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Here is a challenging interview question: Tell me about a time when you had to stick by a decision you made even though it made you very unpopular.
This is one of those questions that tests your resolve to stand firm when necessary. It takes leadership and good judgement to stick by an unpopular decision.
There is a behavioral aspect to this question, but what makes it more of a situational interview question is the number of settings or situations in which you made your stand...and more importantly...the results or outcome of your decision.
Examples might include:
- Putting a customer on COD for slow pay history
- Not bending on a company policy or procedure
- Increasing prices on your products or services
- Reducing or denying a warranty claim
- Limiting personal use of company phones, vehicles, merchandise, or supplies
- Enforcing safety rules
- Not relaxing quality requirements for your products
- Not accepting calls or permitting interruptions during a certain time block of the day
- Not accepting a project or report unless it is filled out neatly, completely, and correctly
- Not serving alcohol at company functions
- Charging employees for lost or misplaced items
The real question is, can you stand firm on a decision when the situation warrants it?
There is a lot of hype and sensitivity in the workplace today about teamwork and harmony. This is all well and good, but sometimes we need to have the courage to simply do what is right.
There is a flip side to answering questions like this.
Sometimes people go overboard about doing what is right. There is a fine line between taking a firm stand on something, and being overly rigid and inflexible. As a general rule, throwing the gauntlet down over an issue should be a rare exception in your work environment instead of the norm.
Check Out: My Mock Job Interview Quiz to make sure you're ready for your interview.
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Answer:
Describe a time you made an unpopular decision.
I take every new task or responsibility of my job as a challenge and then try to give my best to come up with the most-right solution to each situation. Talking about the most challenging of all, it was when I was a sales executive during my previous job. I sold a product to a client, which I usually did.
How did you handle the feedback?
I confronted it as soon as possible, to avoid cumulative damage. As soon as you let something unsolved, it festers and becomes always a bigger problem. Unpopular by which standards, and who decides about the place, on the “popularity scale?"
How would you have handled the situation differently?
Before making any decision you must take into consideration the pros and cons. I had to decide who would be affected and what would be the results of the decision. Unfortunately, no one wants to make unpopular decisions but sometimes they have to be made.
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Question 15 of 25 for our Welfare Eligibility Worker Mock Interview
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Question 15 of 25
Describe a recent unpopular decision you made. What was the result?
How to Answer
1st Answer Example
How to Answer
What are some reasons why your decision would be considered "unpopular?" Did people get offended? Did it affect clients in a negative way? First, define unpopular to help you to know how to answer the question. If you have worked in a leadership role, maybe you made a decision that cost someone their job or caused them to feel inadequate. It could be as simple as creating a new rule or regulation. Now thinking about the results, how did you respond? Did you work to remedy the negative responses?
1st Answer Example
"unpopular?"
Advice and Examples: Describe a recent unpopular decision you made. What was the result? For a Welfare Eligibility Worker Interview Question.
15. Describe a recent unpopular decision you made. What was the result?
How to Answer
What are some reasons why your decision would be considered "unpopular?" Did people get offended? Did it affect clients in a negative way? First, define unpopular to help you to know how to answer the question. If you have worked in a leadership role, maybe you made a decision that cost someone their job or caused them to feel inadequate. It could be as simple as creating a new rule or regulation. Now thinking about the results, how did you respond? Did you work to remedy the negative responses?
1st Answer Example
"unpopular?"