1. Describe a time where you recently had to bend the rules to achieve one of your goals.
OR
Can you give me an example of a time when you had to make a decision on your own, without consulting your supervisor.

Answer
These behavioral type questions aim to predict how you will respond in the future by learning how you responded to similar circumstances in the past. This question is concerned with initiative and independent thinking, within the organizational context.

Consider what you know about the culture of the organisation you are being interviewed by. Is it a large, very bureaucratic organisation that has complicated approval processes, or a small start-up that doesn't have written down procedures? These different environment suggest different levels of tolerance for risk-taking and initiative and you should choose your example to fit.

"Rules exist to make sure that processes are understood and the operation runs smoothly and efficiently. They make sure that our customers/clients/members can rely on consistent and excellent service. However, it's not possible to create a rule for every situation that might occur. There will always will be unexpected situations where you have to make a decision that is outside the guidelines. It is important to choose what rule best applies and how to adapt it. For instance, .... ".

In your example, describe the situation you found yourself in, the action you took and the outcome you achieved.

NB If the question asks about bending the rules, be sure to address the ethical implications. Make sure you use an example where the outcome is a win-win situation — for the company and its customers or staff. Don't suggest that you bend the rules for your personal gain.

Imagine this situation. Your boss asks you to do something which you believe will cause a great loss to the company. You make the boss aware of the problem but he still insists that he is correct and asks you to just do it. What do you do?
Answer

Senior management want to know that you'll put the good of the company first — but that you're not going to "cause trouble" unneccesarily.

Here is an example of a good answer,
"This is a difficult situation. First I would check that my information is correct and that the action would certainly result in a loss to the company. I would consider what other evidence I could gather that further proves this point. If there is no doubt that the action would be a disaster, I would have no option but to go above my boss' head for the good of the company. The most appropriate way to do this would be to advise my manager again of the reasons why the loss will eventuate and that I can't, in all conscience, "just do it". If he or she persists with the instruction, I will have to raise the issue with the next level of management."

2. What is one thing that your present and past employers could do to improve their business?

Answer
This is a bonus question! Really — it's a great opportunity to demonstrate what you know rather than just what you've done. Obviously, it helps to have thought about this beforehand. If possible, concentrate on some aspect that is relevant to the prospective employer. This may be harder if you are moving into a very different industry or type of position. In such cases, consider discussing something of universal importance, such as customer service or knowledge management.

Make sure your answer is clear, concise and demonstrates good logic — this is not the question to answer in a rambling, vague manner, cautions mentor Lorrin Maughan. She suggests you outline what you see needs to be improved, back up your position (preferably with hard data) and outline the opportunity cost to the organisation of not improving in this area. Then note how you would improve it, refer to any contingencies or dependencies and explain the outcome of the improvement.

You must balance your insight and wisdom with diplomacy and ethics. If you are working in a competitive industry in which information about processes and products is jealously guarded, you must not reveal anything that compromises your current or previous employer. You may also have signed non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements as part of your employment contract.

If you have experience with more than one employer in a particular role or industry, you could not identify which company you are referring to. If you're working for a company or in an industry that has problems or issues that are widely known (for examples, banks and the closure of rural and suburban branches) then it's okay to refer to this in general terms.

This ends the series of hubs about interview questions and suitable answers.

The series of hubs have several interview question and answers.
Part 1 - Interview Tips
Part 2 of the Series - Interview Tips
Part 3 of the Series
Part 4 of the Series