What Challenges Are You Looking For in a Position?

What challenges are you looking for in a position? This question is posed to find out what kinds of scenarios you enjoy ‘getting your teeth into’. Some people are quite passive in their job, and would prefer routine, whereas others need a bit of a challenge, something to shake up their day. Remember, you can use personal examples of challenges you have been given in the past.

Example Answers

“I love the challenge of dealing with unhappy or irritated customers. To think that someone can walk in and be really unhappy with the company, and I am the person that can talk to them, solve their problem, restore their faith in the company, and have them leave happy and smiling just makes my day, and makes me really love coming in to work every morning.”

“I like to be challenged by having targets to work towards. Knowing that each day I have say 30 customers to sign up, and I hit that by lunchtime, actually motivates me to get back on that task after my lunch break and see how much further I can go.”

“As a canvasser, I love the challenge of making the right first impression. Knowing that I only have those few vital seconds as the occupier opens the door to capture their interest enough not to shut it again really gets me going. I must have knocked on tens of thousands of doors in my last position, and I only ever had the door shut in it once.”

“As a builder, I love the challenge of creating a home from a drawing. Being able to look at an architect’s plans, and know that the trust has been given to you to build that drawing is just amazing. The more strange and intricate the better!”

“As a joiner, I love the challenge of making very intricate and fine pieces from wood. My personal favourite challenge has to be when a customer asks for fine carving to be undertaken. It really is a challenge to carve tiny, flowing lines out of wood, and it takes a lot of time, but it is fantastically rewarding.”

“As a teacher, I find difficult pupils are a challenge I enjoy. To know that a student that has been written off as a trouble maker by other establishments, comes to you and you get to know them, find out how to engage with them, and then see them leaving with excellent exam results and into gainful employment is just fantastic.”

Read the job description well, it will give you an idea of what the company thinks the challenges will be. Be sure to include them in your answers! Everyone should love a CHALLENGE! It’s what keeps us motivated!

Good luck.

photo by: Mary