Mānoa Career Center | How to Answer “Tell Me About A Time You Overcame An Obstacle?” (2024)

FAQs

Mānoa Career Center | How to Answer “Tell Me About A Time You Overcame An Obstacle?”? ›

Break down the steps you took to analyze the situation, gather information and explore potential solutions. Emphasize any strategic thinking, creativity or analytical skills you employed to navigate the difficulties. Highlight your actions. Provide a detailed account of the actions you took to address the situation.

Break down the steps you took to analyze the situation, gather information and explore potential solutions. Emphasize any strategic thinking, creativity or analytical skills you employed to navigate the difficulties. Highlight your actions. Provide a detailed account of the actions you took to address the situation.

Talk about the actions you took to overcome the difficulty. Discuss how you demonstrated resilience by staying focused, motivated, and determined to find a resolution. If applicable, share any innovative or creative approaches you used to tackle the problem and achieve a positive outcome.

Some examples of situations you can discuss include: A time when you dealt with a lot of customer complaints and how you rectified the issue. A time when you had to work long hours to meet a deadline. A time when you had to deal with a difficult colleague when working on a project.

In my previous role as a Project Manager, I stumbled upon a huge challenge when a key team member was unexpectedly terminated during the most critical phase of the project. He had been responsible for client communication and project coordination; filling in for his responsibilities became the top priority.

It was a challenge for me to complete the task and deliver it on time. I faced issues initially but then decided to work on some time management strategies. I created a schedule, took more minor breaks, gave more time than regular time, brainstormed ideas which helped me focus on the tasks.

One of the biggest challenges during my first year of college was struggling to meet deadlines and I tended to procrastinate. I came to a realization and now, instead of waiting until the last minute, I make my own deadline before the actual deadline. This makes sure I have enough time and am not scrambling at the end.

Some examples of difficult work situations include working with a difficult colleague, responding to inappropriate behavior, and providing negative feedback. Use your experience with difficult work situations to answer common interview questions.

A: When answering, focus on your relevant skills, experience, and achievements that make you the best fit for the role.You should hire me because I am a hard worker who wants to help your company succeed. I have the skills and experience needed for the job, and I am eager to learn and grow with your team .

What are examples of overcame? ›

Examples from Collins dictionaries

Molly had fought and overcome her fear of flying. Find a way to overcome your difficulties. The night before the test I was overcome by fear and despair. A dizziness overcame him, blurring his vision.

So, instead of giving vague answers like "I'm not good at everything," pinpoint a particular area where you need improvement. For example, you might say, "I sometimes struggle with delegating tasks because I'm a perfectionist and I want to make sure I do everything correctly."

How to answer the question. Think about your past difficult decisions: Reflect on past experiences when you had to make a difficult decision, and don't be afraid to talk about it if you've made a mistake. The most important aspect of this question is to explain the reasoning behind your decision making.