What do you do if your past experiences in an interview don't showcase your problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving skills are highly valued by employers, but they can be hard to demonstrate in an interview if your past experiences don't reflect them. However, don't panic. There are ways to show your potential and convince the interviewer that you can handle challenges and find solutions. Here are some tips to help you prepare and perform well in your interview.

1 Research the company

Before the interview, do some research on the company and its goals, values, and culture. This will help you understand what kind of problems they face and what solutions they expect from their employees. You can also look for examples of how they have solved problems in the past or how they have innovated or improved their products or services. This will give you some context and inspiration for your own answers.

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2 Use the STAR method

The STAR method is a popular framework for answering behavioral questions, which are often used to assess problem-solving skills. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. When you are asked to describe a time when you solved a problem, use this method to structure your answer. First, explain the situation and the problem you faced. Then, describe the task or goal you had to achieve. Next, explain the action you took to solve the problem, highlighting your skills, abilities, and strategies. Finally, describe the result or outcome of your action, emphasizing the positive impact or benefit.

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Ibrahim Falade

Benefit Fulfilment Officer at Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers | Guidance Counsellor | HR Enthusiast | Customer Experience Expert | Instructor
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Think of situations outside of work where you successfully solved problems. It could be from volunteering, personal projects, or even everyday life. Be ready to share these stories during the interview. Highlight transferable skills, even if your previous experience doesn't directly relate to problem-solving, focus on transferable skills like critical thinking, adaptability, creativity, and decision-making. Explain how these skills can be applied to problem-solving situations. Lastly, ask questions during the interview, ask thoughtful questions that require problem-solving skills. This shows your willingness to tackle challenges and find solutions.

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3 Be creative and flexible

Sometimes, you may not have a clear or direct example of problem-solving from your past experiences. In that case, you can be creative and flexible with your answers. You can use examples from other contexts, such as school, volunteer work, hobbies, or personal life, as long as they are relevant and professional. You can also use hypothetical scenarios or situations that you would like to face or solve in the future. The key is to show your thought process and reasoning, as well as your willingness to learn and adapt.

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4 Ask questions

Another way to demonstrate your problem-solving skills is to ask questions during the interview. This shows that you are curious, engaged, and interested in the company and the role. You can ask questions about the problems that the company or the team is currently facing or expects to face in the near future. You can also ask questions about the tools, methods, or resources that they use to solve problems. This will help you learn more about the company and the role, as well as show your initiative and enthusiasm.

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5 Practice and prepare

Finally, the best way to showcase your problem-solving skills is to practice and prepare before the interview. You can use online resources, books, or courses to learn more about problem-solving techniques and frameworks. You can also practice answering common or specific problem-solving questions related to the company or the role. You can use a friend, a mentor, or a coach to give you feedback and suggestions. The more you practice and prepare, the more confident and competent you will be in your interview.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Pratik Kadam

Software Development | AWS Services | Cyber Security Practioner | Problem Solving & Optimization
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The common mistake I have observed is, people focus too much on the solution part. The key to problem solving is that you understand the problem statement thoroughly. When the question is asked, "Tell us what major problems you have solved in your career". Here the primary task is to convey the interviewer about your problem statement. You have to explain how that particular problem was crucial to organization or what was its impact and then you can explain how you solution benefited the organization. Also cheery on the cake would be you also explain how you identified the root cause. Problem solving is more about debugging, troubleshooting and analysis, rather than just a problem and solution

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What do you do if your past experiences in an interview don't showcase your problem-solving skills?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Research the company

2 Use the STAR method

3 Be creative and flexible

4 Ask questions

5 Practice and prepare

6 Here’s what else to consider

Problem Solving

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What do you do if your past experiences in an interview don't showcase your problem-solving skills?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Research the company

2 Use the STAR method

3 Be creative and flexible

4 Ask questions

5 Practice and prepare

6 Here’s what else to consider

Problem Solving

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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