This is one of the most common job interview questions: How do you handle change?
When you start at a new job, many things are going to feel different. You are going to have different coworkers. You are going to have different supervisors. You are going to have different tasks. These can all be stressful events. In addition, while you are working changes will be made as well. Staff members will come and go. Companies will change their business strategies. Things happen.
It is these differences that inspired the interview question “how well do you handle change?”
A company that hires someone that does not handle change well is going to experience severe problems with productivity. Clearly your answer should be that you handle change well. However, you do not want to leave an answer at “I handle change well.” This answer is a little too short and doesn’t let them get to know your abilities. Below are some different ways you can answer this type of job interview question.
Possible Answers:
- “Change is what makes life interesting. Monotony may be easy, but it is not exciting. Positive or negative I am happy to adapt to any situation simply for the experience.”
- “Everything, every day and everyone is different. No two tasks are ever the same, just as the same person may have different emotions, actions or responses at any given time. I don’t consider change to be a big deal because even the things that are ‘the same’ have differences.”
- “We live with change every day of our lives. I consider myself adaptable to this change and have long since grown to appreciate it as a unique part of life.”
You should find your own answer, but these examples should serve to show you that there are ways to answer this question beyond “yes, I handle change well” that will improve your job chances and help your answer to the interview question become more believable and not a cop out designed to avoid responding.
Take Away Interview Tips:
- Try to expand your answer rather than simply saying “I handle change well.”
See Related Posts:
How to Answer – Do You Prefer a Structured Routine or One with Constant Change?
