good answer to this question depends on the role youre applying to.First, you might show flexibility by mentioning that you would stay up late, adjust priorities, and manage to finish the project the way it needed to be finished. If the position is junior level or requires someone to be adaptable to unpredictable deadlines or expectations, youll want to show a level of flexibility.However, if the role is more senior or if it makes more sense for the position, you might want to show that you can put your foot down. Perhaps you want to show how you use more problem-solving skills to analyze those priorities and decisions, and figure out ways to hit those goals without redoing the entire project.What recruiters want to hear This question enables you to display your ability to learn, grow, and accept mistakes. You want to show that you use feedback to make changes, while demonstrating emotional maturity.Essentially, you want to show that you are coachable.Ideally, you would say something like this In my last position, I often met with clients face-to-face, and I greatly enjoyed it. However, occasionally theyd call me over the phone, and in an effort to appear adaptable, Id always speak with them immediately. My manager heard a few of those p hone calls, and he eventually told me that I sounded short on the phone, and worse, I often wasnt as prepared as I could be, because Id been in the middle of another assignment and was caught off guard. He was completely right - Id never considered that I could simply tell the client Id call them back, or let the call go to voicemail. In an effort to multitask efficiently, I was actually letting my client relationships suffer. I learned from that feedback and, going forward, felt confident telling the client theyd need to platzdeckchen up an appointment with me even if they wanted to talk over the phone.Here, you demonstrate that you are open to hearing feedback, appreciate it, and use it to fuel your growth. You owned up to your mistake but didnt dwell on it, and demonstrated an ability to adjust your own work style in response to that feedback, rather than becoming defensive or accepting the feedback but not changing your behavior.What recruiters want to hear No one is perfect, and its good if you can admit to a situation where you made a mistake that required a re-do of a project. More importantly, youll want to show that you can be honest with supervisors about your mistakes, rather than trying to cover them up.You want to prove that you look at mistakes as opportunities to learn, rather than as embarrassing failures.Ideally, you would say something like this First, Id investigate the problem and the source, and make a list of a few different solutions. If none of those solutions were possible without fully redoing the project, and if I thought the mistake might make me miss my deadline, Id immediately approach my supervisor and let her know the situation. Particularly if the mistake is my fault, its important Im honest and open about it - its a good learning and growth opportunity for me, and could prevent others from making that same mistake. Finally, Id put in extra time if necessary to finish the project.In this example, you displayed honesty, a co mmitment to your job and making things right, and an openness to learning from mistakes.What recruiters want to hear Its not practical or necessary to act like you love all aspects of your job equally. Instead, you want to demonstrate a good level of professional maturity, understand some tasks are less enjoyable than others, and appreciate the necessity of those tasks for the companys bottom line.Ideally, you would say something like this I love working with people, which is why I pursued a management position, but I dont love the paperwork - does anyone? Early on, I needed to figure out how to approach stacks of paperwork so it didnt affect the enjoyment I had for other aspects of my job. First, I took a good look at the content and realized that, while it might not be fun, it was certainly critical for ensuring my team was successful. When I could see it contributed to our departments goal, I appreciated it more. Then, I set aside one day a week to tackle the paperwork, rather than working on bits each day. Monday morning, first thing, Id turn off my computer and avoid distractions, and get it done. In a way, this became enjoyable in its own way, since it was distraction-free time.A recruiter wants to feel confident that a candidate is mature and professional and understands the importance of seemingly mundane tasks. They dont want an applicant who says she gives projects she doesnt enjoy to her coworkers or interns. Instead, show hiring managers that you are a candidate who has the flexibility to figure out how to make unsatisfying tasks work without resenting the position long-term.A version of this article was originally published by HubSpot . Reprinted with permission.

The Facts About Workplace Violence

The Fabrollcontainer-transportsystem About Workplace ViolenceThe Facts About Workplace ViolenceA very real, clear and present danger lurks just beyond the consciousness of people who work together eight to 10 hours a day, five to seven days a week. It is the potential for workplace violence to occur. Increasingly, the Human Resources function is both the target of behauptung threats of workplace violence and the organizations first line of defense for the prevention of workplace violence. What causes workplace violence? Are violent actions mora likely to occur at work? What actions or changes tell an organization that an individual has the potential to commit a violent act at work? Read on to find the answers to unterstellung questions and prioritize the health and safety of your employees. Statistics and Facts About Workplace Violence According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) Workplace violence- including assaults and suicides- accounted for 15 percent of all work-related fatal occupational injuries in 2015 (see Slide 3 of the2015 CFOI Chart Package) according to data. In their articleWork-Related Homicides The Facts, Eric Sygnatur and Guy Toscano bedrngnise that Contrary to popular belief, the majority of these incidents are leid crimes of passion committed by disgruntled coworkers and spouses, but rather result from robberies. In 2015, there were 16,380 non-fatal cases of intentional injury by part(s) which required days away from work in private industry however, this accounted for just 2 percent of all non-fatal injuries and illnesses in private industry (see Table R31.) There were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2015, which occurred at a rate of 3.0 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. The 2015 rate continues a pattern of declines that, apart from 2012, occurred annually for the belastung 13 years. Private industry employers reported nearly 48,000 fewer nonfatal injury and illness cases in 2015 compared to a year earlier. What the National Crime Victimization Survey Says According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), 2 million assaults and threats of violence against Americans in the workplace occur annually. The fruchtwein common type of workplace violence welches assault, with an average of 1.5 million workplace assaults occurring a year. Workplace violence occurred as follows 396,000 aggravated assaults, 51,000 rapes and sexual assaults, 84,000 robberies, and 1,000 homicides were reported. These figures likely fall short of the actual number of acts of workplace violence that, in fact, occurred at work as not all acts of workplace violence are reported. To make statistics about workplace violence accurate is difficult because not all employees report violence in the workplace to their employers much less to governmental agencies that track workplace violence stati stics. The Most Prevalent Types of Workplace Violence The news media tends to sensationalize acts of workplace violence that involve coworkers, specifically cases that involve an active shooter. In sensationalizing incidents of workplace violence, they remove the emphasis from the fruchtwein important targets for workplace safety programs. The incidents of workplace violence that occur are much more common in certain industries and in specific occupations. In fact, the most common motive for job-related homicides is robbery, accounting for 85 percent of workplace violence deaths. People who are employed to sell products or act in safety matters in public-facing activities are more prone to experience workplace violence. Occupations at Greatest Risk of Workplace Violence The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides information that illustrates that anyone can become the victim of a workplace assault, but the risks are greater for workplace viole nce in certain industries and occupations. For example, the taxicab industry has the highest risk for workplace violence, nearly 60 times the national average for potential workplace violence. Other occupations at greatest risk include police, detectives, sheriffs, gas station workers, and security guards. In the NCVS study, described earlier, retail sales workers were the most numerous victims, with 330,000 attacked each year. They were followed by police, with 234,200 officers victimized. Disputes among coworkers and with customers and clients accounted for about one-tenth of the total incidences of workplace violence annually. More fatal work injuries resulted from transportation incidents than from any other event in 2014. Roadway incidents alone accounted for nearly one out of every four fatal work injuries. Thus, while violence can happen between coworkers, no responsible safety process in the workplace can ignore the fact that violence is more likely to come from outside the immediate workplace. Nor can it ignore the fact that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Robbers were the most common type of work-related homicide assailant for men and the second most common for women. The most frequent type of assailant in work-related homicides involving women was a relative or domestic partner. Recognizing the Potential for Workplace Violence Larry Porte, a former Secret Service agent and the former manager of the Threat Response and Asset Protection Division of Kerby Bailey and Associates, says that workplace violence is a process that does not occur in a vacuum, but rather is the product of an interaction among three factors The individual who takes violent actionThe stimulus or triggering conditions that lead the person to see violence as a way outA setting that facilitates or permits the violence a setting in which there is a lack of intervention Porte says that perpetrators of workplace violence usually have one of these motives Achieve notoriety or fameBring the worlds attention to a personal problemAvenge a perceived wrongEnd hispersonal pain (to be killed) He believes that workplace attacks are the products of understandable and often discernible processes of thinking and behavior. In a paper that enumerates eight cases of workplace violence that occurred in 2017,Bryan Strawser of Bryghtpath says, As we work together to fight against workplace violence, the biggest challenge is that no two incidents are exactly the same. They can range from disgruntled employees to robbery attempts to somebody just deciding that theyve had enough. Since these incidents are nearly impossible to predict, its important to develop strong workplace violence training and policies so your employees know how to spot early warning signs and react appropriately when a situation arises. Warning Signs That an Employee May Become Violent Dr. Lynne McClure, a nationally recognized expert in managing high-risk employee behaviors before th ey escalate to workplace violence, defines these discernible processes in a most understandable manner. She says that there are eight categories of warning signs that signal the potential for workplace violence to occur. Supervisors, managers, co-workers, and Human Resources professionals need to know these signals of potential workplace violence. They are easy to miss when you are observing colleagues and they are not always predictive of violent actions. Following an incidence of violent behavior in the workplace, however, coworkers often realize that they saw signs and changes in a coworkers behavior prior to the event and didnt take action. In fact, training in recognizing signs of potential workplace violence in coworker behavior is one of the key opportunities organizations have for the prevention of workplace violence. 8 Behaviors That May Predict Acts of Workplace Violence In her book, Risky geschftsleben Managing Employee Violence in the Workplace, McClure describes eig ht categories of high-risk behaviors that indicate the need for management intervention. She says these high-risk behaviors are everyday behaviors that occur in certain patterns- they occur long before threats or actual workplace violence. The eight categories of workplace violence McClure identifies are the following Actor behaviors The employee acts out his or her anger with such actions as yelling, shouting, slamming doors, throwing objects, and so on.Fragmentor behaviors The employee takes no responsibility for his actions and sees no connection between what he does and the consequences or results of his actions. As an example, he blames others for his mistakes.Me-first behaviors The employee does what she wants, regardless of the negative effects on others. As an example, the employee takes a break during a last-minute rush to get the products to a customer, while all of the other employees are working hard. Mixed-messenger behaviors The employee talks positively but behaves ne gatively. As an example, the employee acts in a passive-aggressive manner saying that he is a team player but then refuses to share information with colleagues.Wooden-stick behaviors The employee is rigid, inflexible, and controlling. She wont try new technology, wants to be in charge, or purposefully withholds information.Escape-artist behaviors The employee deals with stress by lying and/or taking part in addictive behaviors such as drugs or gambling. Shocker behaviors The employee suddenly acts in ways that are out of character and/or inherently extreme. For instance, a usually reliable individual fails to show up or call in sick for work. A person exhibits a new attendance pattern.Stranger behaviors The employee is remote, has poor social skills, becomes fixated on an idea and/or an individual. According to McClure, When the manager, supervisor or HR person sees these behavior patterns, she must document, talk to the employee, discuss the behaviors in terms of their negative eff ect on work, and require training, counseling, or both. Employers may also see the need for disciplinary action. The manager, supervisor or HR person must then continue to monitor the employees behavior. The goal is to either to get the employee to change his behavior, via skills acquisition and/or dealing with problems, or leave the workplace by choice or company decision. More Factors and Predictors to Watch Haig Neville, in Dealing With Workplace Violence, highlights several additional issues. A New York Times study of 100 rampage murders found that most of the killers spiraled down a long, slow slide, mentally and emotionally. According to the study, most killers gave multiple signs that they were in trouble. With this in mind, employers should be alert to some of the predictors of violent behavior. These include employees who use intimidation, talk about weaponry, exhibit paranoid or antisocial behavior, feelthat theyre not being heard by the company, express extreme desp eration, have a history of violence, are loners who dont fit in with the group. In an interview with Eric Snyder, past president and CEO of TCM, Inc., McClure said that at least three of these warnings were missed prior to the murder of seven employees at Edgewater Technology in Wakefield, Massachusetts on December 26, 2000. (The act that inspired the multiple murders, including the murder of two HR staff members, was the requirement of the IRS that the company garnishee the wages of the perpetrator, Michael McDermott.) McClure says that it was later learned that the employee was under psychiatric care and taking medication. The week prior to the murders, McDermott had an angry outburst at work, which was both extreme and out of character for him. Finally, McDermott exhibited shocker behavior he appears to have been remote, and he became fixated on the IRS and the companys role in protecting him from the IRS. The Costs and Impact of Workplace Violence The Workplace Violence Rese arch Institute estimated costs of workplace violence to U.S. businesses at $36 billion per year. Neville says, Costs include medical and psychiatric care, lost business and productivity, repairs and clean up, higher insurance rates, increased security costs, and worst of all, the loss of valued employees. In addition, business owners are increasingly being held liable for not making their premises safe for employees and customers. Potential areas of workplace violence-related litigation that should concern employers include civil actions fornegligent hiring, workers compensation claims, third-party claims for damages, invasion of privacy actions, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violation charges. Key Steps to Prevent Workplace Violence Workplace violence can happen anywhere. Workplace violence can happen to you or someone you love. If you are knowledgeable and watchful about workplace violence and its signs in employees, however, you can anticipate and t ake actions that may prevent its occurrence. Here are some key steps Start by adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward any act of workplace violence.Know your employees know when employee behavior is out of the ordinary.Train supervisors, managers, and other workers that reporting unusual employee behavior to Human Resources is expected and a positive, responsible action.Make sure that your HR staff takes action on any report of unusual employee behavior.In your employee handbook, establish workplace policies and procedures that ban all violent behavior and assign stiff penalties to any employee who violates the policy. If an employee violates the policy, act swiftly to remove the person from your workplace via suspension and most frequently, employment termination.Let any terminated employee know that if they are seen in your workplace at any time in the future, you will call the police and charge them with trespassing.Secure your work premises. Make certain that only employees and designated suppliers can enter your workplace with a key or pass card.Create an emergency action plan so that in the instance of workplace violence, every employee has an exit strategy. Conduct mock training exercises with your local law enforcement officials.Stop the spiral that can result in violence give the potentially violent person somewhere to turn for help such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Remember, workplace violence can happen to you or someone you love there are resources available to help learn how to deal with workplace tragedy. DisclaimerPlease note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a worldwide audience and employment laws and regulations vary from state to state and country to country. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from state, federal, or international governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.

4 Ways to Show HR Youre Qualified for the Job - FlexJobs

4 Ways to Show HR Youre Qualified for the Job - FlexJobs4 Ways to Show HR Youre Qualified for the Job -28How is it possible that with so many people out of work, employers still have a hard time finding people to fill their open jobs? The study offered a few possibilitiesThe economy is improving, so employers who were spoiled by the overflow of qualified workers during the recession have a hard time switching back into competition mode where they compete for the best candidates by offering perks like moving expenses and training.Or, because theyve grown used to an overflow of qualified candidates, employers have become lazy and need to look harder and up their recruiting practices to pre-recession levels.And finally, there IS a legitimate shortage of qualified professionals in highly-specialized fields like engineering, computer information technology, and manufacturing.What can job seekers do to make aya that they are noticed by employers? Here are four ways to show HR youre quali fied for the job1) Tailor every job application you submit to the specific job and company to which youre applying. Make it easy for an employer to spot your unique, well-suited job application in a pile of generic, boring, or downright mismatched applicants. For more ideas on this crucial job search stepCustomized Resumes and Cover Letters are Better for Your Job Search3 Ways to Boost Your Resume and Cover Letter with Keywords5 Changes to Make to Your Resume NOW2) Follow up on your applications. Unless an application says something like, no phone calls, its perfectly acceptable to call or e-mail the hiring manager to make sure they received your application, and let them know that youre very much interested in the job and feel you have the right qualifications. If nothing else, the hiring manager has to find your application and look at it to confirm theyve received it, and getting it in front of their eyes is a key step in the process.3) Be the first application they receive (or a t least one of the first). If youre searching for jobs online, use notification tools to be instantly notified when a new job that matches your interests is posted. If youre an FJ member, check out New Jobs for You. At, we offer a New Jobs of Interest feature which lists the most recently posted jobs matching your resume profile. And we have Twitter feeds for our 50+ job categories which automatically tweet every time a new job is posted. Even if youre NOT an FJ member, you can still follow our Twitter Job Feeds. The early bird often does get the worm or at least a job interview which gets them closer to the worm.4) Dont wait for a job to be posted. Who says you need to wait for a job to be posted publicly before you try to get hired? Identify the companies you want to work for and interact with them on LinkedIn. Attend industry events where people who work for those companies are sure to be. Join local or national trade organizations and attend meetings. Volunteer in your communit y and talk to your fellow volunteers. There are SO many ways to find a job, and online job searching is just one of them.Readers, what do you do to show HR youre qualified for the job? Share your tips