“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” – Stephen Hawking
Change happens all the time, whether we are ready for it or not. The really important factor is how we react to change in both our personal and professional lives. Some people see change as a challenge and look for ways to turn that change into an opportunity. Others feel threatened by change, and that fear means they will try and either avoid the change or argue against it. Companies are looking for people who can keep their fear under control, face change with courage and deal with it in a professional way.
Basic Interview Questions About How You Adapt to Change
At some point during your job interview, you may be asked about how you adapt to change. If the role is largely based on routine work you may just be asked a basic interview question like the ones below.
You must always answer that you are adaptable to change and then go on to explain how.
See Post on How to Answer: How Adaptable Are You To Change?
You may also be asked a basic question about how you handle change generally. Link through to the post below for different examples of how you can answer.
See Post on How to Answer: How Do You Handle Change?
And finally you may be asked specifically what sort of work environment you prefer. Read our answer and develop one of your own.
See Post on How to Answer: You Prefer a Structured Routine or One With Change & New Experiences?
Specific Behavioral Interview Questions About Adapting to Change:
Most interviewers will ask very targeted behavioral interview questions to understand exactly how you adapt to change in the workplace and in the specific role they are recruiting for. The following are 9 behavioral interview questions about adapting to change that you may be asked.
Here are some prepared Answers:
Here’s a Great Way to Show You Can Adjust to Change
Tell me about a situation in which you have had to adjust to changes that were outside of your control. How did you handle it?
How to Adjust Your Work Style To Get What You Want
Tell me about a time when you had to adjust to a colleague’s working style in order to complete a project or achieve your objectives.
3 Things You Must Say About Your Transition From High School To University
How would you describe your transition from high school to university? Did you face any particular problems? How did you handle them?
How Change Management Can Reduce Workplace Frustration
Can you tell me about a time or a project when you became frustrated or irritated because something kept changing on you? How did you handle it?
How to Show You Apply Change Management With Ease
Describe a situation or project which required you to remain flexible and open-minded in order to succeed at something.
How Simple Change Management Can Help You Achieve Your Goals
Can you tell me about a situation in which you had to change your initial approach to a project or assignment in order to achieve your goal?
Show You Can Juggle More Than One Project at a Time
Tell me about a time when you had to take on a new assignment when you were still heavily involved with another one? What happened?
5 Steps to Take You From Chaos to Meeting All Deadlines
Tell me about a time when you had to meet scheduled deadlines and your work was being continually disrupted? What was the most difficult challenge? how did you overcome it?
How to Show You Can Adapt to Difficult Situations
Tell us about a time that you had to adapt to a particularly difficult situation. What steps did you take to manage it?
