8. What would you do if . . .
This question doesn’t require a specific incident from your past. However, you could share one. Therefore, make your answer even more powerful and share a relevant example.
What if you don’t have a specific example? Then you are free to use your imagination combined with your life experience. Because you will need to answer “what would you do if . . . ” for two different situations.
First of all, they may ask you about a predictable situation. This is something that you could expect to occur in the position. Another situation is an unexpected or “out-of-the-box” scenario they give you. Because in this second situation, often they just want to see how you “think-on-your-feet.” They may assess if you can handle the unexpected with poise and confidence.
Therefore, in the examples below see the differences. Some candidates do a good job of providing a comprehensive series of steps they would take. While others some share relevant learnings from their past. Finally, see how some candidates miss the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and strengths to the interviewer.
See 12 unique answers to this question below. Just follow each link to see what real people said. Review the rating for each answer. These real-life examples are a powerful short-cut to help you write your own answer to this frequently asked job interview question, “what would you do if . . .”
Or if you would prefer a PDF document, just order Guide #3 and get all the samples pulled together into one document for easy reference. Since with the pdf version you will not only be able to read on the screen, you will also have a printer-friendly version. You’ll have the chance to highlight powerful tips for your situation and write your notes and draft answers.
Access Job Interview Tips Immediately in Guide #3
Get immediate access to the “TELL ME A STORY” Guide in the Hollywood Movie Method Job Winning Series. This Guide will give you 12 updated sample answers provided by real people with ratings for the “what would you do if . . . ” question. And this guide includes an additional how to respond to this question training section.
Also, for the behavioral interview question, “tell me about a time when you . . . ” this pdf gives you 12 sample answers with ratings plus an added training section
And as a bonus, this guide includes two additional articles based on more than 10,000 hours coaching candidates to win their jobs. Discover interview mistake to avoid #5: the two-letter word you must stop using. Then benefit from learning about interview mistake #7: the missing ingredients in job-winning stories. Click the button to order your guide and get immediate access.
See Sample Answers with Ratings for What Would You Do If
- What would you do if . . . Dana’s answer
(Who is Dana? Dana – Media Planner and Buyer with 4 years experience seeking Marketing PR Specialist role)
- What would you do if . . . Jessica’s answer
(Who is Jessica? Jessica – Over 2 years experience in insurance industry seeking Customer Service Representative job)
- What would you do if . . . Amy’s answer
(Who is Amy? Amy – Administrative Assistant seeking Project Manager position in Marketing Services)
- What would you do if . . . Fabian’s answer
(Who is Fabian? Fabian – IT professional with 10 years experience seeking SQL Analyst Programmer job)
- What would you do if . . . Don’s answer
(Who is Don? Don – MBA and International Communications Manager seeking Manager of Corporate Communications role)
- What would you do if . . . Denise’s answer
(Who is Denise? Denise – Global Integrated Marketing Executive seeking Director of Strategy position)
- What would you do if . . . Steven’s answer
(Who is Steven? Steven – Human Resources Professional seeking Senior Human Resources Generalist role)
- What would you do if . . . Wendy’s answer
(Who is Wendy? Wendy – Executive and recent Chief Operating Officer seeking Controller position)
- What would you do if . . . Leonard’s answer
(Who is Leonard? Leonard – Non-Profit Leader with 25 years experience seeking Executive Director role)
- What would you do if . . . Allen’s answer
(Who is Allen? Allen – QA Analyst and Programmer since 1985 seeking Quality Assurance Tester job)
- What would you do if . . . Bonnie’s answer
(Who is Bonnie? Bonnie – CPA with over 6 years experience seeking Accounting Manager position)
- What would you do if . . . Margaret’s answer
(Who is Margaret? Margaret – Senior Level Marketing Communications Professional seeking position with University)
