- Sep 7, 2024
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Hi there!Hi @Amma Usman and @Jessica Booker . Do you have any advice on answering this question - Describe an experience where you encountered an unexpected obstacle? I'm not sure what type of example to use or what firms are looking for in terms of "unexpected obstacles"/ examples to draw upon. Also, would you expect to see a change in example for answering a question which asks you to draw upon a challenge you have faced in a different application?
Any advice would be highly appreciated - thank you.
In an answer to the question about describing an experience with an unexpected obstacle, I suggest focusing on professional examples that illustrate your problem-solving abilities and resilience.
I’ve included a few key points to consider:
1. Select a Relevant Experience: Choose a professional scenario, such as managing a society, reviewing contracts, or working on a project where you encountered an unforeseen challenge. This could include things like dealing with a sudden change in project scope, unexpected regulatory requirements, or conflicts within a team.
2. Use a Structured Approach: When crafting your response, consider using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to organize your thoughts. This will help you clearly articulate the situation, your role, the actions you took to overcome the obstacle, and the outcomes.
3. Focus on Impact: Highlight the positive outcomes of your actions, such as how you were able to maintain team morale, meet deadlines despite challenges, or improve processes based on what you learned from the experience.
4. Tailor Your Examples: It's also important to adapt your examples to the specific context of each application. While the general structure can remain the same, you might want to emphasize different aspects of the experience based on what each firm values, such as teamwork, adaptability, or leadership (etc).
For instance, if you faced an unexpected legal issue while reviewing contracts that could have delayed a project, you could discuss how you quickly identified the problem, consulted with stakeholders, and proposed a solution that allowed the project to proceed on time.
As for the second part of your question, I view an unexpected obstacle and challenge as synonymous with one another. An unexpected obstacle would be a challenge in itself, so you could consider approaching both questions in a similar way.