situation that you lead a group to do above and beyond what required.

April 04, 2022 Post a Comment

tell me about a time you went above and beyond - interview answer examples

Employers dearest to ask behavioral interview questions like, "Tell me nearly a fourth dimension you went higher up and beyond to get the job washed."

They ask this question in retail, client service, nursing and more than… to test your piece of work ethic and other important traits.

Equally a former recruiter, I'm going to show you, with plenty of examples, how to handle this question to impress employers. Hither's what we'll embrace in the next ten minutes:

Why employers ask about a time you went above and beyond, and the three primal factors they're looking for
How to answer using the Southward.T.A.R. method (while avoiding crucial mistakes that can toll you the job)
Example answers to assist y'all do and experience confident

Why Interviewers Inquire Nearly a Time You lot Went Above and Beyond

Employers inquire for an example of a time you had to go above and across for a few reasons.

First, they're evaluating your mental attitude and work ethic. They want to make sure you're willing to go beyond your task duties.

They don't want to hire someone who'due south going to find the company in a tough situation, and instead of volunteering to do a fleck extra, say, "Pitiful, that'south not a function of my chore description."

So beginning, show that you've got a great mental attitude and willingness to fill in wherever your employer needs you! You don't desire to sound resentful, frustrated, or angry when describing the fourth dimension when you went above and beyond.

And then never blame or badmouth coworkers or customers! That's one of the most critical mistakes. You lot can say, "I was talking to a customer who was quite upset." But don't say, "I was dealing with a terrible customer."

No company wants to hear you talk like that!

Side by side, employers ask this to measure your problem-solving ability. Were you able to call up exterior the box and come up with a smart, effective solution? Can you adjust to difficult situations?

Finally, they want to meet how you perform nether pressure. Were you able to stay calm and relaxed through this experience? Or did y'all panic?

This is merely 1 of many task interview questions designed to mensurate your functioning nether pressure. Staying cool nether pressure is an important skill that many employers look for.

How to Reply, "Tell Me Nigh a Time Yous Went Above and Beyond"

Since this is a behavioral interview question, I recommend using the South.T.A.R. method to organize your respond and describe going above and beyond. Southward.T.AR. is short for Situation, Task, Action, Result:

First, describe the state of affairs you were in.
Then, explicate the chore at hand, or the challenge you had to overcome
Next, explicate the action or plan y'all chose and why.
Finally, draw the upshot and outcome (ideally a result where yous exceeded expectations, helped the customer/customer/patient, or helped the company get out of a tricky situation).

Based on my experience every bit a recruiter, this S.T.A.R. method is the best way to break down behavioral interview questions, which are questions beginning with phrases like, "Tell me about a time…"

What type of situation and story should you choose for your answer?

I recommend sharing a work-related story, fifty-fifty if they don't specifically ask for that. Answering this question with a personal story isn't as effective in disarming an employer that you lot're the person they should hire.

Next, make sure it's a story with a great ending. In the task interview, you desire to share examples where your actions exceeded expectations and brought about a great result!

Also, a more recent story is often more convincing, then if at that place's an example of a time yous had to go above and across in your 1 or two most recent jobs, choose that.

Or, choose an example from a fourth dimension when you worked in the aforementioned industry, or a similar type of part. That way, the hiring manager will view this accomplishment as being more relevant to their job.

And most importantly, ensure that your story is straight answering the interview question. Y'all need to share a situation where you had to become across the typical phone call of duty at work and do something that was not role of your job clarification, and/or not something you were expecting to do that mean solar day!

Answer Examples that Describe Going Above and Beyond

Case of a Time You Went In a higher place and Beyond in Retail/Client Service:

I was working as a customer service supervisor and helping a customer return an item.

However, from behind the customer service desk, I saw someone driblet a glass jar of sauce, which shattered on the floor.

I was the closest employee, so I knew I had to act apace to make certain no shoppers hurt themselves on the glass or slick floor.

I asked the customer who I had been previously helping if they could please look for one infinitesimal, and so immediately went to the surface area of the accident and positioned myself to brand sure that no customers would unknowingly walk through it.

Once I was spotted by a 2d squad member, I asked them to phone call maintenance to clean upwardly the glass and bring a yellow "hazard" sign.

I and then remained at the site until that maintenance team member arrived.

Once the appropriate team member had arrived, I returned to the customer who I had previously been helping, politely apologized for the filibuster, and completed their particular return.

By acting quickly and going exterior of my normal job duties, I was able to stop a potentially dangerous state of affairs, while ensuring that my customer understood the crusade for the delay so that they wouldn't be confused or frustrated as I left temporarily.

Additional reading: Top 17 customer service interview questions.

Example of a Time You Went Above and Across for a Patient:

I was caring for an elderly cancer patient who didn't have much time remaining, unfortunately. His last wish was to enjoy a drink with his lifetime friends. Usually, booze is not permitted on this floor of the hospital, but I spoke with the section head and asked if there was any manner to arrange an exception to grant this patient's final wish.

The next week, the department caput agreed and we were able to allow this patient'southward friends join him for a small-scale gathering and bring a bottle of whiskey.

Additional reading: 22 common nursing interview questions.

More Examples of Going Higher up and Beyond Expectations at Work:

Staying late or adjusting your schedule, even though it wasn't user-friendly for you, to aid the company
Filling in for a manager or boss who couldn't nourish work for unexpected reasons
Going out of your mode to fulfill a special asking for a patient, customer, client, etc.
Anything else you lot did beyond your typical job duties to give your company'southward customers or clients a great experience

One More Play a joke on to Stand Out and "Wow" the Interviewer

If you desire to requite the best answer possible, written report the job requirements and requite an reply that'due south related to the company's needs!

That's how to take your answer to the next level then you can set yourself apart from other people that the interviewer has spoken with!

For instance, if the job description mentions that yous'll exist working in a fast-paced environs and interacting frequently with customers, share a sample of your past piece of work that involves solving a problem for a client in a time-sensitive situation or hectic work surroundings.

You can even explain that you noticed that the employer'southward task description mentions the aforementioned blazon of work surround and go on to say that this past experience is a reason you lot're confident you would be successful in this next role.

The lesser line is: The more you lot can relate your answers to the company's needs and chore requirements when you describe a time when y'all went above and across, the more you lot'll impress the interviewer. So always retrieve near their needs when answering.

If cypher else, the recruiter or hiring manager will be impressed that you did your research and took time to report their task posting, since and then many candidates go into a job interview without knowing much near the company or role.

Conclusion

If yous review the sample responses to a higher place, break your answer down with the S.T.A.R. method, and give an answer targeted to the company's needs, yous'll have an impressive response that exceeds the hiring managing director's expectations and helps you win the job.

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