Problem Solving Interview Questions and Answers
If you are applying for the job where your responsibilities include analytical and problem-solving thinking, then you might be asked a few thorough questions. These Problem Solving Interview Questions vary from industry to industry. However, they were commonly concentrating on your experience where you had analyzed the problem and provided a response to that problem in an effective manner.
Problem Solving interview questions are basically asked to figure out how an interviewee approaches difficult situations or scenarios. Are they able to provide an effective solution for the same?
In this article, we will be discussing the most common Problem solving questions and answers with all the guidance that would be required in your interview.
Most Frequently Asked Problem Solving Interview Questions
Yes, for solving any problem, I used to follow these steps:
- Define the problem
- Brainstorm on the solutions
- Select the solution
- Work on implementing the solution
- Analyze the results
Here you have to share the idea which you have implemented in your last job because of which your project had some benefits as well you as an individual got the benefits. The idea shows some collaboration, innovation, and creativity.
If you haven't suggested any such idea in your past, you can share the idea of someone else. Make sure to tell that in a positive way that the interviewer will not get the impression that you are sharing someone else's story.
Here are the necessary steps that one needs to follow while dealing with new challenges at work:
- Stay calm
- Take advice from your seniors.
- Follow your strategies
- Take risks
- Have faith in yourself
- Take more breaks
My intense capability of doing research on the scenarios and then exploring them with the current situation, I think this is the best thing in me, which makes me the best problem solver.
On this question, you have to share the situation where you have shared your idea or a solution to change the existing process in the essence of streamlining the project.
I would do the research on the software which she is planning to purchase and will definitely look for the other related software. After making the comparison between all of them, I would suggest her the best one in my opinion with all the pros and cons, though the final decision will be taken by her.
Yes, I would like to do the initial research on all the possible scenarios for any problem before reaching out to anyone for help. In my opinion, this is the best way to do this; otherwise, I will be blank when my senior asks some questions to me in regard to that problem.
Here you have to tell the interviewer very gently that I will take a short break and walk aside from the obstacle. Doing this will help me in seeing the problem from other aspects.
The human brain is a problem-solving engine. Whatever will be the challenge, it will provide some of the solutions based on your prior experience or from the solutions you had heard from the others.
So I would recommend thinking of all the solutions and implementing the most correct one as per the challenge. Also, I can share these thoughts with the relevant people around me and can ask them to provide feedback, if any.
- Recognize the problem
- Build the approach for the possible root cause
- Test the possible root cause to regulate actual cause
- Create and Execute the action plan
- Validate the entire functionality of the system
- Create the documentation for this process
These specimen problem solving questions and answers are applicable for all the positions, and it doesn't matter for which industry you are applying to. I hope you find these questions and answers are helpful in your interview.
Don't forget to share your experience in the comment section!