How to Answer Thinking Outside of The Box

Your interview is going swimmingly, you’ve answered all the common interview questions such as ‘tell me about yourself’, and you’re almost certain you’ve done what you can to impress the hiring manager.

Until, you’re asked to give an example of a time you thought outside of the box.

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To make sure you have the perfect answer, regardless of your experience level, continue watching to find out how you can form a job-winning response.

1. Discuss Workplace Achievements

As most other interview answers, you should avoid talking about personal achievements.

Instead, think about a time where you faced a difficult challenge at work and had to think outside of the box to find a solution.

"Give me an example of a time that you had to think outside of the box"

"During my last role, I was working on a big VIP booking when I discovered that the concert the clients wanted to attend was fully booked. I had to find another avenue to obtain these tickets.

Luckily, there was a ticket available on a trusted partner site for the following day, so I reshuffled the client’s itinerary around to accommodate this change."

As you can see, the candidate here clearly outlines the issue that they faced and the steps that they took to create a solution and resolve the issue by thinking outside of the box.

2. Make Sure That You’re Answer is Positive

When offering an example, make sure that the mistake wasn’t due to your lack of attention to detail or carelessness in the first place.

You don’t want the employer to see you in a bad light by highlighting a mistake that you made, which then forced you to think outside of the box to resolve it.

You want your answer to show that you are a problem-solver and not a problem-maker!

3. Use the STAR Method

To ensure you give a clear and concise answer, follow the STAR method.

By following this approach, you can highlight your skills and abilities through your answer.

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You can begin by describing the context of the example (the Situation), then explain what your initial role and goal was while also listing the problem that you faced (the Task),

followed by the Actions that you took to overcome the problem and concluding with the outcome based on the steps that you took (the Result).

4. Avoid Talking About Something Irrelevant

The hiring manager wants to see how your example relates to their business, so avoid talking about something irrelevant like the following example:

"I saw my neighbour’s cat stuck in a tree once, so I helped it get down by attaching a rope to my bedroom window and climbing into the tree to get it."

While this is somewhat heroic, it has nothing to do with the office role that you’re applying for. Instead, consider using an example from your university or workplace experience. 24 00:02:47,00 --> 00:02:53,00

"‘In my previous role, we were preparing to send out important press invites when the envelopes arrived in the wrong size!"

"To ensure they were sent on time, I had to improvise. I found old invites that hadn’t been sent, opened them carefully and took out the existing invites, and I was strapped for time.

Luckily, my recycling process paid off, and they looked as good as new!"

That sounds stressful, but it sounds like you took control of the situation.

After following this advice, you should know how to answer the question and finish your interview on a high!