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Interview Questions

50 Interview Questions About Problem Solving (With Answers)

Problems often arise at work. Can you solve them? Here are 50 interview questions about problem solving to know about.

March 22, 2024

Working in a company, you’ll be tasked with projects to work on that solve problems. Maybe you’ll need to solve a problem to help achieve a specific goal or create a solution to a problem that helps your business’ customers. Either way, problem solving is an important skill in the workplace. This post will include 50 interview questions about problem solving with answers to help you prepare for these types of interviews.

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What is problem solving?

Problem solving is a critical soft skill that involves identifying, analyzing, and resolving issues or obstacles effectively and efficiently. It encompasses a series of steps including understanding the problem, brainstorming potential solutions, evaluating the pros and cons of each option, and implementing the most viable solution. Problem solving is not only about finding quick fixes but also about foreseeing potential challenges and addressing them proactively. It requires creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to remain calm under pressure, making it a highly valued skill in personal and professional contexts alike. Whether it's navigating interpersonal conflicts, troubleshooting a technical issue, or overcoming logistical hurdles, adept problem solvers are equipped to tackle a wide array of challenges, turning obstacles into opportunities for growth and improvement.

Why problem solving is important in the workplace

1. enhances adaptability.

In today's fast-paced work environment, the ability to engage in effective problem solving is crucial. It allows employees to adapt quickly to changes, challenges, and unexpected situations. By developing strong problem-solving skills, individuals can analyze issues, identify solutions, and implement strategies efficiently, ensuring the smooth operation of workplace processes.

2. Promotes Innovation

Problem-solving skills are the backbone of innovation within the workplace. When employees are equipped to tackle challenges creatively, they can generate novel ideas and solutions that drive the company forward. This skill not only aids in overcoming immediate obstacles but also contributes to the long-term development and competitiveness of the organization.

3. Improves Team Collaboration

Effective problem solving often requires a collaborative effort. When team members possess strong problem-solving skills, they can work together more effectively, sharing insights, and combining their expertise to find the best solutions. This not only leads to better outcomes but also fosters a culture of cooperation and mutual respect among colleagues, enhancing overall workplace morale and productivity.

5 Tips for Answering Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Problem-solving is a critical skill that employers look for in candidates across various industries. Demonstrating your ability to tackle challenges effectively can set you apart from other applicants. Here are five tips to help you showcase your problem-solving skills during an interview:

1. Use the STAR Method

Structure your responses using the Situation, Task, Action, and Result (STAR) method. Start by describing a specific situation or problem you encountered, outline the task you needed to accomplish, detail the actions you took to address the problem, and finish with the results of your efforts. This method helps you deliver a concise and compelling story that highlights your problem-solving prowess.

2. Highlight Your Analytical Skills

Employers want to see that you can analyze a situation and come up with a logical solution. When answering questions, talk about how you break down complex problems into manageable parts. Mention any tools or techniques you use, such as SWOT analysis, root cause analysis, or critical thinking strategies, to diagnose issues and develop solutions.

3. Show Adaptability

Problem-solving often requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Share examples of how you've had to adjust your approach when faced with new information or unforeseen challenges. This demonstrates your resilience and willingness to pivot your strategy to achieve the best outcome.

4. Emphasize Collaboration

Many problems are too complex for one person to solve alone. Talk about times when you've collaborated with others to tackle a challenge. Highlight your ability to listen to different perspectives, integrate feedback, and work as part of a team to find innovative solutions. This shows that you value diverse input and can leverage collective intelligence to overcome obstacles.

5. Reflect on Lessons Learned

Finally, don't shy away from discussing problems that didn't go as planned. Reflecting on what didn't work and what you learned from those experiences can be just as powerful as showcasing your successes. It demonstrates self-awareness, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Be sure to end on a positive note by explaining how these lessons have enhanced your problem-solving abilities moving forward.

By following these tips and preparing thoughtful, specific examples, you'll be able to convincingly demonstrate your problem-solving skills in your next interview. Remember, it's not just about the problems you've solved, but how you've solved them that will impress potential employers.

1. Can you describe a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem at work?

In a previous role, our company faced a significant customer dissatisfaction issue due to a software glitch that caused frequent service disruptions. As the project manager, I had to lead a cross-functional team to identify the root cause, develop a solution, and implement it swiftly to restore customer satisfaction. It involved collaborating with the IT team, customer support, and product development to conduct a thorough analysis, prioritize fixes, and communicate transparently with customers to manage expectations and regain trust.

2. How do you approach complex problems in your professional life?

I approach complex problems by first breaking them down into smaller manageable components to gain clarity on the issue. Then, I gather relevant data, analyze trends, and identify patterns to understand the underlying factors contributing to the problem. Collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds helps gain different perspectives and insights. I also prioritize actions based on urgency and impact, continuously evaluate progress, and adapt strategies as needed to achieve effective solutions.

3. What is your process for identifying the root cause of a problem?

My process for identifying the root cause involves asking probing questions, conducting thorough research, gathering data and feedback from stakeholders, analyzing trends and patterns, and using problem-solving techniques such as root cause analysis (RCA) or the "5 Whys" method. I focus on understanding the systemic issues rather than just addressing symptoms to ensure long-term solutions.

4. Can you give an example of a creative solution you've implemented to address a challenging issue?

In a project where budget constraints were hindering progress, I proposed implementing a lean approach by prioritizing essential features, streamlining workflows, and optimizing resource allocation. This creative solution allowed us to deliver key functionalities within budget and timeline constraints while maintaining quality and stakeholder satisfaction.

5. How do you prioritize problems that need to be solved?

I prioritize problems based on their impact on organizational goals, customer experience, urgency, and resource availability. I categorize issues into immediate, short-term, and long-term priorities, considering the potential risks and benefits of solving each problem. Regularly reassessing priorities ensures alignment with evolving business needs and strategic objectives.

6. What tools or methods do you typically use for problem-solving?

I utilize various problem-solving tools and methods depending on the complexity of the issue, including brainstorming sessions, fishbone diagrams, SWOT analysis, process mapping, data analytics, and project management software. Collaborative platforms and communication tools also facilitate effective teamwork and information sharing during problem-solving processes.

7. How do you involve others in the problem-solving process?

I involve others in the problem-solving process by fostering a culture of collaboration, open communication, and shared responsibility. This includes seeking input and perspectives from team members, encouraging diverse ideas and approaches, delegating tasks based on strengths, providing support and resources, facilitating brainstorming sessions or workshops, and recognizing contributions to promote a sense of ownership and accountability in problem-solving efforts.

8. Can you share an experience where you had to solve a problem under a tight deadline?

In a previous project, we faced a critical technical issue just days before a major product launch. The issue threatened the functionality of key features, risking customer satisfaction and revenue. To solve it, I organized a rapid-response team, conducted round-the-clock troubleshooting, prioritized tasks based on impact, and delegated responsibilities efficiently. Despite the tight deadline, we collaborated effectively, leveraged expertise from various departments, and implemented a temporary workaround to ensure a successful product launch. Post-launch, we continued refining the solution for a permanent fix.

9. How do you ensure that a solution is both effective and efficient?

I ensure that a solution is both effective and efficient by aligning it with predefined objectives and success criteria, conducting thorough analysis and testing, seeking feedback from stakeholders, and evaluating its impact on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cost, time, quality, and customer satisfaction. Continuous monitoring and iteration allow me to optimize the solution's efficiency while maintaining its effectiveness over time.

10. What is the biggest problem you have solved in your career?

One of the biggest problems I solved in my career was optimizing a supply chain process for a multinational company. The challenge involved reducing lead times, improving inventory management, and enhancing supplier relationships to meet growing customer demands and reduce costs. By implementing data-driven strategies, process improvements, and cross-functional collaboration, we achieved significant improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and customer service levels, contributing to the company's overall success.

11. How do you deal with uncertainty when solving problems?

When faced with uncertainty, I adopt a structured approach by gathering relevant information, conducting scenario analysis, identifying potential risks and opportunities, and developing contingency plans. I also leverage past experiences, seek input from subject matter experts, and remain adaptable and open to alternative solutions. Clear communication, ongoing evaluation, and agile decision-making help navigate uncertainty effectively and mitigate potential impacts.

12. Can you describe a time when you had to solve a problem without all the necessary information?

In a project where critical data was unavailable due to technical issues, I had to make decisions and implement solutions based on limited information. To address this challenge, I leveraged available data, conducted qualitative analysis, consulted with experts, and communicated transparently with stakeholders about the uncertainties and risks involved. Despite the constraints, we managed to implement a temporary solution and later refined it based on additional insights and data.

13. How do you measure the success of a solution?

I measure the success of a solution by defining clear metrics and KPIs aligned with the problem's objectives and desired outcomes. This includes assessing factors such as cost savings, time efficiency, quality improvement, customer satisfaction, revenue generation, and impact on organizational goals. Regular performance monitoring, data analysis, feedback collection, and stakeholder evaluations help track progress, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that the solution delivers measurable benefits.

14. What do you do if your initial solution to a problem fails?

If my initial solution to a problem fails, I conduct a thorough analysis to understand the root cause of the failure, gather feedback from stakeholders, and reassess the problem and its context. I then iterate and refine the solution, incorporating lessons learned, alternative approaches, and additional insights to develop a more effective and robust solution. Continuous improvement, flexibility, and resilience are key elements in overcoming setbacks and achieving successful outcomes.

15. How do you adapt your problem-solving strategies in a rapidly changing environment?

In a rapidly changing environment, I adapt my problem-solving strategies by staying informed about industry trends, technological advancements, and market dynamics. I prioritize agility, collaboration, and innovation, regularly reassessing priorities, adjusting strategies, and leveraging emerging tools and methodologies to address evolving challenges effectively. Flexibility, quick decision-making, and a proactive approach to change enable me to navigate uncertainties and drive successful problem resolution.

16. Can you give an example of a time when you had to use data analysis for problem-solving?

In a marketing campaign analysis project, we noticed a significant drop in conversion rates for a particular segment of our target audience. To identify the underlying issue, I conducted a detailed data analysis using customer demographics, behavior patterns, and campaign performance metrics. By correlating data points and conducting A/B testing, we discovered that the drop in conversion was due to a mismatch between the messaging in the campaign and the preferences of that specific audience segment. This data-driven insight allowed us to adjust our marketing strategy effectively and improve conversion rates.

17. How do you differentiate between symptoms and root causes of a problem?

To differentiate between symptoms and root causes of a problem, I employ techniques such as the "5 Whys" method, root cause analysis, and process mapping. By asking probing questions and digging deeper into the factors contributing to the problem, I can identify underlying causes rather than just addressing surface-level symptoms. This approach ensures that solutions target the root of the problem, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes.

18. Can you discuss a time when you had to solve a problem collaboratively with a team?

In a product development project, we encountered challenges related to compatibility issues between different software components, leading to performance issues and customer complaints. To address this, I facilitated collaborative problem-solving sessions with cross-functional teams, including developers, QA testers, and product managers. Through open communication, brainstorming, and sharing of expertise, we identified the root causes, developed a coordinated action plan, and implemented solutions that resolved the compatibility issues, improving product performance and customer satisfaction.

19. How do you handle feedback on your problem-solving efforts?

I value feedback as an opportunity for growth and improvement. When receiving feedback on my problem-solving efforts, I actively listen, seek to understand perspectives, and appreciate constructive criticism. I use feedback to reflect on my approach, identify areas for enhancement, and incorporate suggestions into future problem-solving endeavors. Embracing feedback fosters continuous learning, enhances problem-solving skills, and contributes to achieving better outcomes.

20. What role does critical thinking play in your problem-solving process?

Critical thinking is integral to my problem-solving process as it enables me to analyze situations objectively, evaluate information, identify patterns, and make informed decisions. By applying logical reasoning, sound judgment, and evidence-based analysis, I can discern between relevant and irrelevant data, assess risks, consider alternative solutions, and anticipate potential outcomes. Critical thinking enhances problem-solving effectiveness by promoting thoroughness, accuracy, and strategic decision-making.

21. How do you stay motivated when faced with a complex problem?

When faced with a complex problem, I stay motivated by breaking the problem down into manageable tasks, setting realistic goals, and focusing on incremental progress. I maintain a positive mindset, leverage my problem-solving skills and past successes, seek support and collaboration from colleagues or mentors, and celebrate small victories along the way. Staying organized, maintaining a clear vision of the desired outcome, and reminding myself of the impact of solving the problem keep me motivated and determined to overcome challenges.

22. Can you describe a situation where you had to change your approach to solve a problem effectively?

In a project involving customer feedback analysis, my initial approach focused solely on quantitative data analysis to identify trends and patterns. However, I realized that the qualitative aspect of customer feedback, such as sentiments and specific comments, provided valuable insights that were missed in the quantitative analysis alone. To address this, I changed my approach by integrating qualitative data analysis techniques, such as sentiment analysis and thematic coding, into the process. This holistic approach led to a more comprehensive understanding of customer perceptions and facilitated more targeted problem-solving strategies.

23. How do you balance the need for quick solutions with the need for thorough problem-solving?

Balancing the need for quick solutions with thorough problem-solving involves prioritizing tasks based on urgency and impact. For urgent issues requiring immediate resolution, I focus on quick, interim solutions to address critical aspects and mitigate immediate risks. Simultaneously, I allocate time and resources for in-depth analysis, root cause identification, and long-term solutions to prevent recurrence and optimize outcomes. Effective time management, clear prioritization, and strategic decision-making enable me to strike a balance between speed and thoroughness in problem-solving.

24. Can you discuss a time when you had to solve a problem with limited resources?

In a project where budget constraints limited our ability to hire additional staff, I faced the challenge of increasing operational efficiency without increasing costs. To address this, I conducted a thorough analysis of existing processes, identified inefficiencies, and proposed automation solutions using available software tools. By leveraging technology and optimizing workflows, we were able to streamline operations, reduce manual tasks, and improve productivity without exceeding the budget.

25. What strategies do you use to prevent problems from occurring in the first place?

Proactive problem prevention involves risk assessment, continuous monitoring, and implementing preventive measures. I regularly conduct risk assessments to identify potential issues, develop contingency plans, and implement controls to mitigate risks. Additionally, I emphasize continuous improvement, encourage open communication within teams, and promote a culture of accountability and learning from past experiences to prevent recurring problems.

26. How do you communicate complex problems (and solutions) to stakeholders who may not be familiar with the details?

When communicating complex problems and solutions to stakeholders, I use a structured approach that involves breaking down technical information into easily understandable concepts. I focus on highlighting the impact, benefits, and relevance of the problem and proposed solutions to the stakeholders' interests and objectives. Utilizing visual aids, such as charts, graphs, and diagrams, helps clarify complex information, facilitate discussions, and ensure stakeholders grasp key points effectively.

27. Can you share an example of a time when you solved a problem that significantly benefited your organization?

In a cost optimization initiative, I identified inefficiencies in supply chain management that were leading to increased procurement costs and delayed deliveries. By analyzing data, negotiating contracts with vendors, and implementing process improvements, we streamlined supply chain operations, reduced procurement costs by 20%, and improved delivery timelines. This solution not only saved the organization substantial resources but also enhanced operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

28. How do you incorporate feedback into your problem-solving process?

Incorporating feedback into the problem-solving process is essential for continuous improvement. I actively seek feedback from stakeholders, team members, and subject matter experts throughout the problem-solving journey. I analyze feedback to identify areas for enhancement, consider alternative perspectives and solutions, and iteratively refine strategies based on input received. Regular feedback loops ensure that solutions are well-informed, aligned with stakeholder expectations, and optimized for effectiveness.

29. What is the most unconventional problem-solving method you’ve successfully used?

In a project where traditional problem-solving methods were insufficient, I applied design thinking principles to generate innovative solutions. By conducting empathy interviews, brainstorming sessions, and prototyping ideas, we identified creative solutions that addressed user needs more effectively. This unconventional approach led to breakthrough solutions that significantly improved user experience and product performance.

30. How do you ensure that your solution aligns with the overall goals of your organization?

Aligning solutions with organizational goals involves understanding strategic objectives, engaging stakeholders, and evaluating solutions based on their impact on key performance indicators. I ensure alignment by conducting thorough analyses, seeking input from relevant stakeholders, and assessing how proposed solutions contribute to organizational priorities, such as cost reduction, revenue growth, customer satisfaction, or market expansion. Regular alignment checks and feedback loops help validate that solutions remain aligned with overarching goals.

31. Can you describe a problem you solved that had a positive impact on your team’s performance?

In a team performance improvement project, I identified communication barriers and lack of collaboration as key challenges impacting productivity. I implemented team-building activities, fostered a culture of open communication and collaboration, and facilitated regular feedback sessions. These interventions resulted in improved teamwork, enhanced morale, and increased productivity, leading to measurable performance improvements and positive outcomes for the team and organization.

32. How do you decide when to tackle a problem on your own or to seek help?

I assess the complexity, urgency, and impact of the problem to determine whether I can address it independently or if seeking help is necessary. If the problem requires specialized expertise, collaboration, or resources beyond my capabilities, I proactively seek assistance to ensure efficient and effective problem-solving. I prioritize transparency and open communication to foster a collaborative problem-solving approach.

33. How do you keep track of multiple problems that need to be solved at the same time?

To manage multiple problems simultaneously, I utilize organization tools such as task lists, project management software, and prioritization techniques. I categorize problems based on urgency, importance, and dependencies, establish clear timelines and milestones for each, and regularly review progress to adjust priorities as needed. Effective delegation, communication, and collaboration with team members also contribute to successful management of multiple problem-solving efforts.

34. Can you explain how you evaluate potential solutions to a problem?

When evaluating potential solutions, I consider factors such as feasibility, effectiveness, cost, impact, and alignment with objectives. I conduct thorough analyses, gather relevant data and insights, assess risks and benefits, and compare alternative solutions based on predefined criteria. I prioritize solutions that are practical, sustainable, and aligned with strategic goals, and I seek input from stakeholders and subject matter experts to ensure comprehensive evaluation and informed decision-making.

35. How do you deal with resistance when implementing a solution?

Addressing resistance during solution implementation requires effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and change management strategies. I proactively communicate the rationale behind the solution, its benefits, and the expected outcomes to gain buy-in and mitigate resistance. I listen to concerns, address objections, and involve stakeholders in the decision-making process to foster ownership and collaboration. I also provide support, training, and feedback mechanisms to facilitate smooth adoption and implementation of the solution.

36. Can you describe a time when you had to solve a problem outside of your area of expertise?

In a cross-functional project, I encountered a technical issue that required expertise beyond my domain. Recognizing the challenge, I collaborated with experts from relevant departments, sought their insights, and leveraged their knowledge to understand the problem thoroughly. By facilitating interdisciplinary discussions, conducting research, and learning from experts, I gained the necessary understanding to contribute effectively to problem-solving and drive successful outcomes for the project.

37. How do you ensure that your problem-solving efforts are inclusive and consider diverse perspectives?

Inclusive problem-solving involves valuing diverse perspectives, fostering open dialogue, and creating an environment where everyone's input is respected and considered. I actively seek input from team members with varying backgrounds, experiences, and expertise, encourage brainstorming sessions, and facilitate discussions that promote diverse viewpoints. I promote inclusivity by practicing active listening, empathy, and respect for different opinions, ensuring that solutions are comprehensive, innovative, and reflective of diverse perspectives.

38. Can you share a situation where you had to use emotional intelligence in problem-solving?

During a project with tight deadlines and high stakes, I encountered interpersonal conflicts among team members that were impacting productivity and morale. Recognizing the importance of emotional intelligence, I employed active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution skills to understand each team member's perspectives, address underlying issues, and foster a collaborative and supportive environment. By acknowledging emotions, managing conflicts constructively, and promoting effective communication, I successfully mitigated tensions, restored team cohesion, and achieved project objectives.

39. How do you manage stress and pressure when solving critical problems?

Managing stress and pressure during critical problem-solving involves prioritization, time management, self-care, and resilience-building strategies. I prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance, break down complex problems into manageable steps, and set realistic expectations and timelines. I practice stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, exercise, and time management, seek support from colleagues and mentors, and maintain a positive mindset to navigate challenges effectively and maintain focus on problem-solving objectives.

40. Can you explain a time when you had to prioritize long-term solutions over quick fixes?

In a previous project, we encountered recurring quality issues that required immediate attention. While quick fixes could address the immediate symptoms, I advocated for a comprehensive root cause analysis to identify underlying systemic issues. By prioritizing long-term solutions, we implemented process improvements, updated quality control measures, and provided training to team members. This approach not only resolved the immediate issues but also prevented future occurrences, leading to sustainable improvements and long-term success.

41. How do you adapt your problem-solving approach based on the audience or stakeholders involved?

Adapting problem-solving approaches involves understanding stakeholders' preferences, priorities, and communication styles. For technical audiences, I focus on data-driven analyses, detailed reports, and solution feasibility. When engaging non-technical stakeholders, I emphasize clear explanations, visual aids, and real-world examples to ensure understanding and alignment. I tailor communication channels, formats, and frequency to suit stakeholders' preferences, fostering collaboration, buy-in, and successful problem resolution.

42. Can you discuss a time when you had to use negotiation skills in problem-solving?

During a project negotiation, conflicting interests arose between departments regarding resource allocation and project timelines. To resolve the impasse, I facilitated negotiations by identifying common goals, exploring compromise options, and advocating for win-win solutions. Using active listening, empathy, and persuasive communication, I bridged differences, built consensus, and reached agreements that satisfied all parties' needs. This collaborative approach not only resolved conflicts but also strengthened relationships and promoted cooperation.

43. How do you incorporate new technologies or methodologies into your problem-solving toolkit?

Incorporating new technologies and methodologies into problem-solving requires continuous learning, experimentation, and adaptation. I stay updated on industry trends, attend training sessions, and seek opportunities to apply emerging technologies such as data analytics, automation, and AI in problem-solving. I collaborate with experts, conduct pilot projects, and evaluate results to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of new approaches. By embracing innovation, I enhance problem-solving capabilities, drive efficiencies, and deliver value to organizations.

44. Can you describe a time when your problem-solving led to innovation within your organization?

In a project focused on streamlining operations, I identified inefficiencies in existing processes and proposed innovative solutions leveraging digital tools and automation. By collaborating with cross-functional teams, conducting workflow analyses, and piloting new technologies, we implemented streamlined workflows, reduced manual tasks, and improved efficiency. This innovation not only optimized operations but also enhanced employee productivity, customer satisfaction, and organizational competitiveness.

45. How do you ensure that your solutions are sustainable and environmentally friendly?

Ensuring sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions involves considering ecological impacts, resource conservation, and long-term viability. I prioritize sustainable practices such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly materials in solution design. I collaborate with sustainability experts, conduct lifecycle assessments, and integrate environmental considerations into decision-making processes. By promoting green initiatives, I contribute to environmental stewardship, corporate social responsibility, and positive societal impact through problem-solving efforts.

46. Can you share an example of a cross-functional problem you solved?

In a previous role, we faced a cross-functional challenge related to customer retention. The marketing team identified a decline in customer engagement, while the sales team noticed an increase in churn rates. Collaborating with both teams, I led a comprehensive analysis to identify root causes. We discovered that misaligned messaging between marketing campaigns and sales interactions was confusing customers. By implementing a unified communication strategy, aligning marketing messages with sales processes, and enhancing customer touchpoints, we improved customer satisfaction, reduced churn rates, and increased revenue.

47. How do you mentor others in developing their problem-solving skills?

Mentoring others in problem-solving involves providing guidance, encouragement, and opportunities for skill development. I mentor by sharing my problem-solving experiences, providing frameworks, and encouraging critical thinking. I offer constructive feedback, challenge assumptions, and encourage diverse perspectives to foster creativity and innovation. I also create learning opportunities such as workshops, case studies, and collaborative projects to help mentees apply problem-solving techniques in real-world scenarios and enhance their skills over time.

48. Can you describe a situation where you had to overcome significant obstacles to solve a problem?

In a complex project, we encountered unforeseen technical challenges that threatened project timelines and deliverables. Despite initial setbacks and resource constraints, I led the team in brainstorming sessions, leveraging expertise from various departments, and exploring alternative solutions. We overcame obstacles by fostering collaboration, adopting agile methodologies, and prioritizing problem-solving efforts. Through perseverance, resilience, and adaptability, we successfully resolved technical issues, met project milestones, and delivered high-quality outcomes.

49. How do you balance logic and intuition in your problem-solving process?

Balancing logic and intuition in problem-solving involves leveraging analytical thinking and creative insights. I start by gathering data, analyzing facts, and applying logical frameworks to understand the problem's scope and complexity. Then, I tap into intuition by brainstorming ideas, exploring unconventional approaches, and considering potential outcomes from different perspectives. I combine rational decision-making with gut instincts, test hypotheses, and validate solutions to ensure effectiveness and innovation in problem-solving.

50. Can you discuss a time when you had to revisit and revise a solution based on new information or outcomes?

In a strategic initiative, we implemented a new process to streamline operations and improve efficiency. However, after implementation, we noticed unexpected challenges and suboptimal results. Recognizing the need for continuous improvement, I initiated a review process, gathered feedback from stakeholders, and conducted performance evaluations. Based on new insights and outcomes, we revisited the initial solution, identified areas for enhancement, and revised the process to address gaps and achieve desired outcomes effectively. This iterative approach ensured that our solutions remained adaptive, responsive, and aligned with evolving needs and objectives.

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Top 20 Facebook Interview Questions (Example Answers Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Facebook is a social media giant and tech powerhouse. A shocking 2.6 billion people use the platform, outpacing every other social media site significantly.

That’s what makes working at Facebook so enticing. The platform is part of so many people’s lives, which could make your work incredibly impactful. Plus, it could mean a chance to be at the cutting-edge of technology. How can you become a part of that world? By nailing your Facebook interview questions, of course.

But how do you bend those Facebook questions to your will? Well, with a bit of preparation and planning. That way, you can set yourself up for success.

Don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry! We’ve got your back. If working at Facebook is your dream, we can help you achieve it. Let’s get started.

How to Answer Facebook Interview Questions

Before we dig into the Facebook interview questions, let’s take a second to discuss strategy.

Because Facebook has some incredibly stringent rules about applying for a job there, and you want to make the most of every opportunity.

For example, you’re limited to three job applications. Additionally, i f you aren’t selected, Facebook wants you to wait one year before you try again. That’s a pretty long time.

But don’t panic. You can prepare for many of the Facebook questions you’ll face during the interview, increasing the odds that you’ll shine.

First, you’ve probably heard about those off-the-wall questions tech giants used to screen candidates. Many job seekers worry about dealing with those challenging brainteaser questions. But the real question is, should you?

Luckily, the answer is no. They aren’t as common as you’d expect. At least, not today. Some evidence came out showing that the obscure brainteasers don’t actually lead to better hiring. So, most companies abandoned them.

With that out of the way, let’s cover what you want to showcase when you answer Facebook interview questions. Precisely what you want to discuss varies depending on the position you want to land. Facebook, after all, is a massive company. It hires for all kinds of niches, including technology, operations , and administrative , just to name a few.

Highlighting critical traits – like organization , accountability , and attention to detail – is always a smart move. Additionally, if you aren’t interviewing for a technology role, make sure you come across as tech-savvy. After all, Facebook is a technology company at its core, so it’s a good idea to show that you’d fit into that environment.

Additionally, do a bit of research before you head into your Facebook interview. Read the job description and review every usable tidbit of information you can find. That gives you some clues about the kinds of job interview questions you may face.

Then, spend a little time reviewing Facebook’s mission and values statements. Those give you insights into the company’s culture and priorities, while also helping you figure out the traits you need to highlight.

Okay, but what about those tricky Facebook behavioral interview questions ? How do you handle a question that doesn’t have a right or wrong answer?

For those, the key is adopting a solid strategy. If you take the STAR Method and the Tailoring Method , together, you’ve got a winning formula. You can craft enticing, engaging responses, ensuring you make the best impression possible during your interview.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions along with their Facebook specific questions!

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Top 3 Facebook Interview Questions

Okay, now you have a general idea of how to answer the Facebook questions. That means it’s time for examples.

Now, it’s important to remember that Facebook hires for all kinds of jobs. Not all questions are relevant to every role. For example, you wouldn’t expect an accounts payable candidate to answer the same questions a data analyst does, right? Of course not.

But that doesn’t mean some questions aren’t fairly common. Here’s a look at the top three Facebook interview questions, along with example answers.

1. Describe the personality of a manager who you’d never want to work for.

Not everyone appreciates the same management style. Employees thrive under different conditions, and many hiring managers want to find out the circumstances that allow a candidate to shine, as well as what holds them back.

This question focuses a bit more on the latter. The hiring manager wants to learn about management styles that don’t meet your needs. That way, they can determine if you’d excel as part of the team.

EXAMPLE ANSWER :

“Generally, I’m pretty adaptable. However, I think I would struggle if I were working for a manager that didn’t provide constructive feedback. I believe that feedback is an opportunity to learn and grow, but it can only serve that function if it is actionable and can help me enhance my capabilities. As a result, a manager that prefers to berate over being supportive is not ideal for me.”

2. Are there any duties you absolutely hate doing?

This question can feel a little bit tricky. After all, saying that you don’t like certain tasks doesn’t seem like a good idea.

But that doesn’t mean you can tackle this question tactfully. The trick is to be honest, but then to pivot, focusing on the steps you take to remain engaged even when you don’t love a particular responsibility.

“Generally, I don’t enjoy highly repetitive tasks. However, I realize that there are many instances where that’s unavoidable. As a result, I developed a system that allows me to remain engaged. After working on a repetitive task for a period, I transition over to a different duty for a time. This gives me a mental break from the less-engaging activity while ensuring I remain productive. Then, I switch back, allowing to me return with renewed vigor and focus.”

3. Are you able to remain productive while working from home?

Recently, Facebook extended it’s work-from-home policy, essentially preventing any employee from working from the office until July 2021 . Plus, many of those working at Facebook are allowed to telecommute permanently, even with the offices reopen.

Since working remotely is going to be the norm for some time (if not forever), hiring managers want to make sure candidates can excel without direct in-person oversight.

“Yes, I feel that I am capable of not just remaining productive but exceeding expectations while working remotely. I set myself up for success by making the most of a range of tools. For example, to support organization and time management, I use a calendaring app to structure my workday. Additionally, I have a quiet space from which to work, ensuring I can focus, and take active steps to limit distractions, such as turning off unnecessary notifications. I’m also highly tech-savvy and adapt quickly to remote work solutions like collaboration software and VPN connection services. I believe that, together, that ensures I can remain productive.”

17 More Facebook Interview Questions

Here are 17 more Facebook interview questions you need to be ready for, depending on the role you want to land:

• Why do you want to work for Facebook?
• Why are you looking for new job opportunities?
• If you had a chance to ask Mark Zuckerberg anything, what would you ask? Why would you choose that question?
• How would your last manager describe you? What about your past colleagues?
• Imagine your best possible workday. What did you do during that day? Why was it amazing?
• If you were given a set of words, how would you calculate the average number of letters in the words?
• Facebook has restrictions for users under the age of 13. How would you go about identifying users younger than 13?
• Do you prefer to work as part of a team or independently?
• Describe the use of hashtags on Facebook, as well as how they can be abused.
• Tell me about a time you worked as part of a cross-functional team.
• How would you recommend combating hate speech on social media?
• If you were given a new product, how would you define the target market and position the product for success?
• What is the most challenging problem you ever had to solve at work?
• Describe your proudest achievement. What about your biggest defeat?
• Which of your traits will make you a strong team leader? Why?
• Have you ever managed a large-scale project before? Tell me about it.
• How would you improve Facebook notifications if you could make any changes you wanted?

5 Good Questions to Ask at the End of a Facebook Interview

As you get to the end of your Facebook interview questions, you usually get a chance to ask the hiring manager a few of your own . You need to view this as an opportunity. You’re getting a chance to learn about nuances of the job that aren’t discussed in the listing, and that’s a big deal.

Plus, asking questions makes you look engaged and excited about the role. That’s important!

While you can definitely ask any questions that happen to come to mind as you’re interviewing, having a few options tucked away in your back pocket is a great idea. If you don’t know what to ask, give these five questions a try at the end of your Facebook interview :

• What does a typical day in this job look like?
• How is success defined for this role?
• Did anything about working at Facebook surprise you when you first started?
• Are there opportunities for growth and advancement in this position?
• What is your favorite part about working at Facebook?

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, many professionals consider a chance to work at Facebook to be a dream come true. By nailing your Facebook interview questions, you can join the company’s ranks, doing your part to influence and alter the social media and technology fields. Use all of the information above to ensure you’re up to the challenge.

Remember, if you weren’t a great candidate, you wouldn’t have landed an interview. Show the hiring manager you’d be an exceptional addition to the team, and your dream of working at Facebook might become a reality.

Good luck!!

FREE : Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet!

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• What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Should We Hire You?

Click Here To Get The Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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MockQuestions

Facebook Mock Interview

To help you prepare for a Facebook job interview, here are 33 interview questions and answer examples.

Facebook was updated by Kevin Downey on February 9th, 2024. Learn more here.

Question 1 of 33

What were you doing on your very best day at work?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

What you need to know, experienced example.

Community Answers

Your interviewer is curious to learn more about your work standard, and how often you rise to the occasion to go above and beyond in your work. Your response should inform them what you enjoy most about the work you do and where your passions lie. This goes beyond what your day-to-day responsibilities look like. It more so pertains to the quality you bring to your time at work. Their ideal candidates enjoy the work they do and are bringing their best selves to work every day. So, take your interviewer through your ideal day in your current role, and when describing what you do, try to make going the distance look like your work standard. Remember to be positive and upbeat.

Included in the frequently asked questions on Meta's careers site is the question, "What should I focus on when applying for a job at Meta?" They then detail that this interview question is one they frequently like to ask. Here is their advice for answering this question: "Focus on your strengths. We like to ask, 'What were you doing on your very best day at work?' We want you to do that not just on your best day, but every day. Show us something you've built. Builders look at the world with fresh eyes. They see things that are good, but could be better, and figure out how to make it so. We look for candidates who've got that same building mind-set, whether they're applying for executive roles or internships. Share when you've failed and learned. Don't hesitate to talk about the blunders you've made in the pursuit of big ideas. We want to hear about those as much as your wins."

"I try to have every day be my best day. I do this by grabbing everything I can control by the reins. By arriving at work a little early, coffee in hand, I show up relaxed and at the top of my game, ready for what comes next. I greet all of my coworkers, dive into some fun banter, and set the stage for having fun with my teams. I want everyone to look forward to working together, day in and day out, so we can have the best experience together. Then, I head to the gym at lunch and have a keto power meal. Ideally, I'll deliver work that exceeds my standard, spread high-fives all around, map out my following day, and even get a head start on one or two projects. I then wrap up with a few good laughs with coworkers, while looking forward to the next challenge."

Anonymous Answer

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33 Facebook Interview Questions & Answers

Below is a list of our Facebook interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 11 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.

Table of Contents

• 1.   Accomplishment Questions
• 2.   Adaptability Questions
• 3.   Capability Questions
• 4.   Career Goals Questions
• 5.   Communication Questions
• 6.   Compatibility Questions
• 7.   Conflict Questions
• 8.   Creative Thinking Questions
• 9.   Discovery Questions
• 10.   Diversity Questions
• 11.   EQ Questions
• 12.   Experience Questions
• 13.   Job Satisfaction Questions
• 14.   Performance Based Questions
• 15.   Problem Solving Questions
• 16.   Stress Questions
• 17.   Teamwork Questions

Accomplishment

1. What were you doing on your very best day at work?

Written by Kevin Downey on January 17th, 2024

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

Adaptability

2. Do you prefer change or the status quo?

Meta's products are constantly evolving, with new products being added, older ones being improved upon, and occasional shifts occurring in their company focus. Therefore, your interviewer is curious about how able you are to adapt and how effectively you embrace and support the vision and direction of your employer. As they say on their website, "We all recognize that Meta's business is both broad in scope and constantly changing, and while I know many of you are energized by this, I also recognize that the idea of upcoming changes creates uncertainty and stress. My hope is to focus on the critical work ahead."

How you answer this question could provide insights into whether this job is the right fit for you. For example, those who prefer to cruise along performing at the status quo, relying on the security of predictable work, day in and day out, are more likely to feel stressed out and burnout on the job than those who are more adaptive and thrive in a constantly changing, fast-paced work environment. So showcase your familiarity with the type of work environment they've created, and that you feel this is the right opportunity for you.

"The high-growth tech startup I work for initially kept reinventing themselves, shifting their focus as they trained many of us to wear all the hats, and we were constantly learning on the go as they parceled out jobs and responsibilities between sales and marketing. Eventually, they shifted gears and hired a chief marketing officer who hired specialists in that field. As a result, the company went through 3 major rebrandings and shiftings of focus for the company. Many of our teammates enjoyed the work, even though they lacked proper training, and grew frustrated by these shifts, resulting in a lot of turnover. I did what I could to share the company's vision and defend the direction we were heading. But not everyone shared my enthusiasm."

Kevin's Feedback

3. What would you have done if we did not show up to this interview, today?

According to sources online, Meta's interviewers are known to ask this question from time to time. This hypothetical, scenario-based question is meant to test your problem-solving abilities, your communication skills, emotional intelligence, and your sense of diplomacy. The way you respond will show the interviewers your level of confidence, how you strategically think when placed in uncomfortable situations, and how driven you are to reach your goals. It also could provide them a glimpse of your self-perceived professional worth, and how badly you want the job.

Written by Kevin Downey on January 13th, 2024

Before your interview, make sure to exhaust all efforts in understanding the nature of their work culture, and the traits that they look for when recruiting their people. This will help you better determine how aligned you are with them, and whether this is the right fit for you. Remember, everyone who works for Meta, from their recruiters to their hiring managers, to their team members, all serve as representatives of their employee culture. So, when answering this question, approach it with the understanding that you are still getting to know one another, and if hired, you will potentially be working with and collaborating with the person sitting across the table from you.

How to Answer

This question is something of a test of your communication skills. Without understanding what may have transpired to have caused your interviewer to miss your appointment, it is necessary to approach the situation with an open mind while offering the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, demonstrate empathy. Many of Meta's seasoned employees detail in their careers blogs that empathy is a requirement for working there. So, when answering this question, be a leader. Exude empathy, confidence, professionalism, and self-respect.

A huge part of being a skilled communicator is asking questions and actively listening. So, in this hypothetical situation, suggest the questions you might ask to better understand the situation and circumstances of why they didn't show up for the interview. Then determine whether their responses align with your work standard and the standard you expect from those on your team.

"I can empathize with how challenging a job recruiting is and would give you the benefit of the doubt. So I would start by reaching out to you to make sure you were okay. If I couldn't get a hold of you, I would reach out to your human resources and explain the situation and express my concern. I would then try to be flexible regarding rescheduling. However, if it seemed clear that this interview wasn't a high priority, then I might ask more questions, and reflect on the wisest course of action from there, depending on the situation."

4. How up to date are you on Meta's advancements with AI, AR, and VR?

Your interviewer is curious whether you share their passion for their innovations and for the direction they're taking the company. How you respond may also inform them of how effectively you'll work with their teams, the level of dedication they can expect from you, whether you'll help them further the company's vision, and to what degree you already fit in.

Here are a collection of combined quotes where Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook and Meta, discusses his company's focus on the Metaverse, augmented reality, virtual reality, and AI. "We've been focusing on both A.I. and the metaverse for years now, and we will continue to focus on both. The two areas are also related. I believe augmented and virtual reality are going to enable a deeper sense of presence and social connection than any existing platform, and they're going to be an important part of how we will interact in the future. The Metaverse has the potential to revolutionize education by creating immersive learning experiences that feel like you're actually there. AI can personalize learning pathways in the Metaverse, adapting to individual needs and styles."

How to Prep

Before your interview, read up on how AI, AR, and VR all play interconnected roles in their "Metaverse" of products. "Meta's mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. What we build today could one day be the norm. So to be here today is to truly be at the heart of change and the frontier of what's to come. We're the people helping to define the metaverse. We may not have all the answers. But together, we're getting closer." Meta also details how AI helps personalize content, creates A.I. generated advertising, and readily available intuitive and personalized chatbots, among other applications, such as Meta's open-sourced language model, Llama 2. So thoroughly explore all of their products, services, and offerings so you can knowledgeably discuss them when such topics come up in your interview.

Answer Example

"I spent some time reading up on all of it on your website. Some people are big Apple fans, but I am definitely more of a Meta fan. I don't have any of the cool products Meta has available right now, like the most recent Quest, but would love to justify the expense soon. I am especially keen on the Ray-Ban Wayfarers. So cool! That is definitely going to be my next priority purchase."

Career Goals

5. What are your developmental priorities over the next 6 months?

This question is aimed at gauging how motivated you are, whether you have a mapped-out career plan, what your short-term goals are, and what growth opportunities you are working on right now. This is different from asking where you plan to be in five years, which your interviewer may ask, which helps them determine whether you see this opportunity as a long-term career move, and have mapped out some big-picture goals for where you hope Meta may take your career next. How you answer questions like these may potentially inform them of how driven you are, and what your level of personal achievement looks like.

Read through Meta's careers blogs, which often feature their model employees, for more insights into their company's culture. For example, here are some insights that directly correlate to this interview question, and how they count on all of Meta's employees to have a growth mindset and an "always learning" attitude. "No matter your role, having a growth mindset is critical. Things are always changing and the industry is evolving quickly. People who do well here are passionate and genuinely excited to learn." They go on to say, "the key is to keep challenging yourself, which is a defining factor at Meta. As long as you push yourself forward with the knowledge you already have, you have the right people supporting you, and you have access to new opportunities, you'll be fine."

Someone who cruises along at the status quo often uses the expression, no news is good news. But when taking charge of your own development with the aim of furthering your career, this couldn't be farther from the truth. In one of Meta's career blogs, a department manager said, "Enabling growth can be a balance between offering encouragement, radical candor and sometimes, tough love. It's important to give constructive feedback and have honest, difficult conversations." So when describing your drive and ambition to grow in your career, detail how you proactively seek out feedback at every opportunity, and that you receptively consider all feedback as a learning opportunity.

Written by Kevin Downey on January 16th, 2024

"I am very interested in moving into a leadership role and have been reading books and taking online classes on leadership development. So, next my focus will be on communication and delegation best practices, team-building, and coaching rising leaders. I am very interested in learning more about Meta's Leadership in Practice program and am very interested in learning what it takes to enter the program."

Kristine's Feedback

Communication

6. How would you describe what we do here at Meta?

They're curious about how familiar you are with Meta and how they define themselves as a company. They are also curious how effectively you would detail what they do as a company to their users, advertisers, or the general public. They're looking for candidates with exceptional communication skills, and who are resourceful in building relationships across the larger Meta ecosystem. For example, before Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook as Meta, he was quoted as saying, "Facebook is really about communicating and telling stories."

Meta describes what they do as building technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. Among their offerings, they sell proprietary AR and VR devices, such as Meta Quest and Ray-Ban Meta. They offer their social networking apps, such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Meta Horizon. They even offer work tools involving immersive virtual reality experiences. Not only do they expect their employees to represent the interests of the company, but they expect them to embrace their offerings as well.

Meta details in their code of conduct that they expect their employees to communicate transparently. They state that they empower honest, open communication and that they expect their employees to be clear, truthful, courteous, and professional in their internal and external communications. "We understand that information travels rapidly and unpredictably. As Meta Personnel, everything we say and share reflects on us individually and on Meta. We are thoughtful and responsible in how we connect and communicate with the world. Whether we are in a meeting, a cafe, walking together or communicating online, our words matter. Thus, we should pause before communicating to avoid misunderstandings and allow our authentic voice to be heard."

Your social media presence can reveal a lot about you, your hobbies, external interests, and your personality. The more your online presence reflects upon you as a good fit to join their company, the better. Your interviewer expects you to be publicly active on their social media channels. However, they also count on their employees to make it clear when they are expressing their personal opinions, not leading people to believe they are speaking on behalf of Meta, unless they've received permission to do so. So before your interview, make absolutely sure your online social media presence is professional.

"I would say that Meta helps connect individuals and communities on a global scale. They find new ways to help people tell their stories, to relate to each other, and new methods of communicating online, enabling everyone's voice to be heard."

Compatibility

7. Which of our platforms do you connect with most, and how frequently?

Your interviewer is curious to what degree you are a fan of their company, how energized you feel about the direction Meta is going, how engaged you are with their products and offerings, how they impact your daily life, and how you connect with others. Whether you are actively on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, or utilize Meta Quest and its over 50 games, detail how you connect to others by connecting with Meta. "From social media to cutting-edge AR/VR, all our technologies share a vision of a more connected world."

"I'm always on Instagram. I love scrolling through stories. Honestly, there is no greater source for cat videos anywhere. I love viewing them and posting them. If I am having a bad or stressful day, a micro break with a few cat videos is all I need to get back on course."

8. Why should Meta hire you?

Posing similarly phrased questions can serve several purposes. It can help your interviewer assess your attention to detail. It tests whether you can think on your feet, and how original your answers are from question to question. In this set, you'll find three such similarly phrased questions; "Why do you want to work for Meta?", "What makes you unique from the rest of the candidates in Meta's talent pool?", and this question, "Why should Meta hire you?" The first of these questions has to do with your career goals, and how Meta aligns with where you want to take your career next. The second question concerns your work standard, and how you tend to stand out among your peers. And this question concerns how aligned you are with the talent Meta is ideally hoping to recruit.

To get the most of out this question, you must learn all you can about every aspect of Meta's culture, identify all the ways you fit their mold, and where you can relate to and identify with their methodology. Go beyond researching the careers pages on Meta's website. Explore the Meta Careers Blog, Meta Careers on Facebook, Meta Careers on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. Sign up for their Career Profile, which they call "your source for the information and resources you need for your career journey at Meta. Create personalized job alerts, see jobs recommended for you, try our coding puzzles, get interview schedules and more." Doing this will help you paint a clearer picture of how you are uniquely positioned to complement their teams.

Meta describes their company's purpose as building a more connected future. To do that, Mark Zuckerberg describes his philosophy for recruiting those whom he wants on his teams. "I will only hire someone to work directly for me if I would work for that person. It's a pretty good test." Here are several other quotes from several of Meta's top talent, who in different ways describe what it is like being part of their culture. "Innovators, change makers and thought leaders, you'll find them all at Meta." "We are solution-seekers and bold builders." "At Meta, your career is in your hands." "Learning has never stopped." "Empathy is key." "People's lives change once they're able to connect."

Written by Kevin Downey on January 14th, 2024

"I would describe my personality as supportive, emotionally intelligent, and highly empathic. I have a lot of drive and am one of those people who preach that nothing is impossible. I'm adventurous and also enjoy taking on new challenges and am willing to jump into any situation and learn on the spot. I'm also resourceful. In fact, one of the nicknames my coworkers have for me is MacGyver. I am also very driven to grow professionally and am always receptive to feedback. I'm always asking questions, am willing to try new things, am incredibly positive and happy-go-lucky."

9. What values form your character?

Your interviewer is curious whether you have a personal or professional code that forms your character or your decision-making. How you answer may educate them on how closely your values align with theirs. For example, a candidate who is more likely to prioritize the needs of Meta or their fellow metamates is more aligned with their values than someone who prioritizes themselves or the advancement of their own career.

If you don't already have a few core values by which you operate, take some time to perform the exercise of coming up with a few. Think about the principles and morals you live by, and the kind of person you strive to be. Once you've written those down, phrase them in a manner that complements Meta's core values.

Meta's 6 core values are presently, "Move fast, Focus on long-term impact, Build awesome things, Live in the future, Be direct and respect your colleagues, Meta - metamates - me." The last of these values is a play on the nautical saying, "ship, shipmates, self." This in essence means they first must prioritize the ship, then their fellow shipmates, and lastly, they prioritize themselves. Also, before rebranding to Meta, Facebook's five core values used to be "Focus on Impact, Move Fast, Be Bold, Be Open, and Build Social Value."

"I would say that my core values are consistency in quality, happy work relationships are fundamental to performance, always be creative, and maintain a spirit of adventure in everything you do."

10. What makes you unique from the rest of the candidates in Meta's talent pool?

It is your interviewer's job to identify and recruit their target talent. This can prove even more difficult with how many applications they receive and how competitive pursuing a position at Meta can be. So, to make their job easier, your interviewer wants to hear your pitch for not only what you feel makes you unique, but what distinguishes your work standard and performance level from your peers. They'll assess how confident you are in your own statements, and how well you've aligned your drive, ambition, experience, and personality with the qualities they look for in their ideal candidates. In some ways, they are offering you an opportunity to showcase what you have to offer.

It's impossible to know how you compare to the other candidates being interviewed. Instead, focus on who Meta's trying to recruit, and what the performance and work standard for their top talent looks like, (those who work fast, averting risk through information flow and decision-making, while making sure all the rough edges are polished off before sending work further up the chain). When describing his expectations and vision for his company and employees, Mark Zuckerberg suggests the more they are held to his standard, the more Meta will become an even greater magnet for the most talented people. He describes looking for individual contributors who grow and develop faster, at every level. He suggests those who utilize what they are capable of, working leaner and within their means, execute higher priorities faster, are more productive, and find their work more fun and fulfilling. Those who work leaner operate more efficiently, identify obsolete processes worth phasing out, and work more meaningfully. He also emphasizes that building trusting relationships gets more done and those relationships help each other work more effectively. Being resilient, looking ahead, and focusing on what you can control, delivers more sustainable results and helps every team run more efficiently.

"I am very competitive with myself. Not so much with those I work with. But, if I admire a coworker, and see what they are doing is better than what I can do, I'll learn everything I can from them, and not because I am trying to outperform them. Rather, if I am not outperforming my previous best record, I am not doing my best. My learning curve is steep, as is my desire for growth and knowledge. I am always focusing on the impact of my work and always moving fast. My stress resistance is also exceptionally high. I like to think I have a pretty great attitude, and it's because I am always having fun at work."

11. Which of Meta Platforms' products and services are you most excited about?

Your interviewer is curious to learn the extent of your familiarity with Meta's products and offerings, or those which you are looking forward to trying, whether currently out on the market or coming soon. How familiar you are with where the company is trending may serve as an indicator of your interest and enthusiasm for joining their teams.

Some of Meta's offerings are more widely known and available, such as their social platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Whereas others are not as widely publicized or available, such as Meta's Ray-Ban AR and VR glasses, Meta's Llama 2, (Large Language Model Meta AI), or their Meta Quest or Meta Quest Pro VR headsets, their accessories, apps and games, and more. So dive deep into their products and services, and be prepared to speak about those which excite you the most.

"I'd say I am most excited about the next generation of smart glasses. And partnering with Ray-Ban, you can't get any cooler than that. I am more of a Wayfarers fan. And the idea that you can access all of those features without ever taking your phone out of your pocket is truly awe-inspiring."

12. What will you contribute to Meta's mission and values?

Meta's recruiters are looking for top performers who they connect with, and who see the value in building connections with others. Therefore, your interviewer is curious how familiar you are with their company language, and the many ways they define why they do what they do as a company, and the values and principles that guide how they work, each and every day. So, before you can adequately answer this question, it's essential that you understand what Meta's missions and values are. The most ubiquitous keyword that appears across their site is connection.

Facebook was founded in 2004. In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg expanded its mission to "Bring the world closer together." Then, in late 2021, Facebook was rebranded as Meta, and their full mission statement became "to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. That reflects that we can't do this ourselves, but only by empowering people to build communities and bring people together." Their six core values are, "Move fast, Focus on long-term impact, Build awesome things, Live in the future, Be direct and respect your colleagues, Meta - metamates - me."

Explore each of their core values in depth and determine which of their values you stand to contribute to the most. Examine your work history and where you've shined. For example, in the descriptions of their core values, they describe how their employees build and learn faster than anyone else, and act with urgency, removing barriers, "moving fast in one direction together as a company and as individuals. We emphasize long-term thinking rather than optimizing for near-term wins. We push ourselves to focus more on inspiring, in everything we do."

"I have friends and family all across the globe and I honestly wish I could step into a teleportation machine and hang out with them, to be in the same room as them at any time. Often, making a video call on your phone simply doesn't capture what it is like being there with them. But, the advancements Meta is making with the metaverse, to feel like you are actually in the same room with them, and then to goof around and hang out as your avatar, or whatever you want to be, is amazing. This is the future of connecting with others across the world, and I want to be part of advancing that future."

13. Why do you want to work for Meta?

Your interviewer wants to assess your enthusiasm and interest in this role, and Meta as a company. How you answer could potentially help them determine how aligned you are with their mission and values, how familiar you are with their culture and what they do, and if you feel this position and their company are a strong match for your career goals. By understanding why you want to work there, they'll better be able to determine whether they should invest in you as an employee.

When examining your career goals, go beyond how this opportunity of working for a leading tech company would be a step forward for your career. Rather, align your career goals with what they are doing as a company, how their culture complements what you are looking for, and how you'd like to learn, develop, and grow with them. Also, relay how working for them feels like participating in something bigger than yourself, "the future of how people connect."

At Meta, they state that their best work is yet to come. And they're looking for their ideal talent to help them. "Do what you love or discover new challenges in a place where you can take ownership, chase ideas and build the future of connectivity. We want to invest in you as a person. You're our most valuable resource." On their career blog, one of their engineers describes Meta's culture "as challenging and fun. The opportunities you have to work on what you're interested in, even moving to a different project or team, are just amazing."

"I read an interview with your COO where she said, 'I would rather take a total superstar in another area and move them into a new job than take someone who hasn't performed as well but has the right experience.' I love that, and I get it. I want to work with the best, and be part of a great team that will help deliver us into the future. Meta gets this and understands what it takes to build a solid team. So I am interested in that type of collaboration, where our daily interactions help me learn and grow, just by being immersed in a great diverse team with new perspectives. It's all about the angles to look at things. I am an avid learner who actively seeks opportunities to grow, and I want to surround myself with those who are similar."

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14. What do you believe were the biggest challenges Meta faced this year?

Your interviewer is curious to hear your opinion on the direction the company is heading and the challenges ahead. Not only are they interested in determining how informed you are, but also curious about how aligned your views are with those of Meta, and how you would be able to represent their positions and attitudes when discussing work with those outside of the company.

When asked about industry topics or the company's direction, always start with the positions and perspectives of the company, similar to the information they offer on their website. So, to prepare for this question or those like it, check out the top stories on Meta's Newsroom, such as, "Living in the Future," where they discuss Meta's two long-term bets on technologies of the future, AI and the metaverse, each of which took major steps forward in 2023. Or, explore their article "What's New Across Our AI Experiences," where they discuss the features they're adding to Meta AI and the new ways generative AI will improve experiences across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

"I would say that with all the new breakthroughs of AI, now increasing at an exponential rate, incorporating those advances and the potential of those AI breakthroughs into the metaverse was a huge challenge. Not only in realizing the implications and applications, but what it means for connecting people through the Metaverse on a previously unrealized scale."

15. What kind of disagreements have you had with colleagues and/or managers? How have you resolved them? Can you empathize with people whose points of view differ radically from yours?

In Meta's Full Loop Interview Prep Guide, they pose this very question, and there is a chance your interviewer may ask this to assess how thoroughly you've prepared for this interview. This falls under one of the five signals they evaluate their candidates for, resolving conflict. This question directly pertains to how well you would thrive in their unstructured, open working environment. They want to know how aligned you are with their culture and how adept you are at resolving conflict when tense situations may arise, for whatever reason. How you answer will inform them of how aligned you are with their culture, and how your approach to resolving conflict aligns with theirs.

Written by Kevin Downey on February 9th, 2024

At Meta, they repeatedly emphasize that they are looking to hire "highly qualified individuals from the widest range of backgrounds and experiences. This helps us benefit from each other's vast variety of experiences and perspectives and offer products and services truly designed for all." They depend on each one of those metamates to get along, treat each other with respect, and collaborate harmoniously. As Mark Zuckerberg succinctly puts it, "At Meta, I believe that embracing a deep responsibility to each other allows us to innovate better and be a better company."

Here are several guidelines for being kind and respectful which Meta details in their code of conduct. "It is important that Meta Personnel feel valued and respected and that they are treated fairly at work and work-related events, whether in-person or virtual. This culture helps establish the openness and trust we need to make informed decisions and have a meaningful impact in the world. Being kind and respectful means we treat every person within our community with respect, regardless of role, position, seniority, employment status or tenure. Consider the needs and perspectives of others and how our words and actions might be received. Never threaten, act violently toward or harass others. Don't insult, bully, disparage, shame or mock others and stay vigilant. Don't retaliate. Speak up."

"Well, I work in a very collaborative think tank environment currently. And often our teams are challenged with charting unmapped paths forward on major projects. The aim is to get it done together and to collaborate at speed. So, this often requires a lot of active listening, validating, and implementing advanced communication, negotiation, diplomacy, validation, non-defensive communication, and compromise. On occasion, simply because of communication backdowns, things get tense, but they never result in conflict. In those situations, we'll ultimately reach a compromise and work well together toward our common goal. We all want the same thing. It's just how to get there that ends up for debate. All for one and one for all."

Creative Thinking

16. Do you consider yourself more of a left-brained or right-brained person?

Your interviewer wants to learn more about your motivators and preferences for the type of work you perform. How you answer could prove insightful in regards to your behavior and personality and whether you are more creatively inclined, or more pragmatic. It could also inform them where you fall on the scale from being more of an introvert who enjoys solitary analytical work, an extrovert who enjoys more social and collaborative work, or more of an ambivert, falling somewhere on the scale between the two.

When answering this question, it is important to be as honest with yourself as you are with the person you are interviewing with. You should be certain this opportunity feels like the right fit for your talents, personality, and professional skills. "Innovators, changemakers and thought leaders, you'll find them all at Meta." By showcasing who you truly are as a person, and as a professional, you stand a greater chance of landing this, or perhaps another position which the recruiter might see you as a better fit for. "What really motivates people at Facebook is building stuff that they're proud of." - Mark Zuckerberg

"My best friend says I am super pragmatic, and my sister says I am the most creative person in the world, so I guess it depends on who you ask. I'd say I fall somewhere and alternate back and forth from the right to the left. I look at the world from all angles, am unconventional in my thinking, and try to look at things from every unbiased angle, never taking sides, and just try to follow the path of what makes the most sense."

17. What does the word "innovation" mean to you?

Your interviewer is curious how closely your concept of innovation aligns with theirs and would like to know what innovation looks like for you. The term "innovation" is not something that Meta's employees strive for, it is a job requirement. At Meta, they describe their culture as innovative by nature, and responsible by design. "Take on meaningful, challenging work at incredible scale. What we do has never before been done. By asking complex questions to drive innovation, you can help shape the future as you build for the world."

Mark Zuckerberg is reported to hold his employees to a high standard. According to reviews from Glassdoor, and from several articles and blogs on the subject, the work is very challenging, and demanding, and the hours can be long. Due to being surrounded by high-performing, top talent, the environment can sometimes feel competitive and the talents of those you're working with can feel intimidating. So, part of their innovative culture requires a high degree of commitment, drive, dedication, and perseverance.

"To me, innovation means what it means, which is a great improvement that moves something forward. Whereas kaizen means a small, or a collection of small improvements. I am all about improvement implementation, whether on a large or small scale. But, the aim is to constantly improve on what was done before, on whatever scale, which as a whole translates to innovation. As I always say, do better with consistency and move the world forward. Ideally, I'd like to move the world forward at Meta."

18. Tell me about yourself.

According to one of Meta's Full Loop Interview Prep Guides, one of the purposes of your interview is to assess whether you would thrive or flounder in Meta's fast-paced and highly unstructured environment. They want to learn more about your background, what you're passionate about in tech, and what kind of impact you want to make. So come prepared to share a well-structured narrative of your background and interests, what you're passionate about in tech, why you're looking to make a change in your career, and what kind of impact you hope to make at Meta. "It's important to prepare ahead of time for interviews designed to get to know you better." This is your opportunity to share stories and examples of your past work, what you've learned along your career journey, what it's like to work with you, and how you feel about the types of challenges you'll face at Meta.

One of the signals your interviewer will watch out for will be how effectively you communicate your answers throughout your interview. This may inform them of how well you'll communicate with their teams, and with their cross-functional partners, and whether you can tailor your communication based on your work and/or your audience. To help construct your answer, Meta's recruiters recommend you use the STAR method. "Use the S.T.A.R. method to mentally organize your thoughts. This will provoke a well-thought-out and chronological action of events. Easy to describe, easy to follow. You can practice this method using the Journaling Exercises in the Preparation Hub within your Career Profile. S: One or two sentences about the SITUATION: What happened? T: Describe the TASK: What was your specific goal? A: ACTIONS you took to overcome the obstacles and complete your objective. R: The tangible / quantifiable RESULTS of the situation: How did it help the team/company? Have concrete examples or anecdotes. Support each question with practical experiences and examples. Avoid theoretical answers. If you go into a theoretical tangent, your interviewer will redirect you to provide a concrete example."

"I first grew intrigued with code when I was teaching myself how to build my profile page on Myspace. Then, when Facebook came along, I abandoned Myspace of course. But I was still addicted to code and created a few apps here and there. Small fun games. For quite a while, it was a dream of mine that I'd create the next big app and Facebook would buy it from me. Although I have developed a few, and some I've sold to smaller outfits, I later landed a career developing apps for companies. But the dream of working with Facebook was still there. So, I revamped my career goals and steered my development and learning with the aim of working for Meta. Having gained the right skills and experience, and learning all I can about the company, I feel like I am already a metamate, and hope to meet the rest of the teams."

19. How much experience do you have working in a diverse and inclusive environment?

Your interviewer needs to ensure you are culturally competent and will have no difficulties collaborating with Meta's diverse teams. "Connecting the world takes people with different backgrounds and points of view to build products that work better for everyone. This means building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the people we serve and a workplace focused on equity and inclusion." In Meta's annual diversity reports, they detail their efforts towards building strong relationships with organizations that support people of color and women. "We value each contribution and unique perspective, and we see lived experience as an asset." So, they also need to ensure you'll have no difficulty connecting with a diverse world. "People from all backgrounds, with diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas, rely on Meta technologies to build community. Building a diverse team where everyone belongs is crucial to understanding where we're succeeding and where we need to do better."

Meta's diversity report begins with the following statement by Mark Zuckerberg: "To bring the world closer together, diversity is a must-have for Meta, not an option. Hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences helps us build better products and make better decisions. We're committed to building a workforce that's as diverse as the communities we serve. Responsibility rests on us and our companies. You need diverse teams to do the best work. So it's important that we do better on diversity, not only because it's the right thing to do, but because that's the only way we're going to serve our community the best."

"I appreciate the open and transparent effort that Meta makes when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, especially after reading your most recent diversity report. I embrace the fact that everyone is different. Every chance I get to get to know someone new is a learning opportunity. I love to travel, love music from every corner of the world, and love learning about new cultures. My views on diversity are that it's not simply a matter of culture but also gender, identity, background, demographics, and so much more. I am sensitive in all my actions as well, and take nothing for granted."

20. How do you balance your personal life with your work life?

Even though Meta, through several programs and benefits, invests in the wellness of their employees, for the sake of recruiting a sustainable workforce, they need to ensure their employees put in equal or greater efforts to promote a strong work-life balance and are capable of maintaining their passion for the work they perform. So, your interviewer is curious whether you have a thorough understanding of the level of dedication and hard work Meta requires of their employees. Before considering hiring you, they need to ensure you can rise to the challenge without getting burned out on the job.

According to many of the employee reviews on Glassdoor, Meta's employees struggle with their work-life balance due to the high-performance standard, work-related stress, and demanding schedules. But, the company also invests in their employees' work-life balance, including freeing up their employees' time and creating more efficiency in catering to their other needs, such as providing health, dental, and vision care on and near Meta campuses. "When it comes to our benefits and programs, we know it's not a one-size-fits-all situation. Our wellness reimbursement program gives more flexibility to reimburse expenses that support well-being. Eligible employees can be reimbursed up to a specific amount each calendar year for eligible expenses."

"I have found that one of the best ways to avoid burnout is to constantly celebrate. Take time to show gratitude and appreciation for your team, their support, and their wins. Also, strategically planning every project, whether it's planning a major work project or planning your week, morning, nights, weekends, meals, just plan and remove any stressors that are easily avoided. I call that last one being kind to yourself. Minimize stress and keep moving at a manageable pace. Exercise your body, and your mind, and find time for those things which enrich your spirit as well."

21. Do you take constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve? How have you approached improving your skills?

At Meta, they state they're interested in recruiting new employees with great interest in continual professional growth. How receptive someone is to feedback, and how proactive a professional is with seeking out feedback is a clear indication of how career-minded that professional is. Among their incentives is the promise of offering development programs designed to accelerate their careers. So, they'll be trying to determine in each interview how close that candidate aligns with their target talent.

Here are some of the value propositions Meta posts on their careers site to recruit their target talent. "Sharing, providing feedback, debating and questioning, all with kindness, respect and humor, are core to our culture and key to our mission. Meta must be a space where everyone is welcome and has the opportunity to succeed. We help people who work here expand their skill sets, including their capabilities to build inclusive team environments where everyone is seen, heard and valued. From onboarding to managing performance to providing community education programs, we offer consistent support and resources to help people grow professionally and personally."

"I thrive on feedback. I need it, and any time someone is willing to offer it, I approach it with appreciation. Sometimes the feedback can be disappointing, but only because I have been working hard on the issue to which the feedback pertains, and had hoped I was either farther along in my development or noticed for the progress I'd made. But, regardless, I take those in stride and keep at it until my reputation once again proceeds me."

22. What would you consider a professional weakness of yours?

How you answer this question stands to inform your interviewer of whether you take charge of your professional development, and are actively trying to grow professionally and personally. As detailed in one of Meta's interview prep guides, they will assess each candidate for signals that correlate with what they see as attributes to which they credit their success. One of these is "Growing continuously. Your interviewer will be assessing your aptitude for seeking out opportunities for growth and learning. Do you take constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve? How have you approached improving your skills?"

Here are some excerpts from Meta's career blogs, where their top employees detail the growth mindset of their work culture. "I might not know it inside and out, but I'll learn on the job, make mistakes and get better." "I always tell everyone on my team that it's great to make mistakes as long as you don't repeat them." "Getting your team to trust you and to mutually share honest feedback, interests and motivations is highly valued. It is the norm to share wins as well as failures openly within the company."

"I would say that my biggest growth opportunity is sharing tips and tricks with those whom I work with, and helping them out more when they're struggling. I often become far too engrossed in surpassing my deadlines, working at speed, and over-delivering that I rarely afford the time to help out another teammate who might be struggling, even if I have a tip that I can share that will help them over-deliver as well. It's not because I am being competitive or anything like that. I am just too hyper-focused on my own tasks that I become blind to where I can help out elsewhere. Granted, it takes a bit of multitasking. But, I have recently realized this is a growth opportunity and have been making small improvements in this regard, but still have a way to go."

23. What is the riskiest decision you've made in your career?

Risk-taking plays a role in their company culture. One of Facebook's original core values was to "Be Bold." Often, being bold requires taking calculated risks. Mark Zuckerberg also detailed in an address that information flow is necessary for making calculated risks. So, your interviewer is curious about your approach to taking risks, your experience, whether you are risk averse, or whether you compulsively take risks based on intuition rather than information. As one senior Meta employee puts it, part of what makes someone successful at Meta is the ability to make "bold decisions and take calculated risks without being afraid of being wrong."

In one of Meta's interview prep guides, they advise their candidates to be honest. "Not every project is a runaway success. Being transparent in these situations won't be counted against you in the interview. In fact, sharing & discussing how you learned, improved, and grew from your past experiences is valued. Know yourself. Take the time to review your own resume, as your interviewer will almost certainly ask about key events in your work history. Be prepared to discuss projects in depth. It's helpful to outline 2-3 major projects ahead of time." And, as Mark Zuckerberg once said, "The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks."

"One of the riskiest decisions I made was to leave my job with an established organization to create a startup. But I did so in stages, first by reducing my hours, from full-time to part-time, then by making the leap to dedicating myself to the business full-time. My start-up was focused on providing a service that would pioneer a new space in the nutraceutical marketplace. Of course, we had some roadblocks along the way, but I learned to quickly pivot in the face of a challenge. I grew significantly during that time, and although it was a risk, I stand behind my choice. I later sold the business and did well, and was incredibly proud of what I created and passed on. It was a lot of work, sometimes too much work, but working hard and putting in long hours is something I am used to."

24. What is your greatest strength?

The interviewer would like to learn what you perceive as your greatest strengths, and how they might benefit Meta. While preparing for your interview, make a list of your greatest strengths, and choose those that align with Meta's culture. Consider adopting some of their language into yours, such as their keywords and coined key phrases.

According to Meta's careers blogs, Meta encourages everyone to draw on their unique strengths by promoting a think-tank, strengths-based culture "which aims to identify and foster employees' talents rather than try to round out their weaknesses. This allows us to build on what our people are good at instead of what can be fixed, maximizing the power of their skills and inspiring them with confidence. By aligning our people's strengths and passions with the right projects, leaders at Meta are able to drive high results and cultivate productivity and innovation in their teams."

"I would say my greatest strength is that I have a pretty easygoing, super positive nature, and have been told multiple times that I have a nurturing and calming effect on those around me. I am able to lift others up when they're feeling low, have no problems going against the grain when I know it's right, and always choose to do the right thing. I always take the time to get to know people for who they are and show them my authentic self in exchange. I've always believed this is the best way to build relationships."

Job Satisfaction

25. What motivates you at work?

The interviewers want to know what motivates you at work, what inspires you to perform at your best, and to go above and beyond. They want to know where your passions lie and the impact you strive to make in your career. How you answer may help them determine how suited you are to the role. As one of their top-performing candidates puts it, at Meta, your career is in your hands. "It's almost like being a kid again because you get to dream big. You may be hired to do a job, but if you discover a new passion, there will always be a way for you to explore it."

Meta's approach to a happy team begins with getting to know each person's greatest motivators. On Meta's careers site, the company states, "We work on things we're incredibly passionate about, that align with our values and purpose, and that have a positive impact on the world. It's who we are. It's why we build. You can bring your values to do work that matters, not just to you, but to the world. You belong here. Here's your blank canvas, now decide what to paint."

"I am motivated by doing the work I love to do, by being given the opportunity to do what I do best and to take that to the next level. I am also motivated by working with teams that share my enthusiasm for the work we are doing together, where we all geek out in the same way. There is something super motivating about that specific collaborative energy."

Marcie's Feedback

Performance Based

26. How do you manage your priorities when multitasking becomes necessary?

In any Meta behavioral interview, they will assess each candidate for signals that correlate with what they view as attributes of success. One of these is "Embracing ambiguity: How do you operate in an ambiguous and quickly changing environment? Are you comfortable making decisions and maintaining high levels of productivity when you are missing information or lack clarity? How did you react when you had to quickly pivot away from a project due to a shift in priority?" How you answer will help your interviewer determine your experience level, and whether you are ready for this opportunity.

Too often, when managing multiple priorities, it's common for one's time management to be undermined, resulting in losing track of where you left off in your work, increasing the likelihood of losing track of a time-sensitive priority in the midst of various distractions. At Meta, "work is multi-functional and requires an evolving set of skills, prioritizing multiple assignments quickly, multitasking and changing direction quickly, looking ahead, anticipating needs, and making needed adjustments." Reflect on the systems and processes you employ to track your work, maintain strong attention to detail, and assist in not losing track of any of your work when more pressing priorities arise. You want to showcase that you are capable of performing at a high standard in a variety of challenging environments.

"I start by analyzing each task to determine its priority, necessity, and impact. From there, I make notations on the work I am temporarily setting aside, and where I left off. Once that's done, I focus my attention on where I have the highest potential to make an impact. Also, I often determine where to focus my attention based on time management, and the time I have to work with. I delegate tasks when I can and commit until I deliver on all of my obligations. I take ownership of my work and have never had I under-delivered on a deadline."

27. Tell us about a time where you got really involved in your work.

This question is designed to help your interviewer assess how engaged you are in your career path. Your answer will help them gauge how satisfied you'd be working with them, based on how passionate you seem about your work. Someone who loses themselves in their work is more likely to perform to a higher standard and feel energized when collaborating and innovating with others.

We all enjoy doing what we are good at. The more you enjoy your work, the less it actually feels like work. So, think about the aspects of your work that you most enjoy, which you are most accomplished in, and which plays to all of your strengths. If you can align this with why you pursued a degree in your field, all the better. "At Meta, your passion can bridge worlds and bring dreams to reality. Come build something different with us."

"I'd say it is a regular occurrence. And when I am doing something I've done before, I try to avoid it ever becoming repetitive. For example, last Saturday, I started an online course on video and optimization. It's something I've done before. But instead of teaching the same old material, I made sure it was more edgy, and more current, and challenged myself to up my game and learn something new that I could then impart to the class. I was then super excited about the work, and the day flew by so fast. I loved every second of it. Any time I am studying and gaining a new skill, it feels like I lose track of time. My boss appreciated my passion and expressed they'd like me to perform more classes."

28. How do you demonstrate your impact to push yourself and others? Are you self-directed in reaching goals despite challenges and roadblocks?

This question correlates directly with one of their five signals, driving results. Your interviewer is curious how self-managed and self-directed you are in your own work, whether you lead by example, and how you drive successful outcomes for your teams. "Driven by connection, Meta's success continues to be built around open innovation, collaboration and discovery. Inspired by collaboration. When creativity meets collaboration, connections come alive. Build connections that breathe life into our worlds. Come build something different with us."

Your Meta interviewer will evaluate your answer to see whether you push "yourself and others to deliver against goals and objectives." So, spend time in advance meditating on how you would articulate what "your drive to push boundaries, to create new, exciting ways to connect," looks like to you.

"I just adhere to my own standard and stay true to my character. In every way, I try to best my personal best. If I adhere to my standard, I am satisfied. If I exceed it, I am happy. But, I am present in my performance and positive in my attitude, and I always aim to make my positivity known and felt. If I can lead by example, either through my work ethic or my optimism, then all the better. This is especially useful when things don't go according to plan. I think it's common for stress or pessimism to arise in such situations. That's when you have to stay positive most of all."

Problem Solving

29. How do you operate in an ambiguous and quickly changing environment? Are you comfortable making decisions and maintaining high levels of productivity when you are missing information or lack clarity?

Your interviewer is curious how you approach making informed decisions when you don't have all the necessary information needed to do so. How you answer could inform them of how decisive you are, your approach to risk-taking, your ability to think outside of the box, your resourcefulness, and your ability to anticipate the needs of your superiors. How in tune you are with your teams and superiors will speak to your experience and suitability for the role.

Another attribute for success that Meta will assess you for is how well you drive results. "We will be evaluating your experience pushing yourself and others to deliver against goals and objectives. How do you demonstrate your impact? Are you self-directed in reaching goals despite challenges and roadblocks?" So, before answering consider the words of one of Meta's department managers, "Give people a sense of trust and ownership. They'll often exceed your expectations. Everyone goes above and beyond. I encourage people to take risks, and I let them know I'll be there as a safety net."

"From day one, I am asking questions, trying to understand why everything is done the way it is, always with the aim of obtaining a deeper understanding. So, I become naturally predisposed to anticipating needs. In this regard, I consider myself a rational problem solver. So, even when information is lacking, I have a strong idea of how our leadership would approach such a situation and behave accordingly. When I can, I will involve our teams, so we can think-tank our way out of any given situation. With creativity comes the ability to take smart and calculated risks, allowing me to feel less constrained. When I can apply creative problem-solving techniques, I am more focused and likely to uncover an out-of-the-box and innovative solution."

30. How do you manage your own stress, and the stress of your teammates, at work?

Your interviewer is interested in learning how you manage your stress, and if your stress has the potential to impact morale and interfere with how well you get along with your coworkers in high-stress situations. Meta advertises that they have an open and horizontal work culture that often lacks walls and barriers between desks. In a high-pressure work environment, where hours are long, and expectations are high, with little standing between you and your teammates, conflict can on occasion arise. Meta's employees credit the company culture for having a supportive work environment. Therefore, your interviewer is interested in how you manage your stress, how supportive you are of your coworkers in high-stress situations, and how diplomatic your approach is to conflict resolution when such situations arise.

In one of their careers blogs, a manager at Meta describes the type of culture that they aim to foster: "I really want the team to function as a unit, so nobody is in competition with each other. I had this great professor who always said, 'Hire people who are more talented than you and lift those up around you.' And I really take that to heart. I truly believe that we are the relationships we make around us, and I want to be the person in the room who lifts everyone up." And, in one of their full-loop interview guides, they state that they'll want to know "what kind of disagreements you had with colleagues and/or managers? How have you resolved them? Can you empathize with people whose points of view differ radically from yours?"

"I am pretty good at just being aware of what stress does to my body, and paying attention to that. For example, if my heart rate goes up, or my thoughts grow scattered, or any other physiological symptoms occur, I just manage those. I objectify what the stress does to me, manage it, and move on. I never allow my stress to confuse me or dictate my behavior. This approach also allows me to help balance stressful situations that might impact the workplace, enabling me to be a stabilizer for those I work with. However, all I can do is control my own behavior, and sometimes my coworkers have trouble managing their stress, and project their feelings onto those who they're closely working with, and conflict situations arise. But, I am a pretty strong communicator and can de-escalate such situations pretty quickly and turn things around to being more productive again. It's all about approaching such things with the right attitude."

31. What have you contributed to your teams?

Your interviewer is curious to learn more about your unique perspective and voice by learning what you feel your strengths are when collaborating with those you work with. Regardless of whether you lead by example, set the pace, set the tone and right attitude, or whether you perform in a more supportive role, they're interested in learning what you'd potentially contribute to their teams. "At Meta, everything we do is about helping people feel connected and closer. It's in our technologies, our mission and how we collaborate. Working collectively and valuing each person for the differences we bring allows us all to do more. The pace is fast and the challenges are enormous, but this is how we thrive."

"I mentor when I can. I always acknowledge my teammates' accomplishments and always play on their strengths. I am really good at making those on my team feel good about what they're bringing to the table, thereby helping them enjoy their work more. I lean on my teammates for their expertise and learn what I can from each one of them. I'm strong at creating a plan of action quickly, but always give credit to even the slightest suggestion that helps further our goals alone. I Flike to think of myself as cheerleader and quarterback rolled into one."

32. How well do you communicate with teams?

Part of your interviewer's job is not just ensuring you possess the right skills, talents, and experience to do your job well. They also need to ensure you'll keep up with and complement their teams. The stronger your relationships with your coworkers, the greater the impact you'll have. So, they need to assess whether you'll be able to build lasting, cohesive, and stable relationships with your new co-workers right from the start. As they say on their careers page, "Make every connection matter."

Before their rebranding, Facebook's team members were known as Facebookers. Now they are called Metamates. Depending on your role, one of your interviews may even be with your "potential teammates, managers, and other people you may work with. Now is the time for you to learn even more about Meta, and for us to better understand your professional experience and talents. When all the interviews are complete, the people you spoke with submit their feedback on your interview performance and we assess whether you'd be successful in the role we're hiring for, or if there's another role at Meta that makes sense for you. We look forward to officially welcoming you to Meta. Together, we'll help give people the power to build community, and bring the world closer together."

"I always look forward to establishing excellent relationships, whether we're introducing someone new to our teams, or I am the new addition to a team. I wholeheartedly believe that with strong trust, you'll build the best relationships, and, in so doing, build the best teams, which can accomplish the best things together. But it is an investment, and trusting relationships are built and earned over time. So, I start building trust by being transparent in my communications. Communicating clearly, working fast, earning my keep, leading by example, supporting my teams' efforts, and being willing to try new things. I will always deliver above what I say I'll do and faster than expected. When appropriate, I take the approach of under-promising and over-delivering to accelerate the trust process. I maintain a good, cheerful attitude as well. A friend to all. These are just some of the approaches I take when establishing relationships with co-workers."

33. Tell me about a memorable team experience.

Your interviewer wants to assess how similarly your concept of teamwork and collaboration aligns with theirs. Many of those they employ are professionals who are rising stars in their field. So you'll be expected to hold your own while collaborating with their top-tier talent. Meta is known for recruiting those who prioritize the needs of Meta and the needs of their teams over their own needs, or over advancing their own professional gains over Meta's, or the team's. This again circles back to their core value, "Meta, metamates, me. We are stewards of our company and our mission. We have a sense of responsibility for our collective success and to each other as teammates. It's about taking care of our company and each other."

Meta's culture centers on teamwork and collaboration. Many of their employees describe their culture as having a think tank energy to it. On the company's career website, they describe part of their mission as empowering people to connect with each other, build community, and do work that is meaningful. "The work we do at Meta brings billions of people closer to what they care about. The relationships here don't just happen on their own. They are built by committed leaders who are up for the challenge. Help shape the future at Meta."

"We were working on a seriously complex project, albeit probably boring in translation, but there were some highly complex problems that required some innovative solutions, and we had to come up with them at pace. So, our team formed a roundtable, and the meeting started off slow, but gradually gained momentum, and everyone's collaboration flourished unlike ever before. It was a real think tank. It was both encouraging and exhilarating. As a result, once we all agreed on where to steer the project and ironed out all the details, we worked together as one until the end and, as a group, delivered amazing work. In the end, nothing but cheers and pats on the back. Then, we all went out for drinks afterward, and it turned into quite a party. It was Friday night going into the weekend, and we all couldn't wait for Monday morning to come."

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• Behavioral Interviews

Answering Problem-Solving Interview Questions: Tips and Examples

Problem-solving skills are difficult to describe and quantify: they’re a combination of different hard and soft skills such as logical inference, technical knowledge, adaptability and innovation, leadership potential, decision-making, productivity, and collaboration.

All are crucial for developing expertise and delivering results at work — especially when the going gets tough.

And because problem-solving is so important, you’re almost guaranteed to get asked about it in a job interview. Read on, and make sure no problem-solving question catches you off guard.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• How to answer problem-solving job interview questions
• Types of problem-solving questions
• Why recruiters ask these questions and what your answers might reveal
• Sample answers for the main types of problem-solving questions

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How to Answer Problem-Solving Job Interview Questions

Here’s how to understand the intention behind problem-solving interview questions and create an informative answer that will highlight your expertise and potential.

Understand the problem-solving question and why recruiters ask it

Reflect on your thought process, be specific, follow up with clear outcomes, use the star method.

Hiring managers and recruiters want to know how you identify roadblocks, analyze information, and overcome challenges. These challenges can vary from specific, technical issues to more general issues like improving company processes or handling interpersonal relationships.

To put these skills to the test, recruiters use “problem-solving” job interview questions, also known as analytical questions. Here are some common ones:

• Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• Describe a time when you didn’t know how to solve a problem. What did you do?
• Describe how you approach a complex or difficult problem.

Here’s what these questions help recruiters discover:

Your adaptability and innovation

Are you an out-of-the-box thinker who’s open to new ideas and who can handle uncharted waters easily?

Efficiency and productivity

Are your problem-solving skills contributing to the team’s performance, removing bottlenecks, smoothing out processes, and keeping projects on track?

Collaboration and communication

Are you successfully collaborating with others to find solutions? Are you handling people-related problems effectively?

Decision-making

Can you efficiently evaluate different options and reach a decision independently? Can you make sound decisions to minimize risks and maximize benefits and opportunities?

Leadership potential

Are your problem-solving skills so good that they open up new opportunities for you to move in the leadership direction ?

Problem-solving interview questions are not tied to a specific role and industry. Mastering your problem-solving skills will help you stand out from the competition and be more successful in your role, whatever it may be.

And if you need help with answering other common interview questions, sign up for our free course !

Be mindful of your thought processes when you face a difficult problem.

Is your initial reaction to panic or are you calm and enthusiastic to tackle it? Is the problem stopping you from focusing on everything else you’re working on? Do you look at the problem as a whole or do you break it down?

Understanding how you think and approach the problem will help you know yourself and improve your problem-solving skills, but it’ll also make it easier to answer these tricky questions during an interview.

Tailor your answers to problem-solving interview questions so that you cover specific details, actions, and skills relevant to the position. If possible, list the results and share lessons learned from an experience you’re describing.

We’re not saying you should lie and make up a story about your problem-solving skills for each position you apply for; remember that this is a broad set of skills and you surely have something relevant from your past experience that you can bring up.

💡 For example, if you’re a Customer Service Representative applying for the same role in another company, you can speak about how you solved a customer’s problem or how you helped the team switch to a new CRM tool and transfer all the data.

💡 If you’re applying for a leadership role in the customer service field, you can speak about how you handled an interpersonal problem within a team or how you spotted bottlenecks and modified processes to make the team more efficient.

💡 If you’re moving to a Sales position, you can highlight your selling experience and talk about a time when you had to solve a customer’s problem and you managed to upsell them in the process.

Prove you have outstanding problem-solving skills by listing clear outcomes for every problem you solved. They can be quantitative or qualitative.

💡 Fixed a process? Say that it improved team productivity by X%.

💡 Handled a difficult client? If they became a VIP customer later on, mention it.

💡 Resolved a conflict? Describe how the experience helped you strengthen the bonds in a team.

💡 Solved a complex technical problem? Say that you got a bonus for it, or that you expanded and improved the existing documentation to help coworkers in the future.

Whenever possible, use the STAR (situation-task-action-result) method in your answer:

• (S) ituation: Describe the situation and provide context.
• (T) ask: What tasks you planned on doing to tackle the issue, your contribution.
• (A) ction you took (step-by-step).
• (R) esult of your efforts.

It’ll help you create a well-rounded answer that’s informative and engaging. Plus, using this method to prepare answers in advance will help you memorize the story quickly and easily.

✅ Bear in mind that not every problem-solving interview question can be answered with a STAR method. Some questions will be very specific and will ask for quick and short information about a certain tool or similar. Other questions, the ones beginning with “Give me an example when…” or “Tell me about a time when…” will be the perfect opportunity to use the STAR method.

Also, remember that there’s never a single correct answer to a problem-solving question, just like there usually are multiple solutions to a given problem — a study on the hospitality industry revealed that the most successful problem-solving strategies applied in the workplace were always very specific to given circumstances.

Questions about your problem-solving skills are just one group of the standard interview questions, you can be almost sure you will get asked. Prepare for other interview “classics” with our dedicated guides:

• Tell Me About Yourself: Sample Answers
• Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
• Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?
• What Are Your Strenghts?
• What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• How Do You Handle Conflict?
• Why Should We Hire You?
• Why Do You Want to Work Here?

If prepping for a video interview, learn what to expect from this guide: Video Interviewing Tips & Tricks

And if you’re interested in interviewing for specific positions, see:

• Sales Interview Questions and Answers
• Customer Service Interview Questions and Answers
• Customer Service Manager Interview Questions and Answers
• Behavioral Interview Questions for Customer Service

Types of Problem-Solving Job Interview Questions

How do you approach complex problems.

• Can you provide an example of a challenging issue you’ve encountered and how you resolved it?

How do you prioritize multiple tasks when faced with tight deadlines?

• Tell me about a time when you faced a difficult problem at work. How did you solve it?
• Tell me about a time when your team faced a problem and you helped to find a solution.

Describe a situation in which you received criticism for your solution to a problem. How did you handle that?

Can you provide an example of when you had to collaborate with a team to solve a work-related problem.

• Can you describe a situation where you had to use your problem-solving skills to make a decision?

How would you respond if a high-priority project was suddenly delayed, jeopardizing the deadline?

Imagine a scenario where your manager was unavailable, but a client had an urgent issue – what would you do, if you encountered a high-stress situation that required you to stay calm and focused, how would you handle it.

• Imagine you’re faced with a tight deadline, but you’ve encountered a significant roadblock. How would you handle this situation?
• How would you assess and resolve a performance issue in a web application?
• Describe your approach to troubleshooting a networking issue that spans multiple devices.
• How would you approach debugging a piece of software with limited documentation?
• How would you deal with an angry VIP customer if your boss was away?
• What would you do if you noticed a decline in the ROI of your team?
• How would you troubleshoot an error in a software product that has been released to customers?

1. General problem-solving questions

These questions aim to discover your general approach to problems and challenges.

Interviewers want to know how you approach the process of solving complex problems. Do you jump straight into it or do you take a step back, break the problem down into manageable components, analyze the info you have, and then dive in?

Can you provide an example of a challenging issue you’ve encountered and how you resolved it?

Can you assess a situation and find the most appropriate solution? Can you handle the pressure? Do you take the lead during difficult times? Are you able to take responsibility for the outcomes?

This question is more specific than the previous one, so make sure you think about a situation in advance and prepare your answer using the STAR method.

Big Interview’s Answer Builder can help you shape your answer. You’ll be able to list and filter the points you’d like to mention, add details and rearrange the order to create a compelling story.

Plus, you’ll get bite-sized tips on how to answer the most common interview questions while you’re in the Builder.

Recruiters want to know how you set criteria based on which you’ll set priorities, how and if you juggle between multiple tasks, and how you communicate and collaborate with other people involved.

General problem-solving sample answer

“Tell me about a time when you faced a difficult problem at work. How did you solve it?”

Behavioral questions about problem-solving

Behavioral questions ask for specific situations from your past in which you displayed a certain behavior. Based on it, recruiters hope to predict how you’ll perform in the future.

Tell me about a time when your team faced a problem and you helped to find a solution

This one’s asked to assess your teamwork and cooperation skills in tough situations.

Interestingly, a 2015 study on problem-solving in the workplace showed that when it comes to expertise-related problems, employees rarely relied on trial-and-error or information retrieval as modes of problem-solving.

Instead, they mostly relied on help from others, that is, their coworkers who they believed were experts on the subject matter.

This puts emphasis on the importance of teamwork and collaboration in problem-solving. And you certainly noticed how easier it gets to solve a problem (or brainstorm a new idea) as a group, when different individuals bring fresh, unique ideas to the table.

So, recruiters want to know if you’d be cooperative and open to a teamwork experience, and these factors might hint at how you’ll fit in with the team.

This one checks how you handle feedback and criticism — it’s challenging, but it’s essential for growth.

In your answer, make sure you depict a situation in which you demonstrated that growth mindset and the ability to see that taking criticism is not a sign of weakness (or a personal attack on you) but a unique opportunity to learn something new.

Similarly to the first question in this group, this one aims to see how you perform in a team and solve problems collectively.

According to a study , in a team, task completion can be independent , when each team member completes their own activities, sequential , when activities go from one team member to another, reciprocal , when activities are done back-and-forth between team members, or intensive , when all team members work on activities and problem-solving simultaneously.

Recruiters want to get to know more about your ideal teamwork process model and how you connect with others to solve problems.

Your answer will tell them if you’re a good team problem-solver, team player, and if you’re able to give and share credit, as well as take responsibility if something goes wrong.

Behavioral problem-solving sample answer

“Can you describe a situation where you had to use your problem-solving skills to make a decision?”

Situational problem-solving questions

Situational problem-solving questions put you in a hypothetical situation, present a problem, and ask for your opinion/solution.

Even if you haven’t encountered a similar situation in the past, it will help you to draw parallels from your experience to create answers to these questions.

Your answer to this question will tell recruiters about your flexibility, time and task organization, prioritization, as well as how you handle pressure.

An ideal employee will be able to think quickly and adapt to unforeseen circumstances, all the while remaining calm and composed. You’ll want to aim at displaying these qualities in your answer.

Taking the lead and taking calculated risks shows that a person has outstanding problem-solving skills and is not afraid to take initiative, which shows leadership potential.

Your answer to this question needs to demonstrate your ability to quickly analyze information, weigh pros and cons of a situation, and make decisions on the spot. This is especially important if you’re applying for leadership positions, like a team leader or a project manager.

Recruiters and hiring managers want to assess your ability to handle stress, make rational decisions, and maintain a focused approach in tricky, high-pressure situations.

Make sure to provide them with relevant examples from your past that will paint a picture of your skills and abilities. This is especially relevant for high-pressure positions such as police officers, lawyers, financial analysts, and similar.

Situational problem-solving sample answer

“Imagine you’re faced with a tight deadline, but you’ve encountered a significant roadblock. How would you handle this situation?”

Technical questions about problem-solving

Technical problem-solving questions are based on the technical knowledge that underlies each role. They aim to check your expertise or the means by which you connect the dots or obtain information if you don’t possess it.

Will you sort through the documentation to find a solution? Or is your first reaction to recall a past experience? Perhaps you prefer connecting with an expert or a coworker with more experience than you. Or you’re the type of person to synthesize your existing knowledge and try to find a solution through trial and error. Maybe you’ll turn to a book or a course? Whatever it is, recruiters would like to know.

There are many ways to solve these problems and your preferred strategies will give recruiters insight into how you think and act.

Examples of technical questions about problem-solving are:

💡 Bear in mind that, with the rapid development of AI, the majority of technical tasks might be overtaken by robots in the future. That’s why it’s important that you work on your non-technical skills, too. Employers are already admitting that problem-solving skills are the second most important skill they’re looking for. For this reason, researchers are working hard to find and develop frameworks for helping people improve their problem-solving capabilities — you can read more about it in this paper on problem-solving skills among graduate engineers .

Technical problem-solving sample answer

“How would you troubleshoot an error in a software product that has been released to customers?”

✅ Pro tip: Practicing in advance is the only way to make sure your answer is flawless! The Mock Interview Tool will help you record your answer and get instant feedback on its quality and delivery. From power words and your pace of speech to “ummm” counter and eye contact, you’ll get help on how to improve in no time!

Our tool helped AJ land his first job in tech and get 7 job offers in the process . “I think Big Interview was super helpful in that aspect of having canned answers for every possible scenario and being in the moment of answering those questions.”, said AJ.

Problem-Solving Interview Questions: Popular Opinions vs. Expert Advice

Now that we covered different types of problem-solving questions and how to answer them, we decided to dive into popular forums and see what job-seekers have to say on this topic. We picked pieces of advice that resonated with the community and confronted them with expert-backed best practices. Let’s see where we stand.

IndianaJones Jr on Reddit said : “If I was an interviewer asking this question, I would expect a personalized answer relevant to yourself, not to specific projects. At least that’s my interpretation.

“What are your experiences in problem-solving?” 

Sample answer: Generally, when I’m working on a project I find it’s easier to start at the end and work backwards. I use that to get a broad strokes idea of where my work needs to take me on any particular project and then I head in that direction. I find that when I get to specific problems I can get too stuck on using tried and true methods so I try to encourage myself to use out-of-the-box solutions. For example [your example here]…”

Career expert comments:

The “bones” of this sample answer are solid. It puts emphasis on breaking down the candidate’s thought process and displays patterns through which the candidate solves problems and learns along the way. However, the most important part of the answer — the actual example of a candidate’s problem-solving skills put to practice — remains a placeholder. Remember, the more specific you get in your answer, the better the impression you make on the interviewer. So here, I recommend paying equal attention to a specific situation in which you solved a problem and using the STAR method to tell that story.

Ambitious_Tell_4852 , when discussing the question “Give an example of a challenge you faced and how you overcame it,” said: 

“Clearly, that is the standard trick question designed for a prospective new hire to tell a prospective employer about his/her professional weaknesses. Oldest “negative Nelli’’ question imaginable during the interview process. Always keep your answer thorough and positive albeit sickeningly sugar-coated! 😁”

This is, straight-out, a bad piece of advice. If an interviewer wants to hear about your weaknesses, they will ask “What is your greatest weakness?” 

A question about overcoming a challenge isn’t a trick question at all. I’d argue it’s actually an opportunity to share some of your proudest wins. But when it comes to answering this question, it’s true that your answers do need to be thorough and positive. This doesn’t mean you need to sugar-coat anything, though. Interviewers don’t want to hear you downplaying your challenges. On the contrary, they want to hear you speak about them honestly and explain what you learned from them. And being able to do so puts a healthy, positive spin on the situation. To put it shortly: provide a real example from your past, answer this question honestly, and emphasize the results and lessons learned. 

Here’s an opinion from a hiring manager, Hugh on Quora, about how to answer a question about a time you needed to solve a problem:

“It really doesn’t matter what the problem you describe is or how you solved it. What I am looking/listening for is 1) the size of the problem (the bigger, the better, a broken shoelace before going out on a date is not an impressive problem) and 2) a step-by-step process to a satisfactory solution (if suddenly all variables fell into place does not show me that you solved the problem — you were just there when it solved itself).

I am also looking/listening for an example of how you solve a problem after you are hired. I may have to explain it to my superiors, and I would like to know that I have a complete and accurate story to tell.”

Career expert comments:  

A good piece of advice from someone who has first-hand hiring experience. When talking about problem-solving, a detailed description of your process is key. The only thing I wouldn’t agree with is having to choose a “big” problem. If you do have experience solving a big problem, that’s great. But sometimes you won’t have a major problem to talk about, and it largely depends on your level of experience and your position. So pick a relevant difficulty, even if it’s not that big, in which you displayed skills relevant to the role you’re applying for.

• Problem-solving skills encompass your logical inference, technical knowledge, adaptability and innovation, leadership potential, decision-making, productivity, and collaboration.
• Because these skills are important in the workplace, there’s a variety of problem-solving interview questions recruiters will ask to assess you.
• Some of them include behavioral, situational, or technical problem-solving questions.
• In order to answer these questions, you need to be aware of your thought processes when faced with a problem.
• In your answer, be as specific as you can and use the STAR format whenever possible.
• Make sure to highlight outcomes, results, or lessons learned.
• As always, the best strategy is to anticipate these questions and prepare rough answers in advance. Including practicing your answer so you’re confident for your interview.

____________________

Need help with your job search? There are 3 ways we can help you:

• Tired of interviewing and not landing the job? Discover actionable lessons and interview practice here (Rated with 4.9/5 by 1,000,000 users).
• Learn how to talk about your proudest accomplishments without bragging or underselling yourself.
• Learn how to answer tricky questions about conflict resolution in the workplace.

How can I improve my problem-solving skills?

Stay in the loop with new technologies and trends. Accept challenges and problems as a way to grow, don’t panic over them. Acquire a systematic approach to analyzing problems, break them down into smaller components which will help you discover root causes and devise a solution plan. Practice logical thinking, evaluating evidence, and staying objective. And give yourself time. Perhaps not surprisingly, studies suggest that the more business experience you have, the better you become at problem-solving.

Are there specific resources available to practice problem-solving interview questions?

There’s a variety of resources available to you, such as courses and Youtube tutorials, Facebook/LinkedIn groups, forums such as Reddit and Quora, books, or online platforms like Big Interview. If you’re trying to develop technical problem-solving skills, you might benefit from relevant platforms’ knowledge bases or YT channels; but if you’re looking specifically for how to answer interview questions, platforms like Big Interview are the way to go.

How should I handle a question about a problem-solving scenario I have not encountered before?

Don’t be afraid to ask additional questions for clarification. If you’ve never dealt with this problem before, be honest about it but answer how you would solve the problem if you were faced with it today. Break the problem down into manageable steps, try to recall a similar situation from your own experience that could help you draw parallels, and propose several different solutions.

Can I talk about my problem-solving experiences derived from non-professional settings such as student projects?

Yes, especially if you’re a recent graduate or a candidate with limited experience. You can use experiences and examples from student projects, extracurricular activities, and you can even use examples from your personal life, as long as you present them in a professional manner and connect them to the position you’re applying for. Remember to highlight the results, as well as the skills that helped you solve the problem and that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Are there any common mistakes to avoid when answering problem-solving questions during an interview?

The most common mistake is not preparing in advance which causes rambling. You need to make sure that your answer is informative and well-structured, and that you’re not only presenting a solution but also laying down the steps to display your logical reasoning. Make sure not to forget to give credit to teammates if they contributed to solving the problem you chose to talk about. Finally, for a coherent and informative presentation, make sure you use the STAR method.

What can I do if I don’t know the answer to a technical problem-solving question in an interview?

Handle it professionally. You can always try to reach a conclusion by breaking down the problem and thinking out loud to show your thinking mechanism. Draw parallels between the problem at hand and another similar problem you encountered before. Lay down possible solutions, even if you’re not sure they’ll work, and be transparent — feel free to tell the recruiter you’re not sure how to answer it, but make sure you emphasize that you’re open to learning.

Can I ask for help or guidance from the interviewer during a problem-solving question?

Avoid asking for help directly, but ask for clarification in case something is unclear or if you need additional information. Sometimes, the interviewer will take the initiative and provide you with hints to encourage you and see how you think.

How can I demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness when answering problem-solving questions?

It’s all about storytelling! Preparing in advance will provide some space for displaying your creativity. You can do it by making fun analogies or drawing parallels from well-known situations; or making pop-culture references.

Maja Stojanovic

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15 Common Problem-Solving Interview Questions

In an interview for a big tech company, I was asked if I’d ever resolved a fight — and the exact way I went about handling it. I felt blindsided, and I stammered my way through an excuse of an answer.

It’s a familiar scenario to fellow technical job seekers — and one that risks leaving a sour taste in our mouths. As candidate experience becomes an increasingly critical component of the hiring process, recruiters need to ensure the problem-solving interview questions they prepare don’t dissuade talent in the first place. 

Interview questions designed to gauge a candidate’s problem-solving skills are more often than not challenging and vague. Assessing a multifaceted skill like problem solving is tricky — a good problem solver owns the full solution and result, researches well, solves creatively and takes action proactively. 

It’s hard to establish an effective way to measure such a skill. But it’s not impossible.

We recommend taking an informed and prepared approach to testing candidates’ problem-solving skills . With that in mind, here’s a list of a few common problem-solving interview questions, the science behind them — and how you can go about administering your own problem-solving questions with the unique challenges of your organization in mind.

Key Takeaways for Effective Problem-Solving Interview Questions

• Problem solving lies at the heart of programming. 
• Testing a candidate’s problem-solving skills goes beyond the IDE. Problem-solving interview questions should test both technical skills and soft skills.
• STAR, SOAR and PREP are methods a candidate can use to answer some non-technical problem-solving interview questions.
• Generic problem-solving interview questions go a long way in gauging a candidate’s fit. But you can go one step further by customizing them according to your company’s service, product, vision, and culture. 

Technical Problem-Solving Interview Question Examples

Evaluating a candidates’ problem-solving skills while using coding challenges might seem intimidating. The secret is that coding challenges test many things at the same time — like the candidate’s knowledge of data structures and algorithms, clean code practices, and proficiency in specific programming languages, to name a few examples.

Problem solving itself might at first seem like it’s taking a back seat. But technical problem solving lies at the heart of programming, and most coding questions are designed to test a candidate’s problem-solving abilities.

Here are a few examples of technical problem-solving questions:

1. Mini-Max Sum  

This well-known challenge, which asks the interviewee to find the maximum and minimum sum among an array of given numbers, is based on a basic but important programming concept called sorting, as well as integer overflow. It tests the candidate’s observational skills, and the answer should elicit a logical, ad-hoc solution.

2. Organizing Containers of Balls  

This problem tests the candidate’s knowledge of a variety of programming concepts, like 2D arrays, sorting and iteration. Organizing colored balls in containers based on various conditions is a common question asked in competitive examinations and job interviews, because it’s an effective way to test multiple facets of a candidate’s problem-solving skills.

3. Build a Palindrome

This is a tough problem to crack, and the candidate’s knowledge of concepts like strings and dynamic programming plays a significant role in solving this challenge. This problem-solving example tests the candidate’s ability to think on their feet as well as their ability to write clean, optimized code.

4. Subarray Division

Based on a technique used for searching pairs in a sorted array ( called the “two pointers” technique ), this problem can be solved in just a few lines and judges the candidate’s ability to optimize (as well as basic mathematical skills).

5. The Grid Search 

This is a problem of moderate difficulty and tests the candidate’s knowledge of strings and searching algorithms, the latter of which is regularly tested in developer interviews across all levels.

Common Non-Technical Problem-Solving Interview Questions 

Testing a candidate’s problem-solving skills goes beyond the IDE . Everyday situations can help illustrate competency, so here are a few questions that focus on past experiences and hypothetical situations to help interviewers gauge problem-solving skills.

1. Given the problem of selecting a new tool to invest in, where and how would you begin this task? 

Key Insight : This question offers insight into the candidate’s research skills. Ideally, they would begin by identifying the problem, interviewing stakeholders, gathering insights from the team, and researching what tools exist to best solve for the team’s challenges and goals. 

2. Have you ever recognized a potential problem and addressed it before it occurred? 

Key Insight: Prevention is often better than cure. The ability to recognize a problem before it occurs takes intuition and an understanding of business needs. 

3. A teammate on a time-sensitive project confesses that he’s made a mistake, and it’s putting your team at risk of missing key deadlines. How would you respond?

Key Insight: Sometimes, all the preparation in the world still won’t stop a mishap. Thinking on your feet and managing stress are skills that this question attempts to unearth. Like any other skill, they can be cultivated through practice.

4. Tell me about a time you used a unique problem-solving approach. 

Key Insight: Creativity can manifest in many ways, including original or novel ways to tackle a problem. Methods like the 10X approach and reverse brainstorming are a couple of unique approaches to problem solving. 

5. Have you ever broken rules for the “greater good?” If yes, can you walk me through the situation?

Key Insight: “Ask for forgiveness, not for permission.” It’s unconventional, but in some situations, it may be the mindset needed to drive a solution to a problem.

6. Tell me about a weakness you overcame at work, and the approach you took. 

Key Insight: According to Compass Partnership , “self-awareness allows us to understand how and why we respond in certain situations, giving us the opportunity to take charge of these responses.” It’s easy to get overwhelmed when faced with a problem. Candidates showing high levels of self-awareness are positioned to handle it well.

7. Have you ever owned up to a mistake at work? Can you tell me about it?

Key Insight: Everybody makes mistakes. But owning up to them can be tough, especially at a workplace. Not only does it take courage, but it also requires honesty and a willingness to improve, all signs of 1) a reliable employee and 2) an effective problem solver.

8. How would you approach working with an upset customer?

Key Insight: With the rise of empathy-driven development and more companies choosing to bridge the gap between users and engineers, today’s tech teams speak directly with customers more frequently than ever before. This question brings to light the candidate’s interpersonal skills in a client-facing environment.

9. Have you ever had to solve a problem on your own, but needed to ask for additional help? How did you go about it? 

Key Insight: Knowing when you need assistance to complete a task or address a situation is an important quality to have while problem solving. This questions helps the interviewer get a sense of the candidate’s ability to navigate those waters. 

10. Let’s say you disagree with your colleague on how to move forward with a project. How would you go about resolving the disagreement?

Key Insight: Conflict resolution is an extremely handy skill for any employee to have; an ideal answer to this question might contain a brief explanation of the conflict or situation, the role played by the candidate and the steps taken by them to arrive at a positive resolution or outcome. 

Strategies for Answering Problem-Solving Questions

If you’re a job seeker, chances are you’ll encounter this style of question in your various interview experiences. While problem-solving interview questions may appear simple, they can be easy to fumble — leaving the interviewer without a clear solution or outcome. 

It’s important to approach such questions in a structured manner. Here are a few tried-and-true methods to employ in your next problem-solving interview.

1. Shine in Interviews With the STAR Method

S ituation, T ask, A ction, and R esult is a great method that can be employed to answer a problem-solving or behavioral interview question. Here’s a breakdown of these steps:

• Situation : A good way to address almost any interview question is to lay out and define the situation and circumstances. 
• Task : Define the problem or goal that needs to be addressed. Coding questions are often multifaceted, so this step is particularly important when answering technical problem-solving questions.
• Action : How did you go about solving the problem? Try to be as specific as possible, and state your plan in steps if you can.
• Result : Wrap it up by stating the outcome achieved. 

2. Rise above difficult questions using the SOAR method

A very similar approach to the STAR method, SOAR stands for S ituation, O bstacle, A ction, and R esults .

• Situation: Explain the state of affairs. It’s important to steer clear of stating any personal opinions in this step; focus on the facts.
• Obstacle: State the challenge or problem you faced.
• Action: Detail carefully how you went about overcoming this obstacle.
• Result: What was the end result? Apart from overcoming the obstacle, did you achieve anything else? What did you learn in the process? 

3. Do It the PREP Way

Traditionally used as a method to make effective presentations, the P oint, R eason, E xample, P oint method can also be used to answer problem-solving interview questions.  

• Point : State the solution in plain terms. 
• Reasons: Follow up the solution by detailing your case — and include any data or insights that support your solution. 
• Example: In addition to objective data and insights, drive your answer home by contextualizing the solution in a real-world example.
• Point : Reiterate the solution to make it come full circle.

How to Customize Problem-Solving Interview Questions 

Generic problem-solving interview questions go a long way in gauging a candidate’s skill level, but recruiters can go one step further by customizing these problem-solving questions according to their company’s service, product, vision, or culture. 

Here are some tips to do so:

• Break down the job’s responsibilities into smaller tasks. Job descriptions may contain ambiguous responsibilities like “manage team projects effectively.” To formulate an effective problem-solving question, envision what this task might look like in a real-world context and develop a question around it.  
• Tailor questions to the role at hand. Apart from making for an effective problem-solving question, it gives the candidate the impression you’re an informed technical recruiter. For example, an engineer will likely have attended many scrums. So, a good question to ask is: “Suppose you notice your scrums are turning unproductive. How would you go about addressing this?” 
• Consider the tools and technologies the candidate will use on the job. For example, if Jira is the primary project management tool, a good problem-solving interview question might be: “Can you tell me about a time you simplified a complex workflow — and the tools you used to do so?”
• If you don’t know where to start, your company’s core values can often provide direction. If one of the core values is “ownership,” for example, consider asking a question like: “Can you walk us through a project you owned from start to finish?” 
• Sometimes, developing custom content can be difficult even with all these tips considered. Our platform has a vast selection of problem-solving examples that are designed to help recruiters ask the right questions to help nail their next technical interview.

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Problem-Solving Interview Questions And Answers (With Examples)

• How To Answer Tell Me About Yourself?
• Elevator Pitch
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Find a Job You Really Want In

Summary. Problem-solving questions are used to focus on a candidates past experience with managing conflicts and overcoming obstacles in the workplace. When answering these questions, be sure to make your answer relevant to the position that you are applying to and be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to provide examples from previous experiences.

Are you in the process of searching for a new job ? If so, you might be getting ready to meet with a hiring manager or a recruiter for a job interview. And if you’re like the majority of job candidates, this stage of the job search process is probably making you feel a fair bit of trepidation.

And no wonder! The interview is a completely necessary step for any job search, but that doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking to meet with a prospective employer and answer questions about your personality , skills, and professional background.

Key Takeaways:

Being able to solve problems is a skill that almost all job positions need.

Problem-solving questions assess a candidate’s ability to think on their feet, handle pressure, and find creative solutions to complex problems.

Make sure your answer to a problem-solving question tells a story of you as an effective team player.

What Is a Problem-Solving Interview Question?

How to answer a problem-solving interview question, eight examples of common problem-solving interview questions and answers, interviewing successfully, curveball questions, problem-solving faq.

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A problem-solving interview question is a question that focuses on a candidate’s past experience with managing conflicts and overcoming unexpected obstacles in the workplace.

Problem-solving questions can come up in many different forms. As a general rule, however, they will be aimed at uncovering your ability to handle stress and uncertainty in a wide variety of contexts.

When you’re answering problem-solving interview questions, there are a few important tips to keep in mind:

Make your answers relevant to the position that you’re applying to. Always bear in mind that the fundamental goal of any interview question is to provide a hiring manager with a glimpse inside the mind of a candidate.

By asking you a problem-solving question, your interviewer is trying to understand whether or not you’re the type of person that could be relied upon under pressure or during a crisis. Every role, furthermore, comes with its own particular type of pressure.

Be honest about your strengths ( and weaknesses ). Hiring managers tend to be quite good at reading people. Therefore, if you give them a bogus response, they’re very likely to see through that – and to subsequently consider you to be untrustworthy.

Of course, it can be tempting at the moment to fabricate certain details in your response in the attempt to make yourself seem like a better candidate. But inventing details – however small – tends to backfire .

Tell stories that will portray you as a team player. Hiring managers and employers are always on the lookout for job candidates who will collaborate and communicate well amongst a broader team.

Be sure to provide examples of moments in which you took charge. Leadership skills are another key quality that hiring managers and employers seek out in job candidates. And being presented with a problem-solving question, as it turns out, is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your own leadership skills.

Now that we understand the basic principles of problem-solving interview questions and how to respond to them, we’re finally ready to break down some real-world examples. So without any further preamble, here are eight examples of common problem-solving interview questions (as well as some examples of how you might answer them):

Can you tell me about a time when you encountered an unexpected challenge in the workplace? How did you go about dealing with it?

Explanation: With this question , your interviewer will be attempting to get a sense of how well you’re able to adapt to unexpected difficulties. The critical thing to remember when you’re answering this question – as we briefly discussed above – is to recall an incident that will be directly relevant to the role and the organization that you’re applying to.

Here’s an example of a high-quality response to this question:

“I remember a particular day at my previous job when an important deadline was pushed up at the very last minute. As the project manager , it was my responsibility to implement the necessary steps that would enable us to meet this new and truncated deadline. “Many of my peers began to hang their heads, resigning themselves to their belief that there was no hope to meet the new deadline. But I’ve always prided myself on my ability to adapt and thrive within a dynamic and quick-paced work environment – and that’s precisely the personal skill set that I channeled on this occasion. In the end, I reorganized my team’s priorities so that we were able to accommodate the new deadline.”

How would you say you typically respond to problems in general, and in the workplace in particular?

Explanation: This question is primarily designed to gauge a candidate’s ability (or lack thereof) to remain cool, calm, and collected under pressure. The ideal response to this question, in other words, will include a brief personal anecdote that illustrates your level-headedness and your ability to make rational, clear decisions during times of uncertainty.

“I would say that one of the primary qualities that sets me apart from the crowd of other candidates is my ability to remain calm and centered when conditions in the workplace become chaotic. “Looking back, I think that I first began to cultivate this ability during my tenure as a product manager working with a major Silicon Valley start-up. That was a particularly stressful period, but it was also quite instructive – I learned a great deal about staying positive, focused, and productive after an unexpected challenge presented itself. “These days, when I’m confronted by an unexpected problem – whether it’s in my personal life or in my professional life – I immediately channel the conflict management skills that I’ve been honing throughout the duration of my career. This helps a great deal, and my skills in this regard are only continuing to improve.”

Can you tell me about a time when you’ve had to settle a workplace dispute between yourself and a manager or colleague?

Explanation: Always keep in mind that one of the fundamental goals of any problem-solving question is to help a hiring manager gain a clearer sense of a candidate’s ability to work with others.

This question, in particular, is designed to give your interviewer a clearer sense of how well you’re able to communicate and compromise with your colleagues. With that in mind, you should be sure to answer this question in a way that will display a willingness to be fair, empathetic, and respectful to your teammates.

“I recall an incident in my last job in which one of my colleagues felt that I had not provided him with adequate resources to enable him to be successful in a particular project. I was acting as team leader for that particular project, and so it was my responsibility to ensure that everyone in my team was equipped for success. Unfortunately, I had to learn through the proverbial grapevine that this particular colleague bore some ill will toward me. I’ve never been one to participate in idle gossip, and so I decided to speak with this person so that we could begin to find a solution and address his grievances. So I crafted an email to him asking him if he would be interested in joining me for coffee the following day. He accepted the invitation, and during our coffee break, we were able to talk at length about the damage that he felt had been done to him. We devised a mutually agreeable solution on the spot. From then on, we had no significant problems between us.”

Are there any steps that you’ll regularly take during the early stages of a new project to ensure that you’ll be able to manage unexpected problems that occur down the road?

Explanation: This question, above all, is designed to test your ability to plan ahead and mitigate risk. These are both essential qualities that employers typically seek out in job candidates, particularly those who are being vetted for a management or leadership role.

When you’re answering this question, it’s important to emphasize your ability to look ahead towards the future and anticipate potential risks. As with the previous examples that we’ve already examined, the best way to communicate this ability is to provide your interviewer with a concrete example from your previous work history.

“I live my life – and I conduct my work – according to a single, incredibly important motto: “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” I’m a firm believer, in other words, of the primacy of careful planning. Without it, projects are almost always doomed to fail. “In my previous role as a marketing content writer with a major software company, I strived to apply this motto to my work every single day. “Here’s an example: About a year ago, I was responsible for overseeing and launching a new content strategy aimed at driving up consumer engagement. From the very outset, I understood that that particular project could be run off the rails if we did not take into account a considerable number of factors. “I won’t bore you with all of the nitty-gritty details, but the point is that this was a particularly sensitive project that required diligent and careful risk assessment. “Having realized that, my colleagues and I devised a comprehensive and flexible strategy for managing many risks that we envisioned would be awaiting us down the road. That initial step – looking ahead towards the future and mapping out the terrain of potential hazards – proved to be an essential measure for the success of the project.”

Do you consider your problem-solving capabilities to be above average?

Explanation: Hiring managers are always on the lookout for job candidates that stand out from the crowd. It’s even better when they can find a job candidate who knows that they stand out and who expresses that knowledge by being confident in their abilities.

At the same time, it’s never in a job candidate’s best interests to come across as egotistical or arrogant. When you’re responding to a question like this (that is, a question that’s focused on your ability to assess your own talents), it’s important to do your best to come across as self-assured but not pompous.

“Yes, all things considered, I would say that I have a talent for risk assessment, problem-solving, and risk mitigation. “That said, I can’t claim complete ownership over these abilities. In most cases, my demonstrated success in managing risk and solving problems in the workplace can be attributed at least as much to my team members as it can to me. For me to be able to be a successful problem-solver, it helps to be surrounded by colleagues whom I can trust.”

How would you describe your typical immediate reaction to unexpected challenges? Do you prefer to jump straight into the problem-solving process, or do you more commonly take some time to analyze and assess the problem before you dive in?

Explanation: This question is aimed at gauging your patience levels. This one can be a bit tricky because employers will sometimes prefer different responses – it all depends on the type of position and employer you’re applying for.

If you’re applying for a role in a quick-paced working environment that demands swift action , it will benefit you to describe your problem-solving strategy as unflinching and immediate.

If, on the other hand, the role you’re applying to does not demand such immediate action, it will probably be better to describe yourself as a more removed and relaxed problem solver.

But as always, you should never lie to your employer. Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle of these two types of problem solvers and will thereby have no difficulty painting ourselves honestly as one or the other.

However, if you’re definitely one type or the other, then you should describe yourself as such. This will make it much more likely that you’ll end up in a position that will be maximally rewarding both for you and for your employer.

“In most cases, my response to an unexpected problem will entirely depend on the nature of the problem at hand. If it demands immediate action, then I’ll dive right in without hesitation. “If, however, I determine that it would be more beneficial to take a step back and analyze the nature of the problem before we begin to meddle with it, then that’s exactly what I’ll do. “Generally speaking, I would say that I prefer the latter approach – that is, to take a step back and think things through before I begin to try to find a solution. In my experience, this makes it much easier for everyone involved to arrive at a practical and sustainable solution. “That said, I’m also perfectly capable of jumping straight into a problem if it demands immediate attention.”

Can you tell us about a time in which you had to explain a technically complicated subject to a client or customer? How did you approach that process, and how did it turn out?

Explanation: Strong communication skills are essential in the modern workplace. That means that employers tend to seek out job candidates that communicate well with their colleagues and individuals who have varying professional backgrounds and skill sets, including clients, customers, and third-party professionals.

“I recall an incident from many years ago – while I was working as a software engineer for a prominent robotics company – in which I found myself in the position of having to describe incredibly complex engineering details to a client. “This client had no prior experience in software engineering or artificial intelligence, so I had to relate this esoteric information more or less in layman terms. “Thankfully, I was able to employ some useful metaphors and analogies to communicate the information in a manner that this client could appreciate and understand. We went on to establish a successful collaborative partnership that flourished for four years.”

How would you rate your ability to work and succeed without direct supervision from your managers?

Explanation: Employers always tend to place a high value on job candidates who are self-motivated and can maintain high levels of productivity without constant supervision.

This is especially true now that the COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly made it necessary for so many millions of employers to transition to a remote workforce model. This question is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to stay focused and motivated while working remotely or without supervision.

“I’ve always considered myself – and my resume and references will support this – to be an exceptionally self-motivated individual, even when I’m working from home. “In fact, like many employees, I often find that my productivity levels tend to increase when I’m working remotely. I strive to set a positive example for my colleagues, even when we’re not all working under the same roof.”

Generally speaking, the best strategy for success in interviewing for a new job is doing your research beforehand. That means that you should be intimately familiar with the role, department, and company that you’re applying to before you step into the room (or log on to the Zoom meeting ) on the day of your interview.

When you preemptively take the time to carefully research the organization as a whole – and the responsibilities of the job opportunity in particular – you’ll minimize your chances of being caught off guard by an unexpectedly difficult question .

Still, there is only so much background information that you can uncover about an organization and a role before a job interview. No matter how carefully you prepare and how much background research you conduct, there are very likely going to be curveball questions during your job interview that you can’t predict.

In fact, many employers prefer to ask curveball questions (in addition to more run of the mill job interview questions) because they provide an insightful glimpse into a job candidate’s analytical thinking skills – not just their ability to memorize and recite answers to more common interview questions .

To that end, many hiring managers will ask job candidates to answer one or more problem-solving questions during a typical job interview. In contrast to traditional interview questions (such as: “Why do you think that you would be a good fit for this role?”

Or: “What do you consider to be your greatest professional achievement up to the current moment?”), problem-solving questions are specifically designed to assess a job candidate’s ability to think on their feet, handle real pressure, and find creative solutions to complex problems.

They’re also commonly referred to as analytical skills interview questions because they’re designed to gauge a candidate’s ability to make analytical decisions in real-time.

What are problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving skills include skills like research, communication, and decision making. Problem-solving skills allow for you to identify and solve problems effectively and efficiently. Research skills allow for you to identify the problem.

Communication skills allow for you to collaborate with others to come up with a plan to solve the problem. Decision making skills allow you to choose the right solution to the problem.

Why do interviewers ask problem-solving interview questions?

Interviewers ask problem-solving interview questions to see how candidate will approach and solve difficult situations. Interviewers want to see how you handle stress and uncertainty before hiring you for a position. Problem-solving is an important part of the everyday workday so they need to be sure you are capable of solving problems.

How do you solve a problem effectively?

To solve problems effectively you should first break the problem down and try different approaches. Breaking the problem up into different parts will help you have a better understanding and help you decide what your next step is going to be.

Once you see the different parts of the problem, trying different approaches to solve the problem can help you solve it faster. This will also help you determine the appropriate tools you need to solve the problem.

U.S. Department of Labor – Interview Tips

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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As per Facebook’s official page , below are coding expections.   

This takes place in an online collaborative editor shared between you and the interviewer (or on the whiteboard if you do the initial interview in person). You are given one or more coding questions to complete in this editor. We ask questions that are short enough to explain in a few minutes and to solve in 10-30 minutes. In this section we try to understand your approach to problem solving. We typically don’t ask trick or estimation questions (we don’t care how many ping pong balls can be fit in Sea World). You could be asked to solve a problem in any way you choose, and then the interviewer could add further constraints or requirements.

Below are Tips from same Facebook’s official page  

Tips for the Coding Interview:    

• Think out loud: We pay a lot of attention to the way you solve problems, which can be as important as having the right answer. Thinking out loud gives the interviewer insight into your thinking process and can also help them follow along with your solution. Moreover, it allows them to give hints when needed.
• Locate a good interview spot: Choose a quiet place and ensure that you have good Internet connection and strong phone reception. Headphones will help with having your both hands free for coding.
• Speak clearly: Ensure you are speaking clearly and likewise, if you can’t hear the interviewer clearly, let them know so they can accommodate! You don’t want to waste the whole interview trying to understand each other.
• Use the programming language you’re best at:   It’s important to write your solution correctly and in time, so use the language you are most familiar with.
• Manage Your Time Effectively:  Spend some time figuring out the ideal solution to the question. Don’t jump too quickly into brute forcing the first solution that comes in mind. If you can’t find a better solution in a reasonable time, start writing a working solution, then iterate and improve it as you go. Some interviews end without any coding because the interviewee couldn’t find the ideal solution. It’s better to have non-optimal but working code than just an idea. Once you have a working solution, you can then try to improve its efficiency, code design or any other aspect of it.
• Share your reasoning:  Make sure you can talk about your solution; you will probably be asked to explain them. Engineering is all about tradeoffs, so be prepared to discuss them.
• Find and fix the bugs by yourself: Don’t wait for the interviewer to find them for you.
• Use the hints you are given: Usually, the interviewer knows the question well enough to know which hints will help you next if you get stuck.

Important Resources :   

• Recent Facebook Interview Experiences
• Facebook Practice Questions .
• How to prepare for Facebook Hacker Cup?

Below are some questions asked in Facebook Interviews. 

Easy Level    

• Converting Decimal Number lying between 1 to 3999 to Roman Numerals
• Find all triplets with zero sum
• Largest subset whose all elements are Fibonacci numbers
• Calculate maximum value using ‘+’ or ‘*’ sign between two numbers in a string
• Convert Ternary Expression to a Binary Tree
• Converting Roman Numerals to Decimal lying between 1 to 3999
• Count all distinct pairs with difference equal to k
• Decode a string recursively encoded as count followed by substring
• Find if string is K-Palindrome or not | Set 2
• Find Minimum Depth of a Binary Tree
• Find subarray with given sum | Set 1 (Nonnegative Numbers)
• Given two unsorted arrays, find all pairs whose sum is x
• Greedy Algorithms | Set 1 (Activity Selection Problem)
• Look-and-Say Sequence
• Smallest subarray with sum greater than a given value
• Program to add two binary strings
• Rearrange a string in sorted order followed by the integer sum

Medium Level    

• Boggle | Set 2 (Using Trie)
• Count Possible Decodings of a given Digit Sequence
• Inplace rotate square matrix by 90 degrees | Set 1
• Largest Rectangular Area in a Histogram | Set 2
• Largest sum subarray with at-least k numbers
• Multiply Large Numbers represented as Strings

Hard Level    

• Median in a stream of integers (running integers)
• Find m-th smallest value in k sorted arrays
• Wild card Matching

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Top 20 Problem Solving Skills Interview Questions & Answers

Master your responses to Problem Solving Skills related interview questions with our example questions and answers. Boost your chances of landing the job by learning how to effectively communicate your Problem Solving Skills capabilities.

Problem-solving skills are universal currency across industries and job roles. They’re the backbone of successful projects, the driving force behind effective leadership, and the hallmark of an individual who can navigate complex challenges with poise and acumen. Whether you’re applying for an entry-level position or stepping into a senior role, your ability to identify problems, analyze their components, and devise efficient solutions will be under the microscope in any interview setting.

To help you prepare for questions that probe this critical skill set, we’ve put together a comprehensive look at some of the most common problem-solving related interview inquiries. We’ll also provide strategic approaches to these queries, offering insight on how to structure your responses and share examples that demonstrate your prowess in turning obstacles into opportunities.

Common Problem Solving Skills Interview Questions

1. describe a situation where you had to solve a problem with no obvious solution..

Having strong problem-solving skills is crucial in many job roles, particularly in positions where unexpected challenges are common. This question allows the interviewer to assess if a candidate can think outside the box, remain calm under pressure, and leverage their knowledge and resources to navigate through uncertain scenarios.

When responding, it’s important to outline a specific example that illustrates your thought process and the steps you took to address the problem. Focus on articulating the nature of the problem, the various options you considered, how you weighed the risks and benefits of each, and the outcome of your actions. It’s also beneficial to highlight any unique or innovative approaches you used, how you collaborated with others if applicable, and what you learned from the experience.

Example: “ In a situation where a critical system failed unexpectedly, I was faced with a problem that had no clear solution. The system’s failure was causing significant operational delays, and the usual troubleshooting methods were not yielding any results. I started by breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable components to isolate the failure’s root cause. I considered various unconventional options, such as repurposing similar systems, modifying existing workflows, and even developing a temporary manual process.

After evaluating the risks and benefits of each potential solution, I decided to implement a hybrid approach. This involved a temporary manual workaround to resume operations immediately, alongside a parallel effort to adapt a similar system for a more sustainable short-term fix. This approach minimized downtime and maintained productivity while we worked on a permanent solution. The outcome was successful, as it not only resolved the immediate crisis but also led to the development of a more robust contingency plan for future system failures. This experience underscored the importance of adaptability and the value of a methodical approach to problem-solving under pressure.”

2. How do you approach defining the root cause of a complex issue?

To effectively untangle intricate issues, a methodical approach is key. Your analytical abilities and systematic methodology for identifying, dissecting, and understanding the foundational aspects of a problem are what interviewers are keen to understand.

To respond effectively, outline a step-by-step process that demonstrates your logical and structured approach. You might talk about gathering and analyzing data, using tools such as the “Five Whys” technique to drill down to the underlying cause, or how you consider the broader context to ensure you’re not overlooking external factors. Emphasize your ability to remain objective, avoid assumptions, and how you collaborate with others to gain different perspectives. Highlight past experiences where you successfully identified and addressed the root cause of a complex problem, which led to a sustainable solution.

Example: “ null”

3. What strategies do you employ when faced with multiple competing solutions?

A delicate balance of creativity, logic, and the ability to weigh options against potential outcomes is what defines decisive problem-solving. Your approach can reveal your critical thinking skills, adaptability, and prioritization techniques.

When responding, outline a structured method that you use, such as listing pros and cons, assessing risks, or consulting with key team members. It’s important to demonstrate that you can make informed decisions by evaluating the evidence and considering the broader context of the problem. Make sure to provide a real-life example that illustrates your process and the successful outcome that resulted from your chosen strategy. Highlight any tools or techniques you find particularly useful, such as decision matrices or brainstorming sessions, and explain how these help you to systematically address the issue at hand.

Example: “ When faced with multiple competing solutions, I employ a structured approach that begins with defining clear criteria based on the goals and constraints of the situation. These criteria typically include factors such as feasibility, cost, time, resources, and potential impact. I then use a decision matrix to systematically evaluate each option against these criteria, scoring them to quantify their suitability. This method allows for an objective comparison and helps to minimize bias in the decision-making process.

For instance, in a scenario where I had to choose between several technical solutions to optimize a workflow, I developed a matrix that included criteria such as integration complexity, scalability, and user adoption. After scoring each solution, it became evident that one option, despite not being the most advanced, offered the best balance between ease of implementation and potential benefits. The chosen solution was successfully implemented, leading to a 30% increase in workflow efficiency. This experience underscored the importance of a methodical approach to decision-making, ensuring that choices are made based on data-driven analysis rather than intuition alone.”

4. Can you provide an example of a time when you had to adapt your problem-solving approach mid-process?

Demonstrating adaptability in problem-solving shows your ability to navigate the unpredictable and often complex landscape of challenges that arise in any role. This question delves into your flexibility, resilience, and critical thinking skills, as well as your willingness to learn from the process and collaborate with others.

When responding to this question, outline a specific situation where your original approach to a problem didn’t pan out as expected. Explain the thought process behind your initial plan, the moment you realized a change was needed, and how you adjusted your strategy. Emphasize the outcome of your adaptability and what you learned from the experience, ensuring you showcase your ability to remain composed and innovative in the face of obstacles.

Example: “ Certainly. In one instance, I was tackling a complex issue where the initial data analysis suggested a straightforward solution. However, as the implementation progressed, unexpected variables surfaced that rendered our original plan ineffective. Recognizing this, I paused the execution and gathered the team for a brainstorming session to reassess the situation. It became clear that we needed a more robust data set to understand the underlying patterns causing the discrepancy.

We pivoted our approach to include a broader range of data sources and employed advanced analytical techniques, such as predictive modeling, to gain deeper insights. This shift not only resolved the immediate problem but also provided us with a more sophisticated framework for future issues. The key takeaway from this experience was the importance of agility in problem-solving and the value of iterative processes that allow for refinement as new information becomes available. This approach ultimately led to a successful resolution that was both effective and scalable.”

5. Detail a scenario where you utilized data analysis to solve a business problem.

In roles that demand strong problem-solving skills, the ability to use data analysis is crucial. You don’t just make decisions based on gut feelings or assumptions; instead, you seek out data, which can provide objective insights and guide you towards evidence-based solutions.

When responding to this question, outline a specific situation where you identified a problem that could be addressed with data. Walk through the steps you took to gather the appropriate data, how you analyzed it, and what tools or methods you used. Explain the conclusions you drew from the data and how you formulated a plan based on your analysis. Finally, discuss the outcome of implementing your solution, including any measurable results that underscored the success of your data-driven approach. It’s important to be concise, use clear examples, and quantify your impact if possible.

Example: “ In one scenario, I identified a recurring issue with inventory shortages that were impacting customer satisfaction and sales. Recognizing that a data-driven approach could uncover the root cause, I gathered historical sales, inventory levels, and supply chain data. Using statistical analysis and predictive modeling in Python, I identified patterns indicating that demand forecasting was misaligned with actual sales trends.

After refining the forecasting model to incorporate real-time sales data and market trends, I implemented a more dynamic inventory management system. This solution reduced stockouts by 25% within the first quarter, directly boosting customer satisfaction scores by 15% and increasing sales by 10%. The success of this project was a testament to the power of leveraging data analysis to resolve complex business problems efficiently.”

6. In what ways have you leveraged cross-functional team expertise in problem-solving?

Harnessing the expertise of cross-functional teams brings together varied knowledge bases and skills, leading to more innovative and comprehensive solutions. Your understanding of the value of collaborative thinking and your adeptness at harnessing the strengths of different departments are what employers look for.

When responding to this question, highlight a specific instance where you engaged with a cross-functional team to address a complex issue. Explain the role you played in facilitating communication between departments, how you integrated different viewpoints, and the outcome of the collaborative effort. Be sure to emphasize your ability to listen, synthesize information, and navigate through potential conflicts to arrive at a successful resolution.

Example: “ In tackling a particularly complex project challenge, I orchestrated a series of cross-functional workshops that brought together experts from R&D, marketing, finance, and operations. Recognizing that each department had a unique perspective, I facilitated a structured brainstorming session to harness these diverse viewpoints. By employing techniques such as ’round-robin’ and ‘worst possible idea’ to stimulate creative thinking and encourage open communication, the team was able to break down silos and share insights that might not have surfaced in a more conventional meeting setup.

The synthesis of these insights led to a multifaceted solution that balanced technical feasibility with market appeal and financial viability. I played a pivotal role in ensuring that each department’s concerns were addressed and that their expertise was reflected in the final plan. This collaborative approach not only resolved the issue at hand but also set a precedent for cross-departmental cooperation, leading to a 15% reduction in project lead time and a significant improvement in interdepartmental relations.”

7. Share an instance where you resolved a conflict that stemmed from differing problem-solving methodologies.

Navigating through conflicts arising from diverse approaches to problem-solving is a skill that highlights your interpersonal skills, adaptability, and capacity for integrating various strategies to overcome obstacles.

When responding, it is essential to outline a specific situation clearly, emphasizing the differing approaches without placing blame. Describe the steps taken to understand each perspective, find common ground, and explain the process of crafting a solution that incorporated the strengths of each methodology. Conclude with the outcome, focusing on the positive results of the collaboration and what was learned from the experience.

Example: “ In one instance, I was part of a team where conflict arose due to a clash between a traditional, waterfall approach to project management and a more agile, iterative method. One faction was focused on extensive planning and linear execution, while the other advocated for a flexible, adaptive approach that could respond to changing requirements.

To resolve this, I initiated a dialogue to dissect the core objectives of the project, allowing each side to present their rationale. By actively listening and asking probing questions, I facilitated an understanding that both methodologies aimed to enhance efficiency and deliver quality results, albeit through different paths. I then proposed a hybrid strategy that combined thorough upfront planning for known variables with the agility to adapt to unforeseen changes. This compromise leveraged the predictability of the waterfall model and the flexibility of agile practices.

The outcome was a cohesive project plan that satisfied both parties and improved team synergy. The project was completed successfully, meeting its goals on time and within budget. The experience reinforced the value of integrating diverse problem-solving techniques to create innovative solutions and taught us the importance of flexibility and open communication in conflict resolution.”

8. How do you prioritize issues when faced with several problems at once?

Knowing how to triage issues based on urgency and impact is a critical aspect of effective problem-solving. It’s important to distinguish between what needs immediate attention and what can wait, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively.

When responding, a candidate should demonstrate their analytical skills by outlining a clear and logical process for prioritization. This might include assessing the severity of each issue, considering the implications on stakeholders, evaluating the time-sensitivity, and determining the resources required to address each problem. Citing specific examples where they successfully applied such a strategy will provide concrete evidence of their problem-solving abilities.

Example: “ In prioritizing issues, I employ a systematic approach that begins with assessing the impact and urgency of each problem. I consider the potential consequences of not addressing each issue promptly, and I categorize them based on the severity of their outcomes. This is often in line with the Eisenhower Matrix, where tasks are evaluated in terms of urgency and importance.

Next, I evaluate the dependencies and interconnections between the problems, as solving one might alleviate others or, conversely, ignoring one might exacerbate another. I also take into account the resources at hand, including time, personnel, and financial constraints. This comprehensive assessment allows me to create a strategic plan of action that targets the most critical issues first, ensuring that efforts are efficiently allocated to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities for resolution. A practical application of this was when I successfully navigated a project with simultaneous deadlines, resource shortages, and stakeholder pressures by prioritizing tasks that were critical to the project’s milestones, thereby ensuring the project’s timely and successful completion.”

9. What is your process for testing and validating the effectiveness of a solution?

A systematic approach to problem-solving includes setting benchmarks, gathering data, and analyzing results to confirm a solution’s success or identify areas for improvement. This process is essential for ensuring that solutions work as intended.

When responding, outline a clear, step-by-step process that begins with understanding the problem and setting clear objectives for what a successful solution looks like. Describe how you gather data before and after implementing a solution, and how you analyze this information to evaluate success. Offer a real-world example if possible, explaining how you adjusted your approach based on the results you obtained. This demonstrates your ability to think critically and adaptively, showcasing your commitment to not just solving problems, but solving them effectively and efficiently.

Example: “ My process for testing and validating the effectiveness of a solution starts with a clear definition of the problem and the establishment of measurable objectives. I then develop a hypothesis for a potential solution and design an experiment or pilot to test this hypothesis, ensuring that the experiment is controlled and variables are accounted for. I collect baseline data to understand the current state and compare it with the data post-implementation to assess any changes.

After implementing the solution, I gather quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate its impact. This involves not only looking at the direct outcomes but also considering any unintended consequences or side effects. I use statistical analysis to determine the significance of the results, ensuring that the observed effects are due to the solution and not random variation.

For instance, in a project aimed at reducing customer service call times, I established key performance indicators, such as average handle time and customer satisfaction scores. After implementing a new call-routing system, I analyzed the data and found a reduction in handle time, but customer satisfaction had unexpectedly decreased. This prompted a secondary analysis that revealed the new system was too impersonal. I then iterated on the solution, adding a feature to personalize customer interactions, which ultimately led to improvements in both handle time and customer satisfaction. This example underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and willingness to refine solutions based on data-driven insights.”

10. Have you ever implemented a creative solution that was not initially well-received? How did you handle it?

Stepping outside the box and challenging the status quo can be met with resistance or skepticism. Your capacity to innovate under less than ideal conditions and your resilience, persuasion skills, and ability to navigate opposition are all put to the test.

When responding, articulate the situation that required a creative solution, emphasizing the challenges faced and the innovative thinking applied. Detail the steps taken to communicate the idea, gather feedback, and adapt the solution to address concerns. Highlight your commitment to the idea, your ability to listen and incorporate feedback, and the eventual outcomes, including any lessons learned or successes achieved from the implementation. This demonstrates your approach to innovation, conflict resolution, and your ability to lead through change.

Example: “ Yes, I encountered a situation where my creative solution faced initial resistance. The challenge was to streamline an outdated process that was deeply ingrained in the company’s operations. I proposed an automation strategy that would significantly reduce manual labor and error rates. Despite the clear benefits, the solution was met with skepticism due to the team’s comfort with the status quo and fear of job displacement.

To address the concerns, I initiated a series of discussions to openly communicate the vision and long-term benefits of the automation. I actively listened to the feedback and incorporated suggestions that aligned with the project goals, such as offering training for the affected employees to manage the new system. By demonstrating the value of the solution through a pilot program, showcasing improved efficiency and accuracy, the team gradually accepted the change. The successful implementation not only optimized operations but also fostered a culture more receptive to innovation. This experience reinforced the importance of empathy and engagement when driving change.”

11. Illustrate how you maintain objectivity when solving emotionally-charged problems.

Remaining impartial and avoiding letting personal feelings or biases influence the decision-making process is a sign of strong problem-solving skills. Emotional intelligence is a vital component here, as it allows you to navigate emotionally-charged situations with a clear head.

To respond effectively, showcase a methodical approach to problem-solving that includes gathering information, weighing options, considering the consequences, and consulting with relevant stakeholders if necessary. Provide a specific example where you successfully handled an emotionally-charged problem by focusing on the facts and the bigger picture, demonstrating your emotional intelligence and commitment to fairness. Emphasize your ability to stay calm, your use of strategies to mitigate emotional influences (such as taking a step back or seeking a second opinion), and your commitment to achieving the best outcome for all parties involved.

Example: “ In situations where emotions run high, I prioritize maintaining a clear, analytical mindset. For instance, when faced with a problem that stirred significant emotional response among team members, I initiated a structured problem-solving process. This began with gathering comprehensive data and insights to ensure decisions were grounded in facts rather than feelings. I then methodically evaluated the potential impact of various solutions, considering both short-term and long-term consequences for all stakeholders involved.

To ensure objectivity, I actively sought diverse perspectives, which included consulting with individuals both inside and outside the immediate team to counteract any emotional bias. By creating a decision matrix that quantified the pros and cons of each option, I was able to present a well-reasoned recommendation. This approach not only facilitated a fair resolution but also demonstrated my commitment to impartiality and rational decision-making, even when navigating the complexities of emotionally-charged situations.”

12. Tell us about a time when you had to convince stakeholders to adopt an unconventional problem-solving approach.

Thinking outside the box is often required when conventional methods fail to yield results. This question assesses whether you are not only innovative and confident in your problem-solving skills but also persuasive and adept at managing change.

When responding, it’s crucial to outline a clear scenario where you identified a unique problem that warranted an unorthodox solution. Walk the interviewer through your thought process, emphasizing how you evaluated the risks and benefits of your approach. Describe the steps you took to gain buy-in from stakeholders, such as leveraging data, aligning with overarching goals, or showcasing small wins. Conclude by sharing the impact of your solution, reinforcing how your ability to think creatively and communicate effectively led to a positive change within the organization.

Example: “ In a project where traditional strategies were failing to resolve a persistent quality control issue, I recognized that a radical shift in our approach was necessary. After a thorough analysis, I proposed the integration of a machine learning algorithm to predict and identify defects, which was unconventional within our industry at the time. Understanding the skepticism it might evoke, I conducted a small-scale pilot study, meticulously documenting the algorithm’s predictive accuracy compared to our existing methods.

To convince stakeholders, I presented a comprehensive comparison of the pilot results with our historical data, clearly demonstrating a significant reduction in defect rates and an increase in detection efficiency. I aligned my presentation with the company’s strategic objectives, highlighting potential cost savings, improved customer satisfaction, and a strengthened market position. By focusing on tangible outcomes and strategic alignment, I was able to secure the necessary support to implement the solution organization-wide.

The adoption of this innovative approach not only resolved the quality issue but also positioned us as a forward-thinking leader in our field. The success of this initiative was evident in the enhanced product quality, reduced waste, and positive feedback from clients, which ultimately contributed to an increase in market share. This experience underscored the value of embracing unconventional problem-solving techniques and the importance of effective stakeholder communication in driving organizational innovation.”

13. How do you balance speed and accuracy when resolving urgent issues?

Maintaining a delicate equilibrium between rapid response and meticulous attention to detail is a reflection of effective problem-solving skills. In high-stakes environments, the ability to act swiftly without sacrificing the quality of the work can be crucial.

When responding to this question, candidates should demonstrate their methodical approach to problem-solving. They could share a specific example where they successfully managed a time-sensitive issue, outlining the steps they took to assess the situation, prioritize actions, and ensure the accuracy of their work. It’s also beneficial to mention any tools or techniques employed to streamline the process, such as checklists or collaboration with team members, to maintain both speed and precision.

Example: “ Balancing speed and accuracy is a critical aspect of problem-solving, especially when dealing with urgent issues. My approach is to first quickly assess the scope and impact of the problem to prioritize the necessary actions. I use a triage system to determine which aspects of the issue need immediate attention and which can be addressed after the immediate threat is mitigated. This allows for a rapid response without overlooking critical details that could lead to further complications.

Once priorities are set, I employ a combination of checklists and mental models to ensure accuracy while maintaining momentum. Checklists serve as a fail-safe to prevent oversight, while mental models like the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) help me to stay focused and adapt to new information as it arises. In situations where collaboration is key, I leverage the expertise of team members, ensuring that we work in parallel to address different facets of the issue efficiently. This systematic yet flexible approach ensures that solutions are both swift and sound.”

14. What measures do you take to ensure long-term success rather than just quick fixes?

A strategic approach to problem-solving that encompasses both immediate and sustainable solutions is highly valued by employers. They look for candidates who demonstrate foresight that prioritizes long-term success and stability over temporary fixes.

When responding to this question, articulate your process for evaluating problems by considering the broader context and potential future implications. Discuss how you balance the need for immediate action with the goal of preventing recurrence. Share specific examples where you’ve successfully implemented a solution that addressed the root cause of a problem, and how you monitored its effectiveness over time. Highlight your commitment to continuous improvement and your understanding that true problem-solving is an ongoing process, not a one-time task.

Example: “ To ensure long-term success, I first conduct a thorough analysis to understand the underlying causes of a problem, rather than just addressing the symptoms. This involves gathering data, consulting with stakeholders, and examining the issue from multiple angles to identify systemic issues that could lead to recurrence. Once the root cause is identified, I develop a comprehensive solution that not only resolves the immediate problem but also strengthens the system against similar future challenges.

For instance, in a situation where a software application was experiencing repeated downtime, instead of just repeatedly patching it, I led a deep dive into the codebase and infrastructure. This revealed a scalability issue that was not immediately obvious. By redesigning a key component of the system to handle higher loads, we not only fixed the immediate crashes but also improved overall performance and reliability. To ensure the effectiveness of the solution, I implemented a monitoring system that provided real-time feedback and allowed for proactive adjustments, thus demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement and long-term resilience.”

15. How has your problem-solving technique evolved over the course of your career?

With experience, exposure to various challenges, and the acquisition of knowledge, problem-solving skills mature. Your adaptability and growth in your approach to tackling issues reveal how you learn from past experiences and refine your methods.

When responding, it’s important to give concrete examples that illustrate a progression in your problem-solving abilities. Start with an early career challenge, describe the approach taken then, and contrast it with a more recent problem and the evolved techniques used to solve it. Highlight any specific lessons learned, mentors who influenced your methods, or training that contributed to your development. This not only shows your problem-solving growth but also demonstrates self-reflection and a commitment to professional development.

Example: “ Early in my career, my problem-solving approach was primarily reactive and often relied on conventional wisdom. For instance, when faced with a challenging project, I would tackle issues as they arose, using established methods without much anticipation of potential complications. This sometimes led to inefficiencies and a piecemeal resolution of problems.

As I gained experience, I began to adopt a more proactive and systematic approach. I learned the importance of defining the problem accurately, gathering data, and analyzing it before jumping to solutions. For example, when a complex issue presented itself recently, I utilized root cause analysis to identify the underlying factors contributing to the problem. This allowed me to develop a comprehensive strategy that addressed the core of the issue rather than just its symptoms. I also started incorporating cross-disciplinary techniques, such as design thinking and agile methodologies, to foster creative solutions and adapt quickly to changing circumstances. This evolution in my problem-solving technique has resulted in more innovative and sustainable outcomes, as well as a significant reduction in the time and resources required to resolve issues.”

16. Describe an occasion where you identified a potential problem before it occurred and preemptively addressed it.

Strategic thinking and foresight are hallmarks of recognizing and mitigating potential problems before they manifest. Your ability to analyze situations, anticipate challenges, and take proactive measures is what this question aims to uncover.

When responding, outline a specific situation where you noticed warning signs or patterns that suggested a future issue. Detail the steps you took to evaluate the risk and the actions you implemented to prevent the problem. Be sure to highlight your thought process, the resources you utilized, and the outcome of your intervention. This will demonstrate not only your problem-solving skills but also your ability to act decisively and effectively under potential pressure.

Example: “ On one occasion, I recognized that a critical project was at risk due to potential supply chain disruptions. By analyzing vendor delivery patterns and global market trends, I identified a pattern of delays that could severely impact our timeline. To mitigate this risk, I proactively engaged with alternative suppliers and renegotiated terms with existing vendors to ensure priority delivery. Additionally, I implemented a real-time tracking system for supply chain management, allowing for immediate response to any logistical hiccups.

This preemptive strategy not only averted a bottleneck in our project but also strengthened our vendor relationships and improved our overall supply chain resilience. The project was completed ahead of schedule with cost savings from the more competitive supplier terms. This experience underscored the importance of vigilance and adaptability in preemptive problem-solving.”

17. When dealing with unknown variables, how do you proceed in formulating a solution?

Across all industries, problem-solving skills demonstrate an individual’s ability to adapt and find solutions in uncertain situations. Your critical thinking and analytical abilities, initiative, resourcefulness, and creativity are all assessed through this question.

When responding to this question, outline a structured approach that begins with identifying what is known and what is not. Discuss how you gather additional information, break down the problem into manageable parts, and prioritize the variables that will have the most significant impact on the solution. Mention any tools or techniques you use, such as root cause analysis or brainstorming sessions, and how you weigh potential outcomes to make informed decisions. It’s also beneficial to provide a specific example of a past situation where you successfully navigated through unknowns to resolve a problem.

Example: “ When confronted with unknown variables, my approach is to first delineate the boundaries of what is known and leverage that as a foundation. I systematically categorize the unknowns based on their potential impact and relevance to the problem at hand, prioritizing them to efficiently direct my research and analysis efforts. I employ tools such as root cause analysis to drill down into the underlying issues and utilize brainstorming sessions with stakeholders to explore diverse perspectives and solutions.

In a past situation, I was faced with a complex problem where the cause was obscured by several interacting unknown variables. By applying a combination of Pareto analysis and iterative hypothesis testing, I was able to isolate the most significant factors. This methodical approach allowed me to not only identify the root cause but also to develop a targeted solution that addressed the core of the problem rather than just its symptoms. The result was a sustainable resolution that prevented recurrence and optimized system performance.”

18. Can you recount a project where iterative problem-solving was crucial to success?

Recognizing when a problem is complex enough to require iterative techniques is a sign of effective problem-solving. This question delves into your endurance, adaptability, and analytical skills, as well as your willingness to engage in continuous improvement.

When responding, candidates should select a project that had multiple layers of complexity, requiring them to apply an iterative approach. It’s important to describe the initial problem, the steps taken to address it, and how feedback or results from each phase guided subsequent actions. Highlighting collaboration with team members and how their input shaped the evolving solution can demonstrate both teamwork and leadership skills. Remember to articulate the lessons learned and how the experience has honed your problem-solving abilities for future challenges.

Example: “ In a project aimed at optimizing a complex supply chain network, iterative problem-solving was essential due to the dynamic nature of logistics and varying market demands. The initial problem was a bottleneck in the distribution process, which led to delays and increased costs. The initial strategy involved analyzing the existing workflow and identifying key areas where efficiency could be improved. However, it quickly became apparent that the solution required a deeper, multi-stage approach.

The first iteration of the solution involved implementing a new inventory tracking system to provide real-time data on stock levels. While this improved visibility, it didn’t fully resolve the bottleneck. Feedback from this phase indicated that transportation scheduling was also a contributing factor. The second iteration focused on developing a more flexible scheduling system that could adapt to changing demands. This significantly reduced the delays, but there was still room for improvement. Further iterations involved cross-functional collaboration to refine the process, incorporating insights from the sales, procurement, and warehouse teams to align all aspects of the supply chain.

Each phase of the solution was informed by the results and feedback of the previous one, leading to a comprehensive and adaptive system that significantly improved overall efficiency. This iterative approach not only resolved the immediate issue but also provided a framework for continuous improvement in the supply chain. The experience underscored the importance of flexibility, cross-functional collaboration, and the willingness to adapt solutions based on iterative feedback, all of which have become integral to my problem-solving toolkit.”

19. What role does customer feedback play in your problem-solving strategy?

Customer feedback is critical in understanding what is working well and what needs improvement from the user’s perspective. How you value direct input from users and integrate that information into a responsive and adaptive problem-solving process is what organizations look for.

To respond effectively, candidates should articulate a structured approach that showcases active listening, critical analysis of feedback, and integration of actionable insights into problem-solving efforts. They should give examples of how they have used customer feedback to identify the root cause of a problem, generate solutions, and measure the effectiveness of those solutions post-implementation. Additionally, candidates can discuss how they maintain a feedback loop with customers to ensure continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Example: “ Customer feedback is integral to my problem-solving strategy as it provides direct insight into the user experience and highlights areas that may not align with our intended outcomes. By actively listening to feedback, I can identify patterns and specific pain points that customers face. This information is critical for root cause analysis, allowing me to pinpoint the underlying issues rather than just addressing surface-level symptoms.

Incorporating customer feedback, I prioritize issues based on their impact and frequency, developing solutions that are both effective and efficient. Post-implementation, I leverage feedback to assess the success of the solution, ensuring it meets customer expectations and resolves the identified problems. This creates a feedback loop that fosters continuous improvement and demonstrates to customers that their input is valued and drives change, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.”

20. How do you distinguish between symptoms and underlying causes when analyzing a problem?

Differentiating between what is immediately observable and the root issues that trigger these manifestations denotes a person’s analytical prowess and capacity for critical thinking. Your methodology in dissecting issues is tested, ensuring long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes.

When responding, it’s essential to articulate a structured approach: start by describing how you gather and analyze information to identify patterns or commonalities that may point to underlying causes. Provide examples from past experiences where you successfully identified the root of a problem, perhaps by using specific tools or frameworks like the “5 Whys” method. Emphasize your attention to detail and your persistence in exploring beyond the obvious, highlighting how your approach led to effective and sustainable solutions.

Top 20 Autonomy Interview Questions & Answers

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How to Nail your next Technical Interview

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The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Interview Questions

Last updated by Swaminathan Iyer on May 30, 2024 at 05:47 PM | Reading time: 25 minutes

“ People are at the heart of every connection we build. We design products and deliver services that bring the world closer together—one connection at a time .” — Facebook.

Considered one of the happiest places to work, Facebook is defined by its unique culture – one that rewards impact. The organization encourages its employees to solve the problems they care about and be bold. The recruiter at Facebook will expect you to answer Facebook interview questions with a similar zeal.

Landing a job at this highly reputable organization is a dream for many engineers around the globe. However, the competition is fierce, and so will be answering the Facebook interview questions. The organization heavily focuses on cultural fit, ability to build within constraints, generalist knowledge, and expert coding skills. You should consider these factors while preparing to answer Facebook interview questions .

If you are preparing for a tech interview, check out our technical interview checklist , interview questions page, and salary negotiation e-book to get interview-ready!

Having trained over 14,000 software engineers , we know what it takes to crack the toughest tech interviews. Our alums consistently land offers from FAANG+ companies. The highest ever offer received by an IK alum is a whopping $1.267 Million!

At IK, you get the unique opportunity to learn from expert instructors who are hiring managers and tech leads at Google, Facebook, Apple, and other top Silicon Valley tech companies.

Want to nail your next tech interview ? Sign up for our FREE Webinar.

To help you prepare for Facebook interview questions , we will walk you through everything you need to crack the interview, including coding questions and a step-by-step preparation guide.

Table of Contents

Facebook interview process, facebook interview questions on coding, facebook interview questions on system design.

• Facebook Interview Questions on Behavioral Skills

Top Facebook Interview Questions by Job Roles

Faqs on facebook interview questions.

The Facebook interview process can be gruelling. This demands for a robust preparation. You can check our Facebook Interview Guide to prepare strategically. The Facebook interview process can be summarized as follows:

Round 1: Technical Screening

This round starts with the interviewer or panelists introducing themselves and explaining their role at Facebook. After that, the focus shifts to you. You can expect a 5- to a 10-minute conversation around your work experience and career aspirations.

Then comes the tech bit — they test your knowledge of data structures and algorithms. You will be given one or more Facebook interview questions on coding , which you should solve and explain in 10 to 30 minutes. Here, the interviewer will gauge your problem-solving skills. As you’re answering, they may tweak the questions or add more questions to test the depth of your knowledge.

In the case of remote interviews, you will code on an online collaborative editor. In-person interviews are trickier, as you would need to write the code on a whiteboard. “Do you have any questions for us?” You can expect this question at the end of the round. Grab this opportunity to get more insights about the role, department, or company.

Round 2: On-site Interview

The on-site interview is about an hour-and-a-half long and has a couple of sub-rounds:

• Coding interview (45 minutes): This coding interview will be tougher than the initial screening interview — the Facebook interview questions will be more challenging and the evaluation process more rigorous. You can expect one or more coding problems in this round.
• Design interview (45 minutes): There are two types of design interviews:?
• System design interview: First, you will be asked details about the past systems you designed and your approach. Then, you will be asked to design a system from scratch.
• Product design interview: Here, too, the products you’ve designed will be discussed first. After that, you will be asked to solve a product design problem.

Each round ends with a Q&A session.

Round 3: Behavioral Interview

Here, the interviewer will assess whether you are a good fit for Facebook. The discussion will revolve around your previous work experience, with a focus on the behavioral aspects. For example, how you dealt with various challenges.

There will also be questions about what motivates you to work at Facebook.

If you think you’re done with coding questions, think again! Even the behavioral round features coding questions. However, it will be a quicker version of the initial coding interview.

We have divided the Facebook interview questions into nine categories — coding, C++, Java, Python, Ruby, Perl, SQL, Design, and Behavioral.

Facebook coding interview questions are a prt of the on-site interview. These questions can be asked on various coding topics like arrays, graphs, linked lists, etc. You can choose the programming laguage of your choice to answer these Facebook interview questions. Below, we’ve listed the most common Facebook coding interview questions on various topics. You can also take a look at Facebook interview questions on different programming languages like C++, Java, Python, Ruby and more.

Arrays/Strings

Arrays/Strings constitute about 38% of Facebook coding interview questions. They are the most frequent question type. Some common arrays/strings questions asked at Facebook are:

• Given: An array “nums” of n integers, where n > 1 Task: Return an array output such that output[i] = product of all the elements of nums except nums[i]
• Given: A non-empty string S. You may delete one character at most. Task: Check whether you can make it a palindrome.
• Implement “next permutation,” which rearranges numbers into the lexicographically next greater permutation of numbers.
• Given: A string S and a string T Task: Find the minimum window in S that will contain all the characters in T in complexity O(n).
• Given: An array of strings (strs) Task: Group the anagrams together
• Given: A string S, containing just the characters '(', ')', '{', '}', '[' and ']' Task: Determine if the input string is valid
• Given: An array of n integers Task: Find if the array contains elements a, b, and c such that a + b + c = 0; return all unique triplets in the array where the sum of elements is zero

Graphs/Trees

Graphs/Trees constitute about  29% of Facebook interview questions on coding. Some common questions are:

• Given: The root node of a binary search tree Task: Return the sum of values of all nodes with values between L and R (inclusive)
• Given: A binary tree Task: Convert the binary tree into a circular doubly linked list (in-place)
• Implement an iterator over a binary search tree (BST) Note: Your iterator will be initialized with the root node of a BST
• Given: A binary tree Task: Compute the diameter of the tree
• Serialize and deserialize a binary tree
• Given: A binary tree Task: Find the maximum path sum
• Given: A sorted dictionary (array of words) of an alien language. Task: Find the order of characters in the language
• Check whether a given graph is bipartite or not

Dynamic Programming

Dynamic programming constitutes about 18% of Facebook interview questions on coding. Some common questions are:

• Given: A list of non-negative numbers and a target integer k Task: Write a function to check if the array has a continuous subarray of size at least 2 that sums up to the multiple of k, that is, sums up to n*k, where n is also an integer
• Given: An array for which the ith element is the price of a given stock on day i Task: If you were only permitted to complete at most one transaction (i.e., buy one and sell one share of the stock), design an algorithm to find the maximum profit
• Given: An input string (s) and a pattern (p) Task: Implement a regular expression matching with support for '.' and '*'
• Given: A list of non-negative integers, a1, a2, ..., an, and a target, S Task: You have 2 symbols: + and -. You should choose either + or - for each integer as its new symbol. Find out how many ways to assign symbols to make the sum of integers equal to target S.

Search/Sort

About 9% of Facebook coding interview questions consist of search/sort. Some common questions are:

• Given: A list of points on the plane Task: Find the K closest points to the origin (0, 0)
• Given: Two arrays Task: Write a function to compute their intersection.
• Given: An array of meeting time intervals consisting of start and end times [[s1,e1],[s2,e2],...] Task: Find the minimum number of conference rooms required

Linked Lists

Linked lists constitute about 4% of Facebook interview questions on coding. Some common questions are:

• Given: A linked list where each node contains an additional random pointer, which could point to any node in the list or null Task: Return a deep copy of the list
• Given: A singly linked list L: L0?L1?…?Ln-1?Ln Task: Reorder it to L0?Ln?L1?Ln-1?L2?Ln-2?…

Facebook Interview Questions by Programming Languages

C++ interview questions.

An all-purpose programming tool, C++ is an extension of C, and it is popular because of its compatibility and high speed. Some common Facebook interview questions on C++ are:

• What are the different data types present in C++?
• Tell me the difference between C and C++.
• What are class and object in C++?
• Tell me the difference between struct and class?
• What is operator overloading?
• What is polymorphism in C++?
• Explain constructor in C++.
• Explain virtual function.
• Compare compile time polymorphism and runtime polymorphism.
• Explain friend class and friend function.
• C++ supports multiple inheritance. What is the “diamond problem” that can occur with multiple inheritance? Give an example.
• Explain volatile and mutable keywords.
• Are you allowed to have a static const member function? Explain your answer.

Java Interview Questions

Java is used by millions of developers across the globe to develop applications for several devices supporting Java. Java is used everywhere and is one of the most in-demand certifications in the programming domain. Here is a list of the most common Facebook interview questions on Java:

• What are multiple inheritances? Can you do that in Java? Give a reason for your answer.
• Where do you declare Wait and Notify? Give a reason for your answer.
• What do you mean by string immutable?
• How are passwords stored in Java? Is there any specific reason for it?
• What do you mean by operator overloading? How does the Java environment react to it?
• What do you mean by Maps in Java? Please list all of them.
• List the number of ways you can handle exceptions in Java.

Python Interview Questions

The interview questions will help you get acquainted with the nature of Python-related questions you may encounter during your interview at Facebook:

• Explain pickling and unpickling.
• What is a dynamically typed language?
• What is PEP8? Why is it important?
• What are decorators in Python?
• Write a code to copy an object in Python.
• What is _init_ in Python?
• Print max element of a given list.
• Print median of a given list.
• Print the first nonrecurring element in a list.
• Print the most recurring element in a list.
• Find the greatest common factor.
• Reverse a String in Python.
• Check if a Python string contains another string.
• Implement breadth first search (BFS) in Python.
• Implement depth first search (DFS) in Python.
• Implement wildcards in Python.

Ruby Interview Questions

Ruby is a general-purpose, reflective and dynamic programming language, amalgamates Perl, small talk, Eiffel, Ada, and Lisp. The reason why Ruby is popular is that it allows the author to alter the programming elements. Some common Facebook interview questions on Ruby are:

• Walk me through the request/response cycle for accessing a list of articles in a blogging application?
• Almost everything is an object in Ruby. Please explain.
• Is Ruby typed statically or dynamically?
• Explain setters and getters in Ruby.
• What happens when you call a method in Ruby?
• Walk us through the process of listing all routes in an app?
• Explain a Gemfile.
• Explain a Gemfile.lock.
• What are some Rails design patterns you’ve used?
• How do Rails manage database state?

Perl Interview Questions

Practical Extraction and Reporting Language or PERL is a free open source language that supports object-oriented languages, such as C++. It is highly dynamic and easy to use. Some common Facebook interview questions on Perl are:

• Explain the meaning of Perl one-liner.
• Explain Lists and iValue.
• Explain the execution of a program in Perl.
• What are the various flags/arguments that can be used while executing a Perl program?
• Discuss data types and variables in Perl.
• What are Scalars in Perl?
• Discuss the scope of variables in Perl.
• Differentiate between Arrays and List in Perl.
• Explain the various functions/directives in Perl that allow you to include/import a module. Also, state the differences between them.

SQL Interview Questions

Structured Query Language or SQL is a domain-specific programming language for managing data in Database Management Systems. It is highly desirable as Database Management Systems are used in almost every software application. Following is a curated list of Facebook SQL interview questions :

• Construct an SQL query to find the second highest age of students.
• What do you mean by joins in SQL?
• Write an SQL query to find the maximum and minimum salary of employees in a company.
• What is the full form of ACID?
• Write an SQL query to find the count of employees working under project T2.
• Write an SQL query to delete the duplicate rows in a database.
• Write an SQL query to find the current time and date.

System design interview questions are an important part of Facebook interviews. Hence, you must prepare well for this topic. Let’s look at some sample Facebook interview questions on system design:

• If asked, how will you redesign the Instagram Feed? Share your ideas about the kind of algorithm you will use.
• How will you design a universal file sharing and storage app similar to Dropbox or Google Drive?
• If you design a web crawler, what would you list in the requirements and prerequisites?
• Can you design an API rate limiter?
• What types of documentation have you worked upon in system design? What is the right stage for preparing documentation? Is there any thumb rule?
• Suppose we have a large URL for a given page; how will you shorten it?
• What are the main concerns in designing social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram?
• What are the major challenges in designing apps like Quora that are both a social media platform and a message board service?
• Can you design a proximity server?

Take a look at the some more Facebook System Design Interview Questions here.

Facebook Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interviews are a crucial part of the Facebook interview process. Developers applying to positions across the board - from junior to managerial - go through a mandatory behavioral round where hiring managers seek to evaluate their mental balance, specific behavioral traits, interests, and characteristics of their personality in general. Some common Facebook behavioral interview questions are:

• How will you rate teamwork on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest and 1 the lowest?
• Are you more of a team player or an individual contributor?
• Tell me about a time when you faced a challenging situation at work. What did you do to resolve it?
• How do you motivate your team?
• How can you check the effectiveness of measures you take as a team lead?
• What will be your contribution to our team culture if we hire you?
• How good are you at accepting failure?
• Have you ever dealt with a team member who eats up everyone's credit? What did you do about it?
• How good are your relations with your previous project team members?
• Did you ever leave a job because of a tough boss?
• How well do you take criticism?

You can also check some Facebook Leadership Interview Questions here.

Here are more Facebook interview questions to prepare for, depending on the job you want. we have broken down Facebook interview questions based on roles such as Data Engineer, Product Manager, Technical Program Manager, Algorithm Engineer, Senior Software Engineer, and Engineering Manager.

Facebook Data Engineer Interview Questions

Data Engineers at Facebook manage, optimize, and oversee data retrieval systems. They build robust and complex data pipelines and algorithms. They are part of core technical functions that support every product team at Facebook. Some common Facebook Data Engineer interview questions are:

• Design a dashboard to highlight a specific aspect of the user behavior.
• Does the database view occupy the disk space?
• What is a loop that goes on forever?
• What is the term used to select non-duplicates in SQL?
• Find the maximum number from the given set of elements in an array (without using the maximum function).
• Find the absolute minimum difference between the set of elements of an array.
• Perform a merge sort with SQL only.
• Given a number and an array , find the sum of any two numbers in a list that is equal to a given number.
• Design an experiment to test whether a feature spurs conversation.
• How do you rate the popularity of a posted video online?

You can also take a look at some Top Facebook Data Scientist Interview Questions and Answers here.

Facebook Algorithm Engineer Interview Questions

Algorithm engineering focuses on the design, analysis, implementation, optimization, profiling and experimental evaluation of computer algorithms, bridging the gap between algorithm theory and practical applications of algorithms in software engineering. Some common Facebook interview questions for an Algorithm Engineer are:

• What are “divide and conquer” algorithms? Describe how they work. Can you give any common examples of the types of problems where this approach is used?
• How would you optimally calculate p^k, where k is a non-negative integer? What is the complexity of the solution?
• How do insertion sort, heapsort, quicksort , and merge sort work?
• What are the key advantages of insertion sort, quicksort , heapsort, and mergesort? Discuss best-, average-, and worst-case time and memory complexity.
• What is a Hash Table, and what are the average and worst-case times for each of its operations? How can we use this structure to find all anagrams in a dictionary?
• Given a numeric array of length N, design a function that finds all positive numbers in the array which have their opposites in it as well. Describe approaches for solving the optimal worst-case and optimal average-case performance, respectively.
• How would you, in general terms, describe dynamic programming? As an example, how would you find the length of the longest common subsequence of elements in two arrays by using this method?
• Design an algorithm that finds the number of ways to traverse N meters by doing jumps of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 meter lengths. Assume that N can be a very large number. What is the resulting complexity?
• What are Red-Black Trees and B-Trees? What is the best use case for each of them?
• What is the Bellman-Ford algorithm for finding single-source shortest paths? What are its main advantages over Dijkstra?
• What is A*, what are its implementation details, and its advantages and drawbacks in traversing graphs toward a target?

Facebook Senior Software Engineer Interview Questions

As a Senior Software Engineer at Facebook, you should be able to work independently with little to no supervision. You should have excellent problem-solving skills and hands-on experience in software development and agile methodologies. Some common Facebook interview questions for Senior Software Engineers are:

• Describe a time you made a mistake at work. What steps did you take to fix it, and how do you prevent this mistake from happening going forward?
• State the differences between functional and object-oriented programming .
• How would you refactor this class for easier unit testing? For parallel and concurrent processing?
• How would you design this system for scale?
• To ensure the high performance of the given architecture, what kind of graphs and instrumentation would you need?
• What data tables are needed for an inventory management system?
• What are some sharding strategies for Postgres or MariaDB/MySQL time series? For geographical databases?
• When would you use a NoSQL solution instead of SQL?

Also, take a look at Facebook Software Engineer Interview Questions here.

Facebook Engineering Manager Interview Questions

Facebook Engineering Managers build high-performing engineering teams. They direct and support engineers at Facebook in their career growth and ensure that engineering teams have inspiring visions for the future. Some common Facebook Engineering Manager interview questions are:

• Talk about your work experience in the last year.
• How do you manage the career growth of your team?
• How do you upgrade the skills of your team?
• What qualities do you look for in a team manager?
• Have you ever fired anyone for low performance?
• Talk about the high-level system design of a specific project.
• What testing strategies do you use to test features?
• You're running behind on your project. How would you communicate this to other teams?
• How do you support your team as they work on various projects?
• How do you ensure timely deliverables?

Facebook Technical Program Manager Interview Questions

Technical program managers (TPMs) at Facebook are in charge of handling all aspects of technical projects of the organization. They are responsible for initiating programs, following their progress, and serving as support providers in case issues arise. Some common Facebook interview questions for a Technical Program Manager include:

• Tell me about a time when you had to manage a project end-to-end.
• Tell me about how you worked technical dependencies and tradeoffs for that project.
• How would you design Facebook Live?
• How would you design a system that handles a significant volume (say millions) of card transactions per hour?
• How would you design Instagram?
• How would you design a travel booking system for Facebook users?
• How would you design WhatsApp?
• How would you design a distributed botnet?
• What is your step-by-step approach to managing programs?
• How do you make tradeoffs between time, resources, scope, and risks?
• How do you define roadmap milestones and execute your projects?
• How do you manage risks for your projects?
• How do you define KPIs for your projects?
• How do you manage cross-team dependencies and deliverables?
• How would you handle performance decline in a program?
• Tell me about the most challenging situation you've been in as a TPM.
• Tell me about a time you were late on an early milestone.
• Tell me about a time you changed a process to make it better.
• Tell me about a time you were on an extremely tight deadline.

Facebook Product Manager Interview Questions

The Product Manager at Facebook is responsible for the product planning and execution throughout the product life cycle, including: gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working closely with engineering, sales, marketing and support to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction. Some common Facebook interview questions for a Product Manager are:

• How would you tackle the decision of whether or not to accept payments via Messenger?
• How would you go about prioritizing/allocating resources?
• How would you go about designing a referral feature?
• Design a feature for book recommendations.
• How would you measure the success of Facebook Lite?
• How would you measure the success of the marketplace?
• How would you improve the Facebook Newsfeed?
• What metrics would you use to measure the success of Facebook Ads?
• Describe a recent experience you had managing/leading a team.
• Describe a time when you failed.

Q1. Can I apply for multiple jobs at Facebook?

Job applications at Facebook are limited to 3 in total. Hence, ensure that you apply for roles that match your work experience and specific skills.

Q2. I interviewed/applied last year at Facebook and wasn’t selected. When can I reapply?

Facebook asks candidates to wait for one year before applying for another role. The idea is to allow candidates to develop new skills and gain experience to be successful in the interview process in the future.

Q3. How can I prepare for my interview at Facebook?

Interviews vary across roles and regions, so it's best to reach out to your recruiter for help with interview preparation. You could also sign up for a technical interview preparation course where experts will guide you through the technical interview process at Facebook.

Q4. What questions does Facebook ask in an interview?

Facebook interview questions vary as per the role you’ve applied for. Questions asked at an Facebook interview are based on coding, programming languages, behavioral skills, system design, etc.

Q5. What should I focus on while applying for a job at Facebook?

Focus on your strengths. Facebook likes to ask, "What were you doing on your very best day at work?" Recruiters and hiring managers want you to do that not just on your best day but every day. Show them something you've built. Builders see good things, but could be better and figure out how to make them so. Facebook looks for candidates who've got that same building mindset, whether they're applying for executive roles or internships. Share when you've failed and learned. Don't hesitate to talk about the mistakes you've made in the pursuit of big ideas— they want to hear about your failures as much as your wins.

Ready to Nail that Facebook Interview?

Facebook has some incredibly stringent rules about applying for a job there, and you want to make the most of every opportunity.

Whether you’re a Coding Engineer gunning for Software Developer or Software Engineer roles, a Tech Lead, or you’re targeting management positions at top companies, IK offers courses specifically designed for your needs to help you with your technical interview preparation.

To learn more, sign up for our FREE webinar.

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Problem-Solving Interview Questions & Answers

• Updated July 13, 2023
• Published March 9, 2020

A job interview is a great moment for interviewers to evaluate how candidates approach challenging work situations . They do this by asking problem-solving questions. These types of questions are commonly asked during interviews since problem-solving skills are essential in most jobs. In any workplace, there are challenges, and when hiring new personnel, hiring managers look for candidates who are equipped to deal with this.

Problem-solving questions are so-called behavioral interview questions . Behavioral interview questions are strategic type of questions that require you to provide an answer that includes an example situation that you experienced in your career. These questions focus on specific work situations that you experienced and how you responded.

A basic example of a behavior question about problem-solving is ‘ tell me about a time you solved a problem at work .’ As you can see, the interviewer is looking for you to explain a situation and how you approach it, and how you solved it. Furthermore, the interviewer is interested in what you learned from that experience. Answering behavioral questions requires some work because you need to provide the interviewer with a strong answer to convince them that you’re the right person for the job.

The rationale behind asking problem-solving questions is to discover how you approach complex and challenging situations and if you can provide an effective solution. Interview questions about your past behavior might sound challenging, but they are actually a great opportunity for you to show that you’re a fit for the position. With the right preparation, you can use your answers to problem-solving questions to your advantage.

What Are Problem-solving Interview Questions?

Basically, problem-solving skills relate to your ability to identify problems, issues, obstacles, challenges, and opportunities and then come up with and implement effective and efficient solutions. However, this is a broad definition of problem-solving abilities. Depending on the position and field you’re applying for a position in the interviewer can focus on different aspects of problem-solving.

Examples of problem-solving competencies are:

Taking initiative.

Taking initiative means that you step up to the plate when needed and that you take action without being asked to do so. People who take the initiative demonstrate that they can think for themselves and take action whenever necessary. Furthermore, you actively look for opportunities to make a difference in the workplace.

Creative thinking

Creative thinking means that you’re able to look at something in a new way to find a solution. People who are creative have the ability to come up with new ways to carry out their tasks, solve problems, and meet challenges. Creative people are original thinkers and are able to bring unorthodox perspectives to their work.

Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness is the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome challenges in your work. Furthermore, people who are resourceful are original in their ways of thinking to overcome challenges.

Analytical thinking skills

These skills refer to the ability to gather data, break down a complex problem, weigh pros and cons, and make logical decisions. People who possess analytical thinking skills help the company overcome challenges and are able to spot potential issues before they become actual problems.

Determination

Determination can be described as the firmness of purpose or resoluteness. Specifically, people who are determined are persistent and do not give up easily or when they have a setback. Determination gives these people the motivation to push through and keep moving forward.

Results-oriented

People who are result-oriented have their full focus on getting to the desired outcome.

Problem-solving behavioral interview questions

As discussed in the introduction, problem-solving questions fall into the behavioral category of interview questions . These questions ask you to provide specific examples of past work experiences. For interviewers, understanding your past professional performance is the best way to gauge your future job performance.

Behavioral questions are focused on the desired skills or competency area, such as in this case, problem-solving. Other common competency areas for which behavioral questions are used are teamwork , communication , time management , creative thinking skills , leadership , adaptability , conflict resolution , etc.

Behavioral job interview questions usually start with the following:

• Give me an example of
• Tell me about a time when you
• What do you do when
• Describe a situation where

Examples of problem-solving behavioral interview questions:

• Give me an example of a time you had to solve a difficult problem at work.
• Tell me about a time when you identified and fixed a problem before it became urgent.
• What was the best idea you came up with at your last position?
• Describe a situation where you find a creative way to overcome an obstacle.

As you can see, the questions mentioned above require you to discuss your past behavior in a professional work environment. The reason for asking behavioral job interview questions instead of just asking traditional ones is that the most accurate predictor of future performance is your past performance in similar situations .

The interviewer wants to discuss previous work situations and wants you to elaborate on them to get to know you better. Solid interview preparation will help you give the answers that the interviewer is looking for. This starts with doing your research and thoroughly reviewing the job description . Doing so can help you understand what type of problem-solving skills are required to successfully perform the job you’re interviewing for.

By preparing example scenarios to questions you expect based on your research , you can give exactly the information that he or she is looking for. In other words, you need to relate your answers to the job requirements and company culture of the organization where you’re applying for a position.

To answer behavioral questions about your problem-solving skills, you need to ensure that you provide the interviewer with specific details about the situation you were in, your task in that situation, the action you took, and the specific results that came out of those actions. In short, this is called the STAR-method of providing an answer. The STAR method is discussed in more detail later on in this article.

Why Interviewers Ask Problem-solving Interview Questions

Problem-solving skills are required in most job positions. This means that a lot of hiring managers will try to assess your problem-solving skills during your interview. The main reason for asking you about situations in which you used your problem-solving skills is to get an understanding of how you work.

The interviewers want to get questions answered, such as:

• Are you results-oriented, and are you proactively involved in your work?
• Do you look for different ways to contribute?
• Are you an individual that others can count on to increase team performance?
• Are you a self-starter, or do you need someone to give you instructions?

Most likely, the interviewers look for a self-starting person with general problem-solving skills that can be used in different situations. A proven track record of solving problems such as those required in the position you’re interviewing for will definitely help convince the interviewer. Therefore, make sure you prepare answers to questions you expect in advance.

For example, someone who works as a customer service representative should be able to deal with a frustrated or angry customer . They need to be able to solve these problems and know how to handle such situations. Other examples of positions where problem-solving skills are essential are, for instance, accounts or project managers. They need to be flexible in their approaches and should be able to handle a change in deadlines. Another example is, for instance, a logistic manager who should be able to fix an inefficient logistics process.

The Interviewers’ Goal When Assessing Your Problem-solving Skills

There are several underlying reasons why interviewers use behavioral questions to assess your problem-solving skills. The main one, of course, is that they want to hire a person who’s able to perform the job.

Instead of hiring the person that they ‘like’ they need something better to figure out which candidate is the right fit for the job. By analyzing your behavior in past situations that are similar to the ones that are required in the role that you’re applying for, they try to do just that. Below we discuss a couple of important elements employers consider when making a hiring decision.

Costs of making a bad hiring decision

Employers want to make sure that they hire the right person for the job. For a company, making a bad hiring decision is not only about losing money, but it can also lead to a decrease in productivity and morale. Hiring a bad candidate could lead to leaving a bad impression on customers/clients, but also with coworkers.

Furthermore, time will be lost if the company needs to search for another candidate after a bad hire. Therefore, employers do everything to avoid such situations. Behavioral questions are regarded as a preventative way to make sure that the right person with the right fit for the company is hired .

Specific details of your behavior

By asking behavioral questions about your problem-solving skills, the interviewers try to uncover specific details of your behavior. They want to find out if you are able to clearly identify a problem and if you are able to come up with an efficient and effective solution when needed.

Of course, they got your resume already and maybe even a motivational letter or letter of recommendation . Still, the interviewer can only assess your hard skills and educational levels based on these documents.

Essential soft skills , such as problem-solving, are easier to assess during job interviews with the help of behavioral interview questions. Therefore, include real-life work scenarios in your answers that demonstrate how you have used the skills required for the position that you’re interviewing for. The interviewer wants to assess if you possess the skills required to perform the day-to-day tasks and deal with challenges that you will encounter in the workplace.

Your (past) behavior as a predictor of your future job performance

Questions about your problem-solving skills and the answers you give are used to determine the chances of your future success in the job that you’re interviewing for.

Specific behavioral problem-solving questions such as ‘ tell me about a time you had to solve a problem at work. What steps did you take before deciding on how to solve the problem, and why? ‘ give the interviewer more insight into your professional behavior and in turn, your future job performance .

Another way to assess your behavior is by asking hypothetical questions. If you, for instance, do not have certain experience yet, the interviewer could ask you a question along the lines of ‘ What would you do if you were caught off-guard by a problem that you had not foreseen? Which steps would you take to address the problem? ‘. As you can see, this question is hypothetical in nature. The interviewer wants to hear which steps you would take to address a possible complexity in your work. Based on your answer, the interviewer will assess if your approach is suitable for the position for which you’re interviewing.

It’s therefore important that you prepare for frequently asked interview questions that you can expect during your interview. By preparing the right example answers on how you have solved problems in your previous jobs and how you would solve problems in the job you’re applying for, you can provide a concise answer without missing important details.

Avoid making a wrong hiring decision

Questions that gauge your professional behavior help employers assess your future job performance. In other words, this helps them make a better hiring decision. A perfect resume or cover letter is not enough to impress seasoned interviewers.

By asking behavioral problem-solving questions, the interviewer tries to uncover your previous work patterns. The information in your answers gives them more insight into your approach to critical situations and if this approach matches the ones required for the position you’re applying for.

By preparing the right way, you can make sure that your example answer situations include aspects of the most important job requirements. Of course, the interviewer is looking for candidates that fit the job description , so make sure that your answers relate to the job requirements.

What Interviewers Look for in Successful Candidates

In short, interviewers look for candidates who have the right work approach to succeed within their company and in that particular position. This is also why we can’t emphasize the importance of being able to demonstrate your skills through solid example scenarios enough .

The right preparation will help you get there. Your goal is to demonstrate that you are capable of taking on the day-to-day tasks required for the position and have the potential to grow . For example, if you are able to work in and deal with transitions in fast-paced environments such as financial markets . And can you handle the complex situations that you will encounter? Are you able to deal with such transitions effectively? In this case, you need to show adaptability and problem-solving skills through example scenarios of how you did so in the past.

Problem-solving behavioral questions are used to get insights into how you approach problems at work, if you take the initiative, and if you possess the right creative and critical thinking skills . Basically, the interviewers want to get the following questions answered:

• Do you take the initiative?
• Can you communicate effectively?
• Are you able to adequately respond to problems or issues that occur during your work?
• Can you perform in stressful and unexpected situations?
• Are you able to adjust to changing work environments?
• Can you assist your coworkers or team when needed?
• Are you flexible in your approaches to situations at work?

Red Flags for Interviewers Assessing Your Problem-solving Skills

When answering questions about your problem-solving skills, there are certain things you need to look out for. Below we discuss a couple of warning signs that interviewers consider when you answer their questions. Ensure that you avoid these at all costs to avoid making the wrong impression.

1. Not answering the question or not providing enough detail

If you answer a question with ‘I can’t recall a situation where I encountered such a problem ,’ this is considered a red flag. This could mean that you did not prepare well and that you’re not taking the interview seriously. Furthermore, the interviewer could interpret such an answer as you may avoid dealing with challenging situations.

If you cannot provide specific details or examples about what you claim in your resume or cover letter, this can be considered a red flag too. If you, for instance, claim that you have successfully solved problems and used critical thinking skills in your work, you need to make sure you’re able to back this up through clear examples of times you did so. Failing to do so could lead to a quick elimination of your candidacy for the position. If the interviewer has trouble verifying your employment history, this is considered a warning sign.

2. Canned responses to questions

Preparing answers is key to success for any interview. However, this means preparing original, effective, and relevant answers that are related to the position you’re interviewing for.

Generic answers to behavioral problem-solving questions such as ‘ tell me about a time you had to solve an issue with a customer ‘ are considered warning signs. An example of a generic answer to that particular question is ‘t his one time I had to deal with an angry customer who had complaints about the pricing of a product. I calmed her down and made the sale ‘. As you can see, this answer does not provide much insight into your problem solving skills, thought process, and how you approach the situation.

If you give a generic answer, you can expect more follow-up questions from the interviewer. However, it’s better to prepare strong answers to impress the interviewer that you actually possess the required skills for the job.

3. Answers that focus on problems, not solutions

The reason for asking specific behavioral-problem solving questions is to assess how you approach and solve problems. It’s, therefore, important that your answers focus on the solution, not the problem . Of course, it’s important that you are able to spot and identify problems, but finding a solution is essential. If your answers focus on problems too much, you can come across as too negative for the job.

Negativity, in any form, in your answers, is considered a red flag. This can be talking negatively about a problem you had to solve but also talking inappropriately about previous employers or co-workers. Negative undertones never impress interviewers the right way. Therefore, focus on how you solve problems and put yourself in the best light possible.

4. Too stressed or uncomfortable during an interview

Interviewers know that almost everybody is slightly uncomfortable when put on the spot during a job interview. However, when you’re too stressed to provide a good answer, this can be viewed as an indicator that you do not handle stressful situations well. Of course, remaining calm under pressure while still being able to solve problems is essential for positions in which problem-solving skills are required.

5. Failing to respond effectively

Failing to respond effectively to interview questions comes across weak. It’s therefore important that you prepare for your interview by thoroughly analyzing the job description and try to understand what kind of problems you will be solving in the position that you applied for. This research will help you choose the right examples from your past that are most likely to impress the interviewer.

Therefore, research the job and organization and make notes of the required skills and experiences you think the company values. This allows you to tailor your answers to your situation.

Also, think about possible follow-up questions the interviewer might ask you. Because you already know what examples you will use in your answers to questions you expect , if you prepare the right way, you can figure out which follow-up questions are likely to be asked. For instance, if you’re preparing for the interview question, ‘ tell me about a time you solved a problem at work ,’ you can expect the interviewer to follow up with, ‘ what steps did you take to solve the situation?’.

6. Not taking responsibility or minimizing the significance of a problem

When a problem is identified but not addressed, this could quickly escalate into a bigger problem. Employees who do not take responsibility or those who leave things for later might not be result-oriented and engaged in their work.

Another way of taking responsibility is to show self-awareness. It’s common for interviewers to ask you about a time that you failed, especially in situations where you needed to solve problems. They are interested in what went wrong in a work situation, if you took responsibility for your actions, and what you learned from that situation. Not taking responsibility for, for instance, a  project that may have failed , is considered a warning sign.

Self-awareness and being to reflect on situations is an important characteristic to possess in the workplace. Interviewers want to hire candidates that can admit errors or who made thoughtful mistakes trying to solve problems in the past and tried to fix them. Employers know that candidates are human and make mistakes, just like everybody else. It’s important that your answers show that you take responsibility for situations and describe the actions you took to repair any problems or challenges.

Frequently Asked Problem-solving Interview Questions

Below you can find commonly asked behavioral problem-solving questions . These questions are divided into regular questions and hypothetical questions. Learn everything you need to know about common interview questions that are frequently asked during job interviews .

Problem-solving interview questions:

• Tell me about a time you faced an unexpected challenge at work and how you dealt with it.
• Describe a time a customer approached you with a problem or concern. How did you respond?
• Tell me about a time you had to change your planned course of action at the last moment. How did you re-evaluate your priorities?
• What was the best idea you came in in your last position?
• Tell me about a time you had to solve a difficult problem.
• What’s the most significant improvement that you have made in the last year?
• Tell me about the most innovative new idea that you have implemented in the workplace.
• Have you ever improved the workflow of a project based on your analysis? How did you do this?
• Describe a situation in which you anticipated a potential problem and applied preventive measures.
• Tell me about a time you faced a significant obstacle you had to overcome to succeed in a project.
• When you’re working on several projects, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to all of them. How do you go about prioritizing the needs of a client?
• Describe a situation in which you had to analyze information and make a recommendation.
• What do you consider your greatest achievement in the workplace? Why?
• Describe a situation in which you needed to motivate others to get something done.

Hypothetical problem-solving interview questions:

• How would you approach a situation in which you had to analyze information to make a recommendation to a client?
• Tell me how you would handle a situation in which you have a deadline you cannot meet.
• How would you handle a conflict with a co-worker?
• A frustrated client calls you to discuss a problem. How do you deal with such a situation?
• How would you handle a situation in which you would need to convince someone to change their decision?

Preparing Answers to Problem-solving Interview Questions

There are several steps that you can take to prepare for problem-solving questions. Here you can find a job interview checklist . To get started, you can consider the following steps.

Step 1: Research

Before your interview, it’s important that you thoroughly research the position and company. Read the job description carefully to find specific skills that a candidate needs to possess to successfully perform the job. Think of skills such as adaptability , communication , and problem-solving. Also, read the company website to get more information about their mission statement and who their main clients are. Furthermore, check their LinkedIn pages and other content/news related to the company.

Your research will help you identify the required skills, qualities, and experience for the position. In turn, you can use this information to make an educated guess about what kind of interview questions you can expect .

Step 2: Write down the required skills, competencies, and experience

Behavioral questions such as those about problem-solving skills are a great opportunity for you to show why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. Based on the skills and competencies that you have identified during your research, you can start preparing answers. Rank the skills on importance in relation to the requirements for the position.

Step 3: Create a list of past work experiences related to the position’s requirements

Everybody knows that it’s hard to come up with strong answers when you’re put on the spot during an interview. Therefore, come up with strong examples to questions you expect ahead of your interview.

Create a list of past work experiences and tailor them to the required skills and competencies for the job—highlight successful situations where you demonstrated behavior related to these required skills and competencies . Focus on delivering a concise and to-the-point answer.

Step 4: Prepare successful and challenging answer examples

Effective problem-solving skills are essential in the workplace. Therefore, your answers must demonstrate that you have successfully identified problems, proposed solutions, evaluated several options, and finally implemented a solution. However, it’s also likely that the interviewer will ask you about a time you have failed to solve a problem . Interviewers ask you about failures to assess whether or not you learn from your mistakes and if you’re self-aware enough to acknowledge times you failed. Also, it helps them identify if you take calculated and smart risks.

Step 5: Use the STAR method to structure your answers

The STAR method allows you to concisely provide the interviewer an answer by logically walking them through the situation. STAR is an acronym that stands for a situation ( S ), your task ( T ) in that situation, the actions ( A ) you took, and what results ( R ) you got based on your actions. These are the basic steps you take in your walkthrough.

Below we discuss the STAR interview technique in more detail.

STAR Interview Technique For Problem-Solving Interview Questions & Answers

By using the STAR method, you can give an answer that includes exactly what the interviewer is looking for. Below, the STAR acronym is broken down into each step.

Start your answer by explaining the situation that you faced. The start of your answer ‘story’ should answer questions such as:

• What was the situation/problem?
• Who was involved?
• Why did the situation happen at that time?

It’s important to provide context around what problem needed to be solved. Furthermore, make sure to provide relevant details.

Next, explain your specific role in the task ahead. Include important details, such as specific responsibilities. Focus on giving the interviewer an understanding of your task in solving the problem. This part of your answer should answer questions such as:

• Why were you involved in that specific situation?
• What’s the background story?

After you describe your task, it’s time to specifically discuss the actions you took to solve the problem. Give the interviewer a step-by-step description of the actions you took. This part of your answer should answer questions such as:

• What steps did you take to resolve the situation you were in?
• Why did you choose to complete your tasks this way?

Finish your answer by discussing the results you got from your actions. Detail the outcomes of your actions and ensure to highlight your strengths . Also, make sure to take credit for your behavior that led to the result. Focus on positive results and positive learning experiences. This part of your answer ‘story’ should answer questions such as:

• What exactly happened?
• What did you accomplish?
• How did you feel about the results you got?
• What did you learn from the situation?
• How did this particular situation influence who you are as a professional today?

Sample Answers to Problem-solving Questions

Below you will find some example questions. The examples are already written in STAR format so that you can clearly see how you can structure your answers. However, these are ‘general’ examples. Do not forget to structure your own answers in a way that includes enough detail to convince the interviewer that you’re the right person for the job!

Problem-Solving Example 1: ‘ Tell me about a time you had to resolve a disagreement with a coworker.’

‘Personally, I believe that communication is essential in such a situation to find a way that works for both of us. Finding a compromise is the main goal to get the work done to the best of our ability.

Task & Action

In my current position as a financial consultant, I encountered such a situation recently. A colleague disagreed with the way I wanted to handle an issue that we encountered along the way. To address this issue, I scheduled a meeting with him to discuss the situation. I asked him about his points of view and how he thought we should go about the project.

Even though we had differences in the way we felt like how the project should be approached, we quickly came to the conclusion that our goal was the same; providing our client with a high-quality final product within the set deadline.

We talked about the project and the specific aspect about which we had a difference. I explained my point of view and that I had already encountered a similar issue in the past. Ultimately, my colleague agreed to tackle the issue using my proposed method. His insights gave me a good suggestion which we incorporated into the project. After that, we successfully worked together and finalized the project in time and according to the quality level that we both were proud of.’

Why this is a strong answer:

• The provided example is concise and relevant to the workplace where problem-solving skills are important
• This answer shows important skills such as being proactive, problem-solving, persuasion, and adaptability .
• The answer shows that you’re a team player as well and that you listen to the input of others for the better of a project’s result.

Note : There’s always a chance that interviewers ask you follow-up questions about how you convinced your colleague. Make sure that you are able to answer those questions as well.

Problem-Solving Example 2: ‘ Tell me about a time you had to solve a challenging problem at work .’

‘In my position as a business development manager at ABC Software, I’m responsible for organizing all client events and conferences. ABC Software is a major player in the IT market, and during our events, we invite industry experts to speak on market developments. These events are used to attract new clients but also to maintain our relationship with our existing ones.

Over the last two years, we analyzed our attendee data and found that our event attendance dropped by almost 10%. Furthermore, we discovered that the retention rate of our clients also decreased. When we had to plan the next event, my team and I knew that we had to get our attendance levels back up in order for the events to stay successful. The goal was to get our networking event popular and recurring again.

I had an idea why the attendance levels dropped but to get more information, I interviewed several sales consultants as well. The main feedback was that we should focus more on attracting new clients through social media channels. I communicated this with our marketing team, and we decided to also reach out to our client base and ask them what they would like to see on our future events. This led to interesting new insights on topics and speakers that we could invite, plus we also received input on how to improve networking possibilities during our events. Based on our research and feedback, I created a new plan of action to market our events through our social media channels to increase exposure.

After launching our marketing campaign, we immediately gained online traction, leading to an increase in advance registrations. For that specific event, we saw a total increase in attendance of 20% in comparison to the previous year. An online survey showed that the attendees were happy with how the way the new event was structured, and 80% of respondents said that it would be likely that they would recommend our events within their network.

My approach to increasing attendance at our events did not go unnoticed. I was asked by my department director to make a presentation about how I tackled this problem and present this to the board.’

• This example shows that you can identify issues and understand your responsibility to address them.
• The provided example is related but also relevant to the workplace. It’s also concise, which is perfect.
• This answer shows important skills, such as being proactive, teamwork , adaptability , problem-solving skills, and creativity .
• Taking responsibility to find out why the event attendance dropped and subsequently taking action turned out successful gives more weight to the situation.

Problem Solving Example 3: ‘Describe a time a customer approached you with a problem or concern. How did you respond?’

‘In one instance, a customer came to me with an issue. She had recently purchased a product from our store, which broke shortly after she got it home. She was understandably upset and wanted to know what could be done.

In response, I apologized for any inconvenience and asked her to explain what had happened. After hearing her story, I promised to help her as much as possible. Next, I checked the item’s warranty status in our system.

I was able to offer her a replacement or a refund since the product was still under warranty , and I helped her find an identical item in our store and processed the exchange for her. The customer decided she wanted a replacement, so I explained our return policy to her in case this ever happened again in the future.

My customer thanked me for my help and seemed more satisfied at the end of the transaction; I was glad I was able to turn a potentially negative experience into a positive one.’

• This example shows that you understand what great customer service is.
• The provided example is concise and to the point; it describes a situation and the actions you took to resolve it.
• This answer shows essential skills, such as being proactive, customer service, and problem-solving skills.

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Meta behavioral interview (questions, method, and prep)

If you’re applying for a tech role at Meta, the behavioral round, sometimes called the "leadership interview," is one of the main types of interviews you’re going to need to crack. As the questions may not seem difficult when compared with their technical counterparts, candidates frequently overlook them. 

However, these open-ended questions are important for interviewers to find out if you’re a good fit for Meta. So you’ll want to prepare for these questions and use them to distinguish yourself from other candidates.

To help you, we’ve created this interview prep guide to give you everything you need to know to prepare for Meta’s behavioral interview, including example questions, how to answer, and a practice plan to make sure you land your dream job at Meta.

Here’s a brief overview of what we’ll cover:

• What is a behavioral interview at Meta?
• Meta behavioral interview questions
• How to answer Meta behavioral interview questions
• How to prepare for a Meta behavioral interview

Click here to practice 1-on-1 with Meta ex-interviewers

1. what is a behavioral interview at meta.

Meta (formerly Facebook) uses behavioral interviews to assess job candidates based on their past experiences. These  questions typically start with “Tell me about a time you…” and focus on soft skills such as: leadership, communication, teamwork, problem solving, etc.  

To round out your preparation, we've also included some resume, HR, and hypothetical questions such as "what are your strengths and weaknesses?" or "how would you...?" in this article. As these are real questions that have been reported by past candidates, we want to make sure you're ready for anything.

These questions will appear at every step of the interview process, from the initial recruiter phone screen, through the hiring manager, and all the way through to the onsite interviews. They may even appear as icebreakers or transition questions during system design or coding interviews. The frequency and type of behavioral questions will vary, but be prepared for many, especially if you're applying for a leadership role.

For more information on the process for a specific role, consult one of our comprehensive interview guides below: 

• Meta PM (product manager)
• Meta rotational product manager
• Meta product marketing manager
• Meta product designer
• Meta program manager
• Meta technical program manager
• Meta software engineer
• Meta engineering manager
• Meta data engineer
• Meta production engineer
• Meta front end engineer
• Meta machine learning engineer
• Meta data scientist
• Meta account manager

Now, what will your interviewers be looking out for?

1.1 Meta's core values

To get an idea of the qualities your interviewers are looking for during behavioral interviews, review Meta's six core values : 

"1. Move fast

We build and learn faster than anyone else. Acting with urgency, we don’t wait until next week to do something we could do today. We continuously work to speed up our highest priority initiatives by methodically removing barriers that get in the way. It’s about moving fast in one direction together–as a company and as individuals.

2. Focus on long-term impact

We emphasize long-term thinking that encourages us to extend the timeline for the impact we have, rather than optimizing for near-term wins. We should take on the challenges that will be the most impactful, even if the full results won’t be seen for years.

3. Build awesome things

We push ourselves to ship things that are not just good, but also awe-inspiring. We’ve already built products that are useful to billions of people. In our next chapter, we’ll focus more on inspiring them as well, in everything we do.

4. Live in the future

Let’s build the future of work that we want, with an in-person focus designed to support a strong, valuable experience for our people who have chosen to work from the office, and a thoughtful and intentional approach to where we invest in remote work. This also means being early adopters of the future products we build to help people feel present together wherever they are.

5. Be direct and respect your colleagues

We create a culture where we are straightforward and willing to have hard conversations with each other. At the same time, we are also respectful and when we share feedback, we recognize that many of the world’s leading experts work here.

6. Meta, metamates, me

We are stewards of our company and our mission. We have a sense of responsibility for our collective success and to each other as teammates. It’s about taking care of our company and each other."

While practicing your responses to the example questions in this article, be sure to choose stories that reflect these values. 

In the next section, we’ll take a deep dive into some of Meta’s top behavioral questions so that you can get an idea of what you’re up against.

2. Meta behavioral interview questions

Now that you’ve gotten an idea of what to expect during the Meta interview process , let’s jump into some example questions. 

To help you prepare strategically for your job interview, we have used Glassdoor data to identify the real questions asked in different Meta interviews. The questions we’ve chosen come from our research on five Meta tech roles: product manager , software engineer , program manager , product designer , and data scientist . 

You’ll notice that we’ve divided the questions into the following categories:

• Role-specific

We've added these categories to make the list of questions easier to understand, starting with the general questions that apply to any job. Each category tests a different quality that Meta is looking for in its candidates, and the frequency of each question type will vary depending on the role. For instance, interviews for managerial roles will include a higher number of leadership questions.

2.1 Meta behavioral questions: General

First up are the general behavioral questions that may come up for any role. Here your interviewer is looking for an overall view of your past experiences and how you will perform as an employee at Meta.  You’ll see that regardless of the role, Facebook is curious about your resume, your motivations, how you handle difficult situations, and why you want to work for them specifically.

These are good questions for you to demonstrate your alignment with Meta’s core values. Show your willingness to take risks, lessons learned from past mistakes, a bias for action, and other qualities that Meta is looking for in a candidate.

Practice demonstrating those values using the questions below.

Example behavioral questions asked at Meta: General

• Why this position?
• Tell me about yourself / your past experience

Tell me about a past challenge or conflict you handled

• Tell me about your skills and interests
• Tell me about the greatest accomplishment of your career
• Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it
• Tell me what others would say about you
• Tell me about your biggest accomplishment
• Tell me about the area where you have the most to learn
• Tell me about what do you want to do in the future
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Walk me through your resume
• Why are you transitioning from your current position?
• What makes a good [job title] / bad [job title]?

2.2 Meta behavioral questions: Teamwork

Many employees at Meta have to work in cross-functional teams with other software engineers , program managers , product managers , etc. So you’ll need to be able to communicate clearly, work with others efficiently, and build trust and relationships.

Your interviewer will be looking for you to share stories from your past experience that demonstrate openness, collaboration, and partnership. Give it a try using the following questions.

Example behavioral questions asked at Meta: Teamwork

• Tell me about a time you struggled to work with one of your colleagues
• Tell me about a time you were given feedback that was constructive
• Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict in a team
• Tell me about a time you managed a conflict/disagreement between stakeholders
• Tell me about a time you worked with cross-functional teams and the role you played
• Have you ever collaborated with multiple teams? What challenges did you face?
• How large was the team you were working on?
• Who else did you work with when you were doing X?

2.3 Meta behavioral questions: Leadership

In addition to employees with a collaborative nature, Mea is looking for employees who are able to motivate their team, resolve conflicts, drive alignment, and build relationships. This is because most roles will involve not only working in teams, but also leading them when appropriate.

This would be a good time to show that you’ve got drive and empathy, particularly if you're interviewing for a manager role. Some of the leadership skills that Meta is looking for in these questions include how you earn trust and take ownership, process and grow from past experiences, support the people around you, and overcome difficult situations.

Example behavioral questions asked at Meta: Leadership

• Tell me about a time you led a team
• Tell me about a time you had to step up and take responsibility for others
• Tell me about your worst boss and why they were bad
• How would you advocate for a commitment to a priority, when that priority is not high on someone else's list?
• How would you manage timelines in a highly matrixed environment, where there is no top down authority?

2.4 Meta behavioral questions: Role-specific

Our last category focuses on the questions that are specific to certain roles, such as “what made you get into design?” for product designers. While you should expect a combination of each of the previous four categories in any interview, the following questions apply most to data scientists , product managers , product designers , and software engineers .

Right, now let’s get into some questions.

Example behavioral questions asked at Meta: Role-specific

• Tell me about a recent / favorite project and some of the difficulties you had
• Tell me about a product you lead from idea to launch (product manager )
• Tell me about a time you struggled on one of your software projects (software engineer)
• Tell me about a data and analytics project you've worked on ( data science )
• Tell me about what made you get into design (product designer)
• How do you influence product? (product manager )
• Which part of the design process interests you most? ( product designer )
• Why do you want to be a product designer rather than a UX researcher? ( product designer )

3. How to answer Meta behavioral interview questions

Now that you’ve seen some of Meta’s top questions, let’s work on a technique for answering them.

3.1 Technique

When answering behavioral questions, you should focus on your most relevant achievements and communicate them in a clear way. An easy way to achieve this is to use a step-by-step method to tell your stories. 

The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a popular approach for answering behavioral questions because it’s easy to remember. You may have already heard of it. However, we’ve found that candidates often find it difficult to distinguish the difference between steps two and three, or task and action . Some also forget to include lessons learned in the results step, which is especially crucial when discussing past failures.

So we’ve developed the IGotAnOffer method to correct some of the pitfalls we’ve observed when using the STAR method.

3.1.1 The IGotAnOffer method

Let’s step through our suggested five-step approach:

• Situation: Start by giving the necessary context of the situation you were in. Describe your role, the team, the organization, the market, etc. You should only give the minimum context needed to understand the problem and the solution in your story. Nothing more.
• Problem: Outline the problem you and your team were facing.
• Solution: Explain the solution you came up with to solve the problem. Step through how you went about implementing your solution, and focus on your contribution over what the team / larger organization did.
• Impact: Summarize the positive results you achieved for your team, department, and organization. As much as possible, quantify the impact.
• Lessons: Conclude with any lessons you might have learned in the process.

You’ll notice that this method covers very similar themes to the STAR method. We like it because a lot of the candidates we work with find this framework easier to use, as there’s no overlap between any of the steps in your story.

You should practice using whatever method you’re the most comfortable with. If you’d like to start practicing right away, jump back to the full list of questions here . 

Otherwise, to get a better idea of how our method works, work through the example below.

3.2 Example: Tell me about a past challenge or conflict you handled

Now that you know some approaches for answering behavioral questions, let's look at a full example. We’ll use one of Facebook’s most frequently asked questions.

Try answering the question below following your preferred method. Play both the role of the interviewer and the candidate. Write down your answer, then practice saying it out loud before going through our example response. Once you’ve finished, compare your response to our example to fill in any gaps in your story.

Try this question:

We’ll use the IGotAnOffer method described above and answer as if interviewing for a Product Manager job at Meta. You will find our proposed answer to the question below.

Notice that the question asks for a past challenge OR conflict, which lets you choose what you’d like to highlight in your answer. If you choose a past conflict you resolved, this would be a good way to show off your interpersonal and collaboration skills. However in this case, we’ve chosen to focus on a past challenge, which we’ll use to display leadership and problem-solving skills.

For a sample answer to the past conflict interview question, take a look here .

1. Situation

Note that this question isn’t necessarily about a specific role and allows you to describe a variety of situations. We’ll use an example from working at a coffee shop, but you should of course use an example from your own work experience.

You could start by saying something like, “When I was in college I was a barista at a 30-year-old, local coffee shop called Sunny’s. It was a small business with less than ten employees, resistant to change, and located in a neighborhood with new shops and restaurants opening at a rapid pace. It was also starting to lose regular customers and revenue.”

Without giving too much detail, this gives a quick sense of the setting for the challenge you faced and the solution you’re about to describe.

Once you outline the situation, you can explain the problem by saying something like, “The challenge was that we didn’t know why the shop was losing customers, and the owner was trying all kinds of different promotions that weren’t working.”

You have spent very few words between describing the situation and problem, but your answer so far has given the interviewer a clear sense of the setting and challenge you faced.

3. Solution

When describing the solution you came up with to solve the problem, it’s important to step through your thinking. And it’s especially important to focus on YOUR contribution.

You could say something such as, “I was only a barista and had no stake in the business, but wanted the shop to succeed given its history in the neighborhood. So I decided to find an easy way to understand the market and find some of the root-causes of the problem we were experiencing. My first step was to informally survey customers about their coffee habits as they paid for their order. This gave me insight into what other shops were popular and what people liked about them. Next, I stopped by some of the other shops on my way to work, looking for what they might be doing differently.

“I noticed a few common themes at these other popular shops: 1) They offered soy and almond as alternatives to dairy milk, 2) they emphasized fair trade coffee, and 3) they printed the WiFi password on receipts.

“I mentioned these themes to the owner and helped to prioritize easy, low-cost solutions. First, buying a few cartons of soy and almond milk allowed us to test if this made a difference to Sunny’s customers without requiring a big investment. Second, all of the coffee that Sunny’s sold was already fair trade, but this wasn’t advertised; so I helped make a few signs to explain and placed them around the store. Third, we realized that printing the password on receipts was too cumbersome of a change, so instead I trained all baristas to ask customers if they wanted the WiFi password after they paid for their order.”

Let’s take a step back and look at all of the different behavioral and product skills you’ve highlighted with this answer. It emphasizes your leadership drive, as you were trying to solve a problem even when it wasn’t your direct responsibility. 

Also, one of Meta’s core values is “Focus on Impact,” or acting to solve the most important problems. This answer demonstrates that, as you found low-cost and innovative ways to solve a big problem despite the limited resources of the company.

After explaining the actions you took, it’s a good idea to quantify how much impact you had.

You could say something like, “So what I did wasn’t all that complex. I asked customers about their preferences, conducted some basic competitive analysis, helped to establish low-risk innovations by brainstorming solutions with the owner, and trained staff on the changes. After these changes, sales returned to normal within a couple months. Seeing this, the owner started more regularly surveying customers and executing competitive analysis, which has helped to make Sunny’s one of the top coffee shops in the neighborhood to this day.”

Finally, wrap up your answer by describing any lessons you might have learned.

You could say, “This all happened before my professional career really started, but it taught me that the most innovative solutions are not always radical or expensive. It’s also a great reminder that understanding customer needs is crucial when trying to innovate in any business.”

3.3 Watch video example

Now you've seen how the framework on paper, let's see how it looks in a real interview situation. Check out how Damien (ex-Meta PM) uses the framework in his answers 2-5 in the video below.

4. Tips to impress your interviewer

Finally, before we move on to some interview preparation resources, we'd like to give you five helpful tips to keep in mind.

Tip #1: Get used to setting up the situation in 30 seconds or less

Use a timer while you practice to ensure you provide only necessary information. Spending too much time on the Situation step is one of the most common mistakes candidates make.

Tip #2: Stay focused on essential details

Interviewers hear a lot of behavioral stories a day. If you go into unnecessary details you are likely to lose their attention. Share your stories with a few different people before your interview and ask them what details they would suggest cutting.

Tip #3: Be proud and talk about YOU

This is not the time to be shy about your accomplishments. Concentrate on your impact, not what “the team” did. Not talking about YOU enough is another common mistake we see with a lot of candidates.

Tip #4: Adapt to follow up questions

Don’t be alarmed if your interviewer asks follow up questions; this is perfectly normal. Listen carefully to the way your interviewer is asking these questions, as there will often be a subtle clue about the specific skills they’re looking to assess from the next part of your answer.

Tip #5: Explain how failure made you better

When talking about failure, don’t try to hide your mistakes or frame a weakness as a strength. Instead, show what you learned and how you grew from the failure.

5. How to prepare for a Meta behavioral interview

Practicing by yourself will only take you so far. One of the main challenges of behavioral interviews is communicating your different answers in a succinct and clear way.

5.1 Learn about Meta’s company culture

Most candidates fail to do this. But before investing tens of hours preparing for an interview at Meta you should take some time to make sure it's actually the right company for you.

Meta is prestigious and it's therefore tempting to ignore that step completely. But in our experience, the prestige in itself won't make you happy day-to-day. It's the type of work and the people you work with that will.

If you know employees who work at Meta or used to work there, it's a good idea to talk to them to understand what the culture is like. Otherwise, here are some resources to help you get started:

• Meta's 6 core values (by Meta)
• Facebook’s “hacker culture ” (by Mark Zuckerberg, via Wired)
• Meta annual reports and strategy presentations (by Meta)
• Meta's approach to tech trends (by CB Insights)
• Meta org culture analysis (by Panmore Institute)

5.2 Practice by yourself

Acing a behavioral question is much harder than it looks. You’ll stand out if you put in the required work to craft concise and direct answers.

5.2.1 Write down your stories

First, work out which stories you’d like to tell. Make a list of key moments in your career (e.g. accomplishments, failures, team situations, leadership situations, etc.) that you can use to answer one or multiple questions. Take a look at Meta’s core values and find at least one story from your past that exemplifies each one. 

After you’ve finished your list, write out a story for each key moment in your career using the structure we've laid out in section 3. Be sure to emphasize your impact in each of these examples, quantify the results of your actions, and explain the lessons you learned from the experience. 

Once you have a bank of stories, go through the questions in section 2 and make sure you’d be able to answer all of them either by using one of the stories you’ve written directly, or by adapting it on the fly. If you identify any gaps, add stories to your bank until you’re comfortable you can cover all the questions listed in this article.

Click here to practice with more common behavioral questions and see example answers

5.2.2 Practice your stories out loud

After you've written everything down, a great way to practice your answers is to interview yourself out loud. This may sound strange, but it will significantly improve the way you communicate during an interview. 

You should be able to tell each story naturally, neither missing key details nor memorizing them word-for-word.

Play the role of both the candidate and the interviewer, asking questions and answering them, just like two people would in an interview. Trust us, it works.

5.3 Do mock interviews

As a result, we strongly recommend practicing with a peer interviewing you. If possible, a great place to start is to practice with friends. This can be especially helpful if your friend has experience with behavioral interviews, or is at least familiar with the process. 

5.3.1 Mock interviews with real Meta ex-interviewers

Finally, you should also try to practice behavioral mock interviews with expert ex-interviewers, as they’ll be able to give you much more accurate feedback than friends and peers. 

If you know an ex-interviewer from Facebook/Meta who can help you, that's fantastic! But for most of us, it's tough to find the right connections to make this happen. And it might also be difficult to practice multiple hours with that person unless you know them really well.

Here's the good news. We've already made the connections for you. We’ve created a coaching service where you can practice 1-on-1 with ex-interviewers from Meta and other top tech companies. Learn more and start scheduling sessions today .

Related articles:

Top Answers for Problem Solving Interview Questions

Conquer the Interview: Master the Art of Problem-Solving with MatchBuilt

Interviews can be unpredictable, but your problem-solving responses don’t have to be. At MatchBuilt, we’re not just about finding jobs—we’re about empowering you to navigate the toughest interview questions with confidence and poise.

Navigate Your Interview With Precision:

• Unpack the Challenge: Learn to identify and articulate the problem with finesse.
• Craft Your Methodology: Develop a clear, logical approach to potential solutions.
• Lead with Solutions: Share your thought process and the steps to your successful outcome.
• Soft Skills Spotlight: Balance your technical savvy with the soft skills that showcase you as a complete candidate.

As the founder of MatchBuilt, I’ve seen how problem-solving skills can make or break an interview. They’re the litmus test of your practical know-how and your ability to collaborate under pressure.

Why Entrust Your Career to MatchBuilt?

• Depth of Experience: Insights honed from years of career coaching and talent development.
• Industry Acumen: Advice that’s informed by the realities of today’s job landscape.
• Tactical Expertise: Strategies that have placed numerous candidates in roles where they thrive.

Dive into this guide to turn every problem-solving question from a hurdle into a highlight of your interview. Join me, and let MatchBuilt illuminate the path to your next career milestone.

Strategies for Answering Problem Solving Interview Questions

In order to effectively answer problem-solving interview questions, candidates must demonstrate their critical thinking skills and ability to approach unexpected challenges. Here are some strategies to help candidates navigate these types of questions:

Understand the Problem

The first step in solving any problem is to understand it fully. Candidates should listen carefully to the hiring manager’s description of the situation and ask questions to clarify any uncertainties. This will help them identify potential problems and determine the best way to approach the situation.

Brainstorm and Analyze Options

Once the problem is clear, candidates should brainstorm possible solutions and analyze the pros and cons of each option. They can draw from their past experiences to identify similar situations they’ve faced and the solutions they implemented. This demonstrates their ability to think critically and come up with new ideas .

Implementation

After evaluating their options, candidates must make a decision and explain the reasoning behind it. It’s important to emphasize how they would implement their chosen solution, taking into account potential obstacles and risks. This demonstrates their ability to make informed decisions and execute plans effectively.

Emphasize Soft Skills

In addition to technical skills, hiring managers are often interested in a candidate’s soft skills . This includes communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities . Candidates should showcase how their soft skills complement their technical abilities and help them handle unexpected challenges.

Candidates can use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure their answers and clearly and concisely explain their experience . By using this method, they can provide a sample answer that effectively demonstrates their approach to problem-solving.

In summary, candidates can effectively showcase their problem-solving abilities during the hiring process by understanding the problem, brainstorming and analyzing options, making informed decisions, and emphasizing soft skills. By preparing for various types of questions and drawing from past experiences, candidates can provide specific and effective example answers that demonstrate their ability to solve potential problems in a specific role.

Top 8 Problem Solving Interview Questions and Example Answers

1. describe a situation when you faced a difficult problem at work and how you solved it.

Hiring managers ask this question to understand how candidates handle unexpected challenges and difficult situations. An example answer to this question could be:

In my previous job as a software engineer, we encountered an unexpected challenge during a product launch. Our team had worked on a feature for months, but it wasn’t functioning as expected during the testing phase. After analyzing the code and conducting further tests, we realized that there was a compatibility issue with a third-party software we had integrated. To solve the problem, I led a cross-functional team to identify a workaround that would allow us to launch the product on time. We prioritized features and made strategic decisions to ensure the most critical functionality worked smoothly. By collaborating closely with team members and thinking creatively, we overcame this challenge and delivered a successful product launch.

2. Explain a Time When You Had to Make a Decision Without All the Information You Needed

This question helps hiring managers evaluate candidates’ ability to make informed decisions under pressure. An example answer to this question could be:

In my previous role as a project manager, we were working on a tight deadline for a client deliverable. During the final stages, we encountered a technical issue that we hadn’t anticipated, and we realized that we didn’t have all the information we needed to solve the problem. I had to make a decision quickly to keep the project on track. I relied on my technical expertise and consulted with team members to gather as much information as possible. Based on the available information, I made a decision that allowed us to complete the project on time. Afterward, we conducted a post-mortem analysis to identify the root cause of the problem and make changes to our process to prevent similar issues in the future.

3. Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Work with Someone Who Was Difficult to Get Along With

This question helps hiring managers evaluate candidates’ ability to collaborate and handle conflict . An example answer to this question could be:

In my previous job, I worked on a cross-functional team with a colleague with a very different work style than mine. We had difficulty communicating effectively, which resulted in misaligned priorities and conflicting expectations. To solve the problem, I set up a one-on-one meeting with the colleague to discuss our differences and find common ground. We identified areas where we could collaborate more effectively and established a communication plan to prevent similar misunderstandings in the future. By taking the initiative to address the problem and finding a mutually beneficial solution, we were able to work together more effectively and achieve our goals.

4. Describe a Time When You Had to Analyze Information and Make a Recommendation

This question helps hiring managers evaluate candidates’ analytical skills and ability to make informed recommendations . An example answer to this question could be:

In my previous role as a financial analyst, I was tasked with analyzing a large data set and making a recommendation on a new investment opportunity. I conducted extensive research and analysis, taking into account market trends, industry benchmarks, and financial projections. Based on my findings, I recommended that we pursue the investment opportunity, highlighting the potential for high returns and the alignment with our company’s long-term strategy. The executive team ultimately approved my recommendation, and the investment turned out to be very successful.

5. Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Solve a Problem with Limited Resources

This question is often asked to test a candidate’s ability to work under pressure and come up with creative solutions. One example answer could be:

In my previous role, we had a tight budget and a deadline to launch a new product. Our team was struggling to come up with a cost-effective solution. I suggested we contact local universities to see if any students were interested in working on the project as part of their coursework. We were able to find a group of talented students who worked on the project for a fraction of the cost and delivered exceptional results on time.

6. Explain How You Would Approach a Problem That You Have Never Encountered Before

This question assesses a candidate’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills. An example answer could be:

If I encountered a problem I’d never seen before; my first step would be gathering as much information as possible. I would research the problem and try to understand its root cause. Then, I would brainstorm possible solutions and evaluate each one’s feasibility and potential impact. Finally, I would seek input from other team members and stakeholders to make an informed decision.

7. Describe a Time When You Had to Manage a Crisis Situation

This question tests a candidate’s ability to remain calm and composed in high-pressure situations. An example answer could be:

During my time as a project manager, we experienced a sudden system outage that lasted for several hours. I immediately gathered my team and assigned specific tasks to each member to investigate and resolve the issue. I also communicated regularly with our clients, keeping them informed of our progress and estimated timeline for resolution. By working together and maintaining open communication, we resolved the issue and minimized its impact on our clients.

8. Explain a Time When You Identified a Problem Before Anyone Else and Took Steps to Solve It

This question tests a candidate’s proactive thinking and initiative. An example answer could be:

In my previous role, I noticed that our team was spending excessive time on manual data entry. I researched possible solutions and presented a proposal to my supervisor, suggesting we invest in automation software. After gaining approval, I worked with our IT team to implement the new software, which significantly increased efficiency and productivity for our team.

Problem-Solving Interview Questions: Your Top FAQs Answered

As problem-solving skills are highly valued in most job roles, it’s no surprise that problem-solving interview questions are common in job interviews. However, these types of questions can be challenging to answer effectively, leaving job seekers with a lot of questions. In this section, we’ll address some of the most frequently asked questions about problem-solving interview questions and provide answers to help candidates confidently navigate these types of questions.

Interviewers ask problem-solving questions to assess candidates' ability to think critically, handle challenges, and develop creative solutions. These skills are often essential in the workplace, and employers want to ensure they hire someone who can contribute to the company's success.

Candidates may find it challenging to come up with specific examples that showcase their problem-solving skills. Additionally, they may struggle to articulate their thought process or communicate their solutions effectively.

The best way to answer problem-solving questions is to use a structured approach. Begin by clarifying the problem, brainstorming possible solutions, evaluating each option, and selecting the best solution. It's also essential to communicate your process and reasoning effectively.

You can expect a range of problem-solving questions in a job interview, from general questions about past experiences to hypothetical scenarios that test your critical thinking skills. Examples may include questions about difficult situations you've faced, how you've solved problems with limited resources, or how you approach problems you've never encountered before.

To prepare for problem-solving questions, review the job description and identify any skills or experiences that are essential for the role. Think of specific examples from your past experiences that showcase your problem-solving skills. Practice using the STAR method to structure your answers and communicate your thought process clearly.

It's okay if you don't know the answer to a problem-solving question. Instead, focus on your approach to problem-solving and how you would go about finding a solution. Employers are often more interested in how you think than whether you have all the answers.

If you don't have work experience, think of examples from your academic or personal life that showcase your problem-solving skills. For example, you may have solved a complex problem in a group project, volunteered for a community organization, or participated in a hackathon.

Problem-solving questions can be used for all types of jobs, from entry-level to executive positions. Employers want to ensure that their employees can handle challenges and come up with innovative solutions regardless of their job titles or responsibilities.

Mastering Problem-Solving Interview Questions: Key Takeaways for Job Seekers

Problem-solving interview questions provide hiring managers with valuable insights into a candidate’s problem-solving skills and ability to handle challenging situations. As a candidate, answering these questions with a specific example of a time when you faced a potential problem and describing your problem-solving process can give you a good chance of impressing the hiring manager.

While technical interviews often focus on a candidate’s technical abilities, behavioral questions, including problem-solving questions, provide insight into a candidate’s approach and experience with relevant work-related problems. By emphasizing your problem-solving process and relevant information, you can demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are among the right candidates for the job.

At MatchBuilt Executive Search, we understand the importance of problem-solving interview questions in hiring. Our expertise in helping clients find candidates with the right skills and experience has given us a unique perspective on the best way to approach these questions. By providing innovative and creative solutions to unexpected challenges, our candidates have a better chance of succeeding in the interview process and landing their dream job.

So, whether you are a hiring manager looking for the right candidates or a job seeker looking to showcase your problem-solving skills, understanding the importance of problem-solving interview questions and how to approach them can make all the difference.

Looking for more career advice and tips? Check out our blog for articles on dealing with difficult coworkers, finding the best careers for your personality type , and being more assertive at work . We also cover industry-specific topics, such as the best-paying jobs in homebuilding . Browse our blog for insights and strategies that can help you achieve career success.

Mastering Problem-Solving Interview Questions: Expert Tips and Video Guides

About Mark Matyanowski

As the founder of MatchBuilt, with over 18 years of recruiting and coaching experience and 8+ years in executive roles at a leading Fortune 100 company, I am deeply committed to guiding professionals in their career paths.

Our team at MatchBuilt offers expert support in enhancing resumes, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, and preparing for interviews. Our blog, drawing on our rich experience and industry insights, is a valuable resource for job seekers.

We take pride in successfully guiding job candidates to top-tier company roles while empowering individuals to achieve their career ambitions, irrespective of their background or educational level.

Top 100+ SQL Interview Questions and Practice Exercises

• jobs and career
• sql practice
• sql interview questions

Table of Contents

Review Your SQL Knowledge

Practice regularly, familiarize yourself with the testing platform, prepare for different types of questions, additional tips, explore 55+ general sql interview questions, practice, practice, practice, …, sql cheat sheet, data analysis in sql, window functions, common table expressions, advanced sql, good luck with your interview.

Are you gearing up for a SQL interview? This article is packed with over 100 SQL interview questions and practical exercises, organized by topic, to help you prepare thoroughly and approach your interview with confidence.

SQL is essential for many jobs, like data analysis, data science, software engineering, data engineering, testing, and many others. Preparing well for a SQL interview is crucial, no matter what role you're aiming for.

Searching for a new job can be really stressful, whether you're choosing to switch, have been laid off, or are looking for your first job. That's why being well-prepared is essential.

In this article, I've gathered over 100 SQL interview questions and exercises. These questions are spread across various articles published at LearnSQL.com. I have organized the articles by topic. Feel free to explore only the topics related to your specific job. I've also included tips to help you prepare for your interview.

SQL Interview Preparation Tips

Start preparing for your SQL interview well in advance. Once you're invited to an interview (Congratulations!), ask your recruiter what to expect and what is the format of the interview. For the SQL part you can usually expect coding exercises on an automated testing platform, a take-home assignment, or a whiteboard session.

The key to performing well in a SQL interview is practice. You'll likely be nervous, so the more familiar you are with SQL, the more instinctive your responses will become. Practice a variety of SQL problems so that querying becomes second nature to you.

If your interview involves using a specific coding platform, try to get comfortable with it beforehand. Many platforms offer a demo or practice session, so take advantage of this feature to familiarize yourself with the interface. This familiarity can help reduce stress and improve your performance during the actual interview.

• Coding Platform Questions: Whether during the interview or as a take-home task, make sure you understand the typical questions and problems that might appear on these platforms. Practice solving similar problems under timed conditions.
• Whiteboard Interviews: Be ready to write code in pseudocode and discuss your thought process. Focus on explaining the concepts and logic behind your solutions more than the exact syntax, which demonstrates a deeper understanding of the problem-solving process.
• Review Key SQL Concepts: Make sure you're comfortable with all fundamental SQL operations such as joins, subqueries, window functions, and aggregation. Also, review more advanced topics if the job role demands it.
• Mock Interviews: Consider doing mock interviews with friends or mentors to simulate the interview environment. This practice can help you manage time and stress effectively.
• Rest Well: Ensure you're well-rested before the interview day; a clear mind will help you think and perform better.

By incorporating these strategies into your preparation, you can approach your SQL interview with confidence and increase your chances of success.

Begin by refreshing your SQL knowledge, particularly if you haven't used it in a while. In this section we have collected some resources to assist you.

Our "SQL Basics" course is perfect for beginners or anyone needing a brief review. It covers both basic and intermediate SQL topics. In this course, you will actively write SQL code in various exercises, which will help you grow more confident in your SQL skills as you advance.

After you have refreshed the basics, check out these articles filled with SQL interview questions to help you prepare:

• Complete SQL Practice for Interviews — includes 16 SQL interview questions with practical exercises.
• 16 SQL Interview Questions for Business Analysts — SQL interview questions tailored for analysts.
• 8 Common Entry Level SQL Developer Interview Questions — great for beginners.
• Top 15 SQL Interview Questions in 2021 — a compilation of recent and relevant questions.

After refreshing your SQL skills, it’s important to keep practicing. Interviews can be stressful, and even straightforward topics can become challenging under pressure. The more you practice, the more confidently you can handle questions and problem-solving during an interview.

Here are some practice resources we recommend:

• SQL Practice track – This series includes 10 comprehensive SQL practice courses to sharpen your skills, perfect for those looking for hands-on practice. Key courses in this track include:
• SQL Practice Set – Provides a range of exercises across various SQL topics and databases.
• SQL Practice: A Store – Specifically designed for data analysts, this course offers practical SQL tasks using a database from an online store.
• SQL Practice: Blog & Traffic Data – Perfect for marketers and data analysts, this course focuses on analyzing traffic data from a pet store blog.
• SQL Practice Databases – Gathers a variety of datasets for you to practice with. With no guided exercises, you are encouraged to explore the data, formulate your own questions, and find the answers yourself.

You can find many SQL practice materials and premium resources in Your Guide to SQL Practice at LearnSQL.com .

Lastly, we recommend our SQL Basics Cheat Sheet . It is a quick reference guide that covers basic SQL syntax. Keep it handy as you review your SQL knowledge and practice your skills.

Explore 50+ Specific SQL Topic Interview Questions

After you have refreshed your basic SQL knowledge, you might notice certain topics that are trickier for you or more relevant to your specific job role. In this section we've compiled resources that help you prepare for interview questions on specific SQL topics.

JOINs are a fundamental SQL construction used to combine data from multiple tables. They are also an essential topic at any SQL interview.

In our article The Top 10 SQL JOIN Interview Questions with Answers we've gathered the 10 most common questions about SQL JOINs that you might encounter in interviews. For each question we give you a detailed answer that will highlight what the interviewer is looking for in each question.

If you want to practice SQL JOINs, we recommend our interactive SQL JOINs course . It focuses on exercises specifically about SQL JOINs and contains 93 practice exercises to help you get confidence in your joining skills.

Additionally, we recommend Your Complete Guide to SQL JOINs , a comprehensive article that covers the basic knowledge of SQL JOINs, with additional articles and other resources on our platform.

The GROUP BY clause, paired with aggregate functions, is fundamental in SQL for calculating statistics like counts, averages, and sums from your data. This topic is essential for any SQL interview.

Our article Top 9 SQL GROUP BY Interview Questions provides a collection of the most frequently asked interview questions about GROUP BY . Each question includes a detailed answer, making sure you're prepared to discuss these topics during an interview.

If you are looking for an intermediate-level practice of GROUP BY topics, we recommend our Creating Basic SQL Reports course. It offers 100 exercises that focus on nuances of GROUP BY that can be asked about during an interview. It’s a hands-on course where you write your own SQL queries to help you better understand the issues and commit them to memory.

Furthermore, our article GROUP BY and Aggregate Functions: A Complete Overview gives a thorough explanation of GROUP BY and aggregate functions. This comprehensive guide is an excellent resource to round out your study, ensuring you have a robust understanding of how these functions work and how they can be applied in various scenarios.

We know that many of our users work specifically in the domain of data analysis. For these users, we have prepared an article 25 SQL Interview Questions for Data Analysts , which collects common SQL interview questions that can be asked for a role of data analyst. The article covers intermediate and advanced topics, like CTEs or window functions.

Window functions are an advanced SQL topic. Window functions are particularly useful when writing complex reports in SQL. For this reason, they are essential in data analysis and will come up in any data analysis interview.

Our article Top 10 SQL Window Functions Interview Questions contains the most common interview questions you might encounter regarding window functions. Each question has a detailed answer and links to further resources to help you dive deeper into each topic.

For those looking to refresh their knowledge through practice, we recommend our specialized courses:

• Window Functions – Covers the entire syntax of SQL window functions through interactive, hands-on exercises, making it ideal for those new to window functions or needing a refresher.
• Window Functions Practice Set - Aimed at those already familiar with window functions, this course provides additional practice to help refine your skills and prepare for more complex interview questions.

Additionally, we recommend our Window Functions Cheat Sheet , a handy quick reference guide for window functions. For a more thorough review, SQL Window Functions Guide is a comprehensive article that covers the basics of window functions with links to additional resources.

Common Table Expressions, or CTEs, is another advanced topic crucial for SQL interviews. CTEs help you organize and manage long and complex queries, make writing complex reports easier, and help you query hierarchical structures through recursive queries.

Our article Top 5 SQL CTE Interview Questions compiles essential CTE-related questions you're likely to face in interviews.in an article. Each question in the article is paired with a detailed answer to help you understand what is the most important in each response.

We also recommend our interactive Recursive Queries course that covers the syntax of CTEs through practice. The course is designed to teach the syntax and use of CTEs, including recursive CTEs, through hands-on exercises.

Finally, check out these articles to help you get ready for an advanced SQL interview:

• How to Prepare for an Advanced SQL Interview
• Top 27 Advanced SQL Interview Questions with Answers
• 15 Tricky SQL Interview Questions for Experienced Users

We also suggest our Advanced SQL Practice track, which is an online series of SQL practice courses designed for advanced users.

In this article we have gathered over 100 SQL interview questions and 20 additional resources compiled here to ensure you're thoroughly prepared. To further enhance your preparation, we recommend our All Forever SQL Package . It provides access to all our current and future courses in a single purchase, making it an excellent investment for your ongoing SQL education and interview readiness.

Sign up for free at LearnSQL.com and explore our SQL courses offer . Each month, we offer one of our courses—typically a practical, hands-on course—for free . This gives you a perfect opportunity to try out our resources without any commitment and see how they can help you succeed in your SQL interview. Take advantage of these offers to boost your confidence and sharpen your SQL skills effectively.

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