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70 COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question 11. Not all problems have clear-cut solutions. Give an ex-

ample of a difficult decision you made and your thought process for mak-
ing it.

Situation: The Odd Place was going through a tough financial crisis.

We cut back on miscellaneous needs, such as office supplies, cellphone us-
age, and lunches. However, those reductions were not enough.

Action: After reviewing options, including laying off employees, I de-

termined that the best choice was to pass a twelve percent increase in cost
of medical insurance on to the associates.

Result: That was a decision I made with a heavy heart, but it was bet-

ter than any alternative. Though employees preferred not to pay additional
fees for their health-care plan, they understood the situation and were thank-
ful to have a job when so many of their neighbors did not.

Question 12. Summarize a time when you managed a situation char-

acterized by high pressure.

Obstacle: When I worked for Wingate Hotels, I returned from va-

cation to find that the benefits coordinator had given notice the day I left
for my vacation. Ultimately, that left me one week to aggressively recruit
candidates, catch up with outstanding problems, and document position
procedures.

Action: To expedite matters, I wrote a classified ad, posted it online,

and also called a recruitment agency for their assistance.

Result: I took on the administrative functions of the area until a new

coordinator was hired and trained.

Independence

Making smart, independent decisions that lead to your department’s suc-
cesses is important information that an interviewer will try to uncover
during an interview.

American Management Association
www.amanet.org