Interview Question: Tell me about a time you handled a difficult situation

You'll definitely encounter this question during your next interview, so make sure you know how to answer it!
For more career tips, visit careerly.co

[@shaneyk3620]

I watched all of your videos before my interview and It helps me a lot ! Today I got hired and I want to Thank you for it!

[@careerly]

+Shane08 Mamagat That's awesome! Congrats!

[@ahmedrezk82]

me too

[@elansings]

Shane08 Mamagat congrats

[@joannaherring83]

Shane08 Mamagat 1😇

[@wrednymaz]

Way to go!

[@ms.marybenjamin1652]

my problem is I get too nervous and dread interviews because of the questions.. sounds silly, I know. but it's a part of life. everyone has to work and this is what you have to go through to get work..

[@careerly]

We hear you- most people on the planet hate interviews and get nervous. Try to re-frame it as: these people are looking to solve a problem - how can I help them? If they call you for an interview that means they are interested in talking to YOU! So, think of it more like you are a consultant walking into a client meeting, and they want to hear about what your ideas are.

[@ms.marybenjamin1652]

thank you.. I'll give it a try.

[@anac8448]

ms.mary benjamin I agree ! But keep in my mind that employers are well aware of nerves, and if you happen to stumble or get a little shaky , just stay focused and answer the best that you can. It won't impede on you getting the job. Good luck

[@texasstrong9605]

Omg I get super nervous too!

[@debbiezenaida]

I hear you. It is THE WORST stress ever!

[@edwigekafui1865]

I love that you give example for each situation....thank you, it's very helpful!

[@letstalkcareerswithsara]

This is my favorite question. It is being asked to check your critical thinking and decision making skills. I always advice to mention not just at work but in any crisis happened in life. You answer will determine if you are going to be independent thinker or not.

[@deltadawnize]

Thank you so much for helping me ace interviews. Through watching and learning from you I've had job offers whereas before I used to fail interviews.

[@marydickinson1695]

I am grateful for your videos. Once I view them, I feel more comfortable answering the questions!

[@Brissieskater1]

I have attempted to answer this question in an interview but didn't do so well, this video is certainly food for thought.

[@brownjellow1]

The tough thing about this kind of question is that requires improvisational skills

[@davidwalker2289]

The acronym S.A.R., (Situation, Action, Result), is a great formula used to remember how to efficiently answer modern day interview questions by 1) Explaining a scenario, 2) Focusing your answer on the actions you took - there should be three - and finally 3) Provide an explanation of what the outcome (result) was by the actions you took.

[@dotterel]

Love this. Thanks, David.

[@stevenftw2]

I remember one time when I was playing Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on my Xbox and I was in the middle of a mission where I had to sneak past a large group of enemies. I ended up tripping an alarm and alerted all of the enemies of my presence. I quickly proceeded to exterminate the enemies until there were none left. I ended up beating the level and resolving my difficult situation.

[@anirudha6843]

Steven C LMAO 😅😂

[@4unavi1]

Hi ... I have been a constant viewer of your video and helped a lot during the interview times .. I would recommend the videos to any one who is looking for a job change

[@dkg5168]

Ma'am thanks for these videos,I got placed , great vidoes and advice

[@darsanlal7]

SAR is really wonderful. It helped me a lot for the answer.

[@yjenny8028]

Situation,Action and Result---Done!

[@Jazminn26]

This helped me so much! Thank you!

[@onyinyechichukwuma689]

I love this. Thanks

[@tanishagarg9890]

I miss your content, you are very professional in your approach. Please post more videos

[@yahyadhashiru9507]

Of more than the 100s of videos I have watched, I think this is the best for situational interview answer I have watched. Because I got to learn that i have to have at least 3 actions. One was not enough. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Cheers

[@careerly]

Yahya Dikeni WOW! What a compliment Yahya! Thank you! I'm all about sharing and helping others reach their career goals! If you ever need additional guidance, check out Careerly's online webinars: www.careerly.co/careerly-webinars/

[@branbeelotus]

I was asked this exact question during my interview.

[@anwarsaeed1415]

Thank u for giving such an impressive & instrumental guidelines. i really appreciate your spirit and to deliver great knowledge to the people like me who have no ideas how to articulate and decorate the real best answers in these critical situation at your dearest goal of professional career enhancement endeavor

[@maryedith5614]

Great topic! We've all encountered managers who had expertise in their fields, but didn't necessarily have the appropriate people or communication skills to effectively manage their staff. Looking forward to hearing your TED talk!

[@CorcoranAL]

Excellent...!!!!...

[@nurealam1206]

Great tips. Thanks a lot.

[@chrisread4455]

I have been having issues with questions like this in recent interviews and I'll prbably work my way through your other video because I like your style... I'm aware of the SAR structure to answers, though the person who taught me it called is STAR - the extra T standing for 'Task'.... Anyway for this question I have difficulty deciding which exaple to use. Some of the examples I can think of from my working life seem too trivial, and this may be where I have failed with this question. And some seem too big.. I'm not saying I've ever had a big bust up with a manager - because I havn't - but I don't think one would be advised to use such an example in an interview because it suggests you are a person who gets into bust up situations. Your example is perfet though I can't think of an exactly similar situation.

[@mothersdormlife]

Great video! Thank you for sharing! God bless you!

[@MsShanku]

you are real HIRA, for me precious

[@jeanetejostcollet3111]

Great, thanks a lot!

[@leogenseeds3052]

this helps alot.....! Thankyu

[@MrVilst]

Thanks for sharing. Really helpful.. I have two questions and will appreciated having your answers thanks 1- how would you go about resolving a customer's issue that is not covered under our Return Policies? 2- how would you address an issue that was not covered in your training, and work to resolve it?

[@abbassheik7431]

Your explanation was very good. Good Job.

[@Dearmknight]

great video and advice - thank you.

[@alinwater1715]

I actually had this exact situation and had the sames actions and results. Unbelievable.

[@myemmotion]

You've done a great job with this video!

[@lucyslivingroom5087]

I agree

[@integritysurveyingltd1833]

Great advice

[@SheilaSydnorRiddick]

Hi:-) I just wanted to let you know that your videos were very and extremely helpful to me. You made me realize and unlock the answers to a lot of the behavioral questions that employers ask. I thank you and landed an internship at Deloitte in the cyber risk department. Thanks again, Keep doing what your doing!!! By the way, your very pretty and I know your parents are proud of you;-)

[@girizh11]

She definitely is pretty :) And worthy to spend time on her videos.

[@SheilaSydnorRiddick]

Thanks.............

[@raknoknak]

"you're" very pretty is the correct usage.

[@ARYAN-KHAN78654]

Here in the uk we use the STAR (Situation Task Action Result) formation

[@agatastaniak7459]

It's forced upon everyone worldwide now and honestly it's so generic and artificial than no matter how hard people try to answer it well HR team is never happy. And well, in general there is a lot hard scientific evidence that torturing people with so artificial questions requiring artificial answer under circumstances in which normal people are not familiar with HR latest fashion and methodology gives very poor results. And well, the truth is everyobody wnats to just suck in personal data into latest tracking software. What should be forbidden since people are looking for a job not for another spyware to spy on them. If they would like to apply in the future for the same job they hae brains and now how to contact a company. Plus research proves that majority of people answering this question in a completely different way would do the job equally well, so what the point of asking such questions if it's artificial question providing an artificial answer which doesn't translate at all into quality of job performance? Unless of course companies want to just spend money on organising all this circus. I guess even electricity consumption in a room in which people are asked these questions costs pretty penny.

[@AdilaI8]

Loved it. U r really superb. 😍😍😍

[@shashikans6647]

She is really charming & her style of explanation of each point is so cute that it increases our concentration & positiveness towards our profession which is not possible in watching other technical videos. & enough to relive my tress for an upcoming interview.

[@viewersr]

Agreed. Where can we see more of this presenter?

[@milzijex7340]

she's too fidgety and nervous, she can't leave the pen alone!

[@frankellis6335]

I am glad someone decided to drop the "T" from the STAR method. T can be the part of S, if necessary.

[@JosephUsher]

@@810Celery It's a good thing you don't need to use any of them to pick up your unemployment check.

[@nyinawumwamiespe157]

@@JosephUsher upp

[@muhammadabbasarif4394]

Like the example...thanks

[@anup1492]

Your videos are really helpful.

[@anirudha6843]

Ur videos are of super great help and you are really really beautiful ☺️

[@dijonnestricklen7840]

Great job on everything

[@nagarajan5234]

Nice talk about a time you handled a difficult situation ma'am.

[@najwaemir1564]

Can you do a session for the final interview with the chairman?

[@alexandeap]

You are so Beautiful. Thanks for the tips. Sincerely.

[@user-cg9il1lj9v]

ur accent juz ...mind blowing

[@JShel14]

Being a military guy transitioning to civilian life, I just wanted to say that I've seen a few of your vids and they're very helpful!!!!

[@careerly]

Justin Shelton Thanks for the feedback! We are in the process of uploading a whole new set.. so watch this space! Good luck w your 'civilian' job search/interviews!

[@careerly]

Careerly Justin, I hope your transition has been going smoothly and that you've been successful in your job search. If you ever need some additional guidance, check out Careerly's online webinars: www.careerly.co/careerly-webinars/ You might find these helpful- and best of all you can enjoy the content from home! :-)

[@JShel14]

Thanks for checking back. I actually got a job with General Motors as an Engineer. Thank you so much again for the pointers!

[@faramarzmajedi7961]

she is really good.

[@dijonnestricklen7840]

This is so much more New Tip's thanks a lot.

[@s.reneeperkins8134]

This is an excellent interview question and the advice is perfect for the best way to answer this type of question. Thank you for sharing!

[@makhorubhiyo4053]

This is a great video. Thanks

[@quraniclawofattraction3677]

Very informative Thanks for sharing this video 🌺

[@ajayjha1894]

Really structuring the answer is important

[@dijonnestricklen7840]

Great video. this. can make. me more alert.

[@kerrypeebles629]

Situation Role Outcome

[@lakesidemission7172]

A Favorite video

[@vfgrfbgrb]

I also had another question dealing with detail I explain that I use detail in specs inrestaurant xyz to make pizzas which requires detail of how many ingrediendts

[@Parthsean]

Thank you! Great information.

[@careerly]

Thank you for the feedback!

[@waro808]

that scratch on the wall isn't my monitor, thank goodness.

[@LillianGardner0214]

"...try to make you cry"

[@kevindrone]

I like the painted shelf in the background!!

[@careerly]

kevindrone Thanks for the compliment Kevin! It's one of my favorite pieces :-) Thanks also for checking out the Careerly KZbin channel- if you ever need additional resources, we offer online webinars: www.careerly.co/careerly-webinars/ A great way to get guidance-- all from the comfort of your couch (pajamas optional!)

[@yallaraminaidu1547]

tq for guiding me mam

[@rafzibi9188]

Great video and deserves LIKE Great channel and deserves Subscription

[@devulapallivenkatesh1888]

Great stuff madam thanks a lot for the inputs

[@HafeezKhan-gv1rx]

Every time i get very nervous and not in a position to say some things. I can I overcome my this weakness. I am great-full to you. secondly how can I improve my English speaking effective. THANKS

[@fcg243]

Thank you! This will work awesome for my interview tomorrow!

[@careerly]

You are welcome! How did the interview go?

[@fcg243]

Careerly It went great! I got the job the next day of the interview. It was actually a promotion from a Technical position I currently have to a Management Analyst position. I also subscribed to your channel. Thanks a lot

[@soemyint5068]

thanks

[@iamabm2184]

Nicely Explained..

[@MultiLux2]

good advice! thanks

[@careerly]

Thank you!

[@paragpitti6215]

I think this is one of the most informative video on interview tips. I would like to know if its better to be candid and impromptu or " prepared " for a job interview.

[@careerly]

+parag pitti Prepared. That said, what you want to prepare are outlines and stories and what aspects/attributes you might highlight. You should prepare, for example, "what are the three key attributes/skills you bring to this job?" in advance. However, your delivery of that content should be natural, not memorized. Prepared and candid are not mutually exclusive!

[@jokermam5577]

My inspirational

[@jackiejeenabhai784]

Thank you! This was very insightful

[@careerly]

Careerly Hi Jackie- just a quick update for you in case you're in need of additional guidance. Careerly is now offering online webinars on a variety of career strategy topics. Check out our website when you have a chance! www.careerly.co/careerly-webinars/

[@Deepsu20]

Hi - can you help us with how to answer intreview question - Do you have any other interviews lined up for you.

[@dijonnestricklen7840]

Good to know

[@naveenksingh8485]

Awesome 😀

[@tandrace8622]

Some employers may ask these type question as a weaving out process. Although they're looking for the most skilled. They are also placing heavy wieght on those who are most mentally skilled to handle challenging situations. And trust me, I have seen challenging situations break a lot of physcially capable people down to the ground. I love the slogan "When the tough gets tough; The tough gets going!" Just keep it on a positive note regardless and things should work out. Love this lady's message.

[@Hoops590]

tell the interview person i dont answer these bizarre questions

[@Ymagier]

I found this very helpful as an introduction to the kind of thinking that's expected in a generic competency interview. However, I struggle badly with interviews that involve more rigid competency expectations, and expect the scenario to demonstrate multiple very specific behaviours as set out in a formal competency policy. I find it almost impossible to think of any scenario that will match them all, and as a result I always get low scores, even in interviews for roles that I've done before. I also know few other people my age who can perform well enough at this type of interview, while under 25s seem to sail throúgh them. Unfortunately, it seems to be the norm for recruitment today, for jobs of all skills levels.

[@thuatngo6201]

i love it

[@TheWalter1214]

this is certainly the best example of a job interview that you might encounter, beatifull, Thank you Hira, iis helping me a lot , I hope you upload more of this helpful videos with some other questios or senarios. Thank you.

[@careerly]

+Alfonso D Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated! Check out some of the new videos we've added in the last few months.

[@rosemurphy-mathis2866]

Excellent video.

[@MrRajbir1980]

How can I answer describe a situation in which you had to really depend on your ability to get along with others

[@zamahnyuswa9271]

Very helpful

[@feloniousmonk321]

scriptwriters are at an advantage.

[@ish562]

+Andrew James Scriptwriters and Actors/Actresses.

[@chrisread4455]

Except scriptwriters may well be competing for work against other scriptwriters!

[@kyresereid8825]

Andrew James

[@ofentsentshabele4362]

And liars 🤨😂

[@bayou__]

If you're technically you must understand about flow. And actually action can significant result

[@ahmetvlaeev]

Video is very useful and interesting! Thank you! P. S. May be too much "all right" while speaking.

[@belensanchez4486]

helpful ! thank you but I've also been told to not say the "uhmm" after every word .

[@vanessadennis3575]

I get very nervous when in interviews. I start stuttering and messing up my words. My mind goes blank. Easy jobs like McDonald’s don’t ask questions like that but it’s more to like than McDonald’s.

[@kingston1359]

Very nice

[@saadshuaib8469]

thank you very much and i have an interview regarding trainee associate in medigian company do you have any ideas

[@ekongto63]

make sense.. cheers!!

[@careerly]

Enrico Miguel I'm so glad Enrico! Check out Careerly's online webinars for additional tips! www.careerly.co/careerly-webinars/

[@samantasam2962]

hi, are you Sri lankan? great work

[@livinghealthierandhappier]

Hey you seem pretty good at this are you not uploading any videos anymore?

[@Eagle_Vu]

8years ago 😮 how you look now ? More beauty ?❤

[@dxnrajkumarshresthamotivation]

good ....

[@thuatngo123]

pls keep posting

[@kuistanmhamad3257]

Any idea about teacher aide school district interview?

[@amank88]

Your videos are amazing. I am usually good with getting to the interview stage based on my resume. However, I do not interview well. I actually used your tips and directions for interviews with my dream company. Just received the offer two days ago! Thank you so much, keep up the great work!

[@careerly]

amank88 Thank you for the feedback! And more importantly- congrats on getting your dream job. Very few people are in that enviable position. Enjoy!

[@careerly]

Careerly Hope your first few months at your dream job have been everything you imagined! If you ever need additional resources, check out Careerly's online webinars: www.careerly.co/careerly-webinars/

[@gayathrikarthik9041]

I'm told that for most behavioral questions try to include stories involving technology you are working on to sound like you know tech. Is that true? There are questions where there is nothing to do with technology but purely people.

[@PP2407]

where are you from? india,I hear an accent but see that you are trying to talk the way we do in america. i like your sar approach to the question!