Interview prep - how to spin questions when you don't know the answer!

[pancakes22]

I haven't interviewed in over 10 years and when I've been researching standard interview questions I'm getting stumped! At the moment I'm doing admin in a PA role and so questions like tell me about a time when you resolved workplace conflict, or had to make quick decisions, or overcome big challenges etc and I'm panicking that I just don't have examples for this kind of thing.

Trying to think of something where I'm going over and above - I was asked to book a train ticket but I also printed it off, added details to diary, found him walking directions too for when they arrived for where they were going and they seemed pleased with that.... but that's just my job, not really going over and above is it?

I feel a bit pathetic not being able to think of these things which isn't helping with trying to act confident at an interview!

Any tips on how to spin these kind of things?!

Unfortunately you need to answer the question asked because they tend to score answers.

I would look at trying to write some questions out and some example answers structured as situation, task, action, result.

Don't be afraid to use the same examples.

Have they told you the interview format? Do they have competencies at all that you will be measured against?

You could certainly use that above example BTW, just express it slightly differently. Im sure someone will be along to give some pointers.

Definitely that example would be fine, you just deliver with confidence and say that you go over and above as an example of going the extra red mile. I have had plenty of PAs and many of them wouldn’t do that without being asked or cock up the booking like a non flexible ticket so I can’t come back early without paying more. A good PA does what you do so that’s definitely a good example of going over and above. Just pad it out and think of a couple more like that. They could be small things but if you can rattle off a few it will sound good.

Maybe you could answer hypothetically?

Try not to panic. I find that more often than not, the issue is not that people don't have examples, but that they don't recognise the skills they are using day to day. My wife is terrible for this, she tells me she doesn't go above and beyond but in reality she's just so used to doing it that she sees it as normal, when we talk things through we normally find lots of examples.
Remember the STAR method. Situation, task, action, result. Brief explanation of what was happening, the basic task you needed to do, what you then did going out of your way (remember the interviewers weren't there, so you can massage a bit if there was something else you later thought you could have done but didn't..) and then how this helped the customer and your team/company.

Thank you so much everyone. Yes can definitely think of few more examples like that one.

I had never heard of the star method so that's really good to know too thank you

@MrsRubyMonday that's so true! It's hard to think of exemplary things when you just think that's normal day to day stuff!