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Original poster

is this possible interview answer too personal?

89 replies

ireallydontcare · 20/08/2017 22:28

I'm looking at possible competency questions and where I could be asked about meeting a challenging deadline I was going to say something like (I've shortened it for the purposes of this thread)

The company put me on a course. it was challenging as I had 6 months to complete the course but it was not accessible for me as a disabled person. I had to find a way to complete my course in alternative ways. I asked other participants for a copy of their notes, I asked the tutor for extra 1 to 1 meetings, I asked my manager for extra study days, I asked the tutor for adjustments and I tried to set aside some time in my diary to work on the course. I went from thinking I would not be able to do the course to getting the highest marks.

What do you think? too personal? crappy example? change to something else? Any suggestions for maybe wording it better?

I don't want to sound critical of the company either.

OP posts:
Mothersdaughter321 · 20/08/2017 22:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YogiYoni · 20/08/2017 22:49

You could definitely use thecourse as the answer, but I think the way you're wording it could be counter productive. It sounds like you made more work for other people (which might not be the case).

highinthesky · 20/08/2017 22:54

You could definitely use thecourse as the answer, but I think the way you're wording it could be counter productive. It sounds like you made more work for other people

I couldn't agree more, the response sounds like you'd be hard work without giving back. Mothersdaughter has rephrased it well.

Bluntness100 · 20/08/2017 23:00

I'd agree, it's not too personal, it does though make uou sound like you need a lot of extra support. I'm unsure if that's the message you wish to portray to them.

Original poster
ireallydontcare · 20/08/2017 23:04

"hard work"? :(

I'm disabled, I wasn't given adjustments for the course, which wasn't my fault, and it was me who had to try to find a solution rather than my employers sorting it out (I forgot to mention its an internal promotion I'm going for). Despite all that sh*t, I managed to not only pass but get the highest marks.

I know I need to word it better and that it could be a problem solving answer instead, but I don't see how it could present me as 'hard work' when I managed to find a solution to a problem that wasn't of my doing?

OP posts:
Original poster
ireallydontcare · 20/08/2017 23:07

I worry all the time that my employers see my disabilities as 'hard work'...and it's hurtful that someone on MN would agree with that. I thought it may show that my disabilities didn't hold me back and that I am determined, resilient, able to find solutions etc but I guess i need to find another answer.

OP posts:
TheClacksAreDown · 20/08/2017 23:13

I think if you can find something else I would. It brings the attention unnecessarily onto your disability (I don't think you've said what it is) making things difficult and might give the interviewer the impression you will regularly need a great deal of adjustments of everyone else around you. That's not to say you won't need adjustments but that is a later conversation. Whereas here you want to be in sales mode as to how you go over and above for your clients/stakeholders/patients or whatever.

highinthesky · 20/08/2017 23:14

OP, this is a job interview. Give the prospective employer reasons to hire you, not reasons to reject you. That means being a good cultural fit.

The slightest glimmer of defensiveness during an interview is not going to do you any favours so get it out of your system on this thread.

Viviennemary · 20/08/2017 23:20

No I don't think this is a good example of meeting this particular competency. I agree with the poster who said your example was better for overcoming obstacles and difficulties.

FeedMeAndTellMeImPretty · 20/08/2017 23:21

I think it's a good example, but yes it needs rewording so there's less of what you asked other people for and more of what YOU actually did to ensure you passed. I'm sure it's just the wording that is making it sound like a negative, when actually its something that you have turned around, but you do want it to sound like less of a struggle and more of an accomplishment. Good luck.

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 20/08/2017 23:21

I don't think the pp was saying you would be hard work because of your disability; rather that the wording of your answer makes it come across that way. With a little tweaking it could be fine for an "overcoming obstacles" or deadline-related question.

Something more along the lines of "Although my disability made this deadline harder to meet, I used my determination and initiative to ensure I met the deadline, managing my time carefully and working with others to ensure a successful outcome" sort of thing.

SwedishEdith · 20/08/2017 23:29

I think you just need to rephrase your example to sound more positive. Maybe like this?

I asked other participants for a copy of their notes sought copies of students' notes , I asked the tutor for arranged extra 1 to 1 meetings with the tutor, I asked my manager for agreed extra study days with my manager whilst making sure I delivered my workload/met my deadlines, I asked the tutor for agreed adjustments with the tutor and I set aside some time in my diary to work on the course.

hedgebitch · 20/08/2017 23:40

Yes, what SwedishEdith said - it is a good example of getting stuff done, but if you repeat "I asked for" four times in a row, it may wrongly stick in the interviewers' heads that all you did was lean on others to do things for you.

You planned well ahead, setting up arrangements with the appropriate people to make sure you had the resources you needed to complete the course on time. With careful time management you not only met your study deadlines, you exceeded your own expectations and came top of the class. That's what you did.

Loopytiles · 20/08/2017 23:43

Agree with PPs. If you have an alternative example, perhaps about a deadline of a few hours, days or weeks, that'd be better.

Belindaboom · 20/08/2017 23:51

Having a disability doesn't affect whether you'll be a good cultural fit or not PP Hmm

Good luck OP, I do think it's a better answer for a "tell me about a challenging situation you overcame" scenario though.

SavingM0neyChoice · 21/08/2017 00:57

'meeting challenging deadlines' I would suggest saying something like you always meet your deadlines. You assess the situation, so you would prioritise duties in to critical must do, second tasks do that day and roll over to the next day. You could mention tools that you use like diary, calendar, reminder systems, arriving on time, not being distracted. Another good thing to say to people if they ask you to do something is a polite no, but I can help you when I have some spare time. Tell them you always meet your deadlines. Hope this helps. Keep it generic unless they ask you for examples

flowery · 21/08/2017 15:27

"Keep it generic unless they ask you for examples"

I disagree. Always use examples to answer interview questions even if you are not asked for them. An example of when you have demonstrated a particular competency in the past is far more convincing and credible than a generic or hypothetical answer.

Anyone can say an ideal answer about how they would deal with something but giving real life details of when you have actually done the thing is more reassuring to an interviewer in terms of being a predictor of how you'd handle the situation in future.

TheChineseChicken · 21/08/2017 15:32

I agree that the example doesn't really tackle the subject of deadlines. Also, in a job interview it is more valuable to give examples from work situations, otherwise it seems like you don't have any and are having to fall back on personal ones. Are there some deadline meeting examples from your current role you can use?

pigeondujour · 21/08/2017 15:36

If you don't give an example you're not going to get terribly far in a competency interview.

Is it a CS job, OP? You should have two answers prepared for each competency really. Do you have another that might be stronger and use this as backup?

It's all in the wording - rather than 'I asked for', say what you yourself did - a pp gave some good rewording ^.

YogiYoni · 21/08/2017 15:37

I didn't mean any offence, OP. I just think it's badly worded.

This is what you wrote:
I had to find a way to complete my course in alternative ways. I asked other participants for a copy of their notes (this sounds like more work for others), I asked the tutor for extra 1 to 1 meetings (more work for others), I asked my manager for extra study days (more work for others), I asked the tutor for adjustments (more work for others) and I tried to set aside some time in my diary to work on the course ('tried to' suggests you weren't that committed - it was your course; of course you should set aside time to do it!)

You need to make it sound like YOU met this deadline - not that you asked others to meet it for you.

How about something like this?
I recently completed XXX course. To do this, I set aside time each day/week/month (whatever is most appropriate) to research/complete/undertake the course content; built close relationships with the course leader and the rest of my cohort in order to share best practice; and arranged additional study sessions. Completing this course will also help me undertake [new job] by...

Dina1234 · 21/08/2017 15:38

The answer makes you sound like you need a lot of help so I would pick something different.

Bluntness100 · 21/08/2017 15:47

Ah op, you've reacted angrily and very defensively when clearly no harm was intended, you asked and an honest answer is best to help you get the promotion rather than simply "yes good example" and letting uou get on with it.

You just need to reword your answer. Something like by going over and above and working extensively on it, doing additional research a course that was originally inaccessible I then became highest performer, showing when it comes to it, I go the extra mile to over come obstacles and achieve.

GlitterGlue · 21/08/2017 18:51

Referring to your disability (or children etc) shouldn't make a difference, but it often does so I would choose a different example.

On what other occasions have you had to work to a deadline? They want you to bang on about prioritising stuff, diary management, other tools. They want to know what you specifically did to make it work.

Belindaboom · 21/08/2017 19:30

I really don't think the op reacted angrily.

With a new employer, no I wouldn't flag up my disabilities but with a current one they already know, why not make it into a positive?

SingaSong12 · 21/08/2017 19:57

OP I think your course could be a good example. I agree with some PP that you need to rewrite to be more positive about the things you did. As currently worded I might feel you needed a lot of help and might need that in the new post.

How many deadlines were there in the course? If it was various assignments you can mention your time management over the six months. Is everyone expected to complete the course in six months or was this a shorter time scale - will the interviewer know that? As you were having study days were you also managing and meeting deadlines in your work? Did you have to use skills to balance the job and the course E.g identify and concentrate on a busy period at work and then catch up on the course?

If the only deadline is an exam at the end of the course than maybe this would be a better example of overcoming obstacles.