What they are really asking

A good result can come from luck. The interviewer wants to hear about a good decision, which is different: you looked at the options, you thought about them clearly, and you chose for reasons you can explain. The reasoning is what they're buying, because it's what you'll bring to their problems.

The trap is a story that's all result and no thinking. "I chose the new supplier, and sales went up" tells them nothing about how you decide. The other trap is picking a decision that was obvious. If anyone would have made the same choice, it isn't much of a story.

A shape that works

The choice, the options, the reasons, the result. Describe the situation in a sentence or two. Name the options you had, including the one you didn't pick. Explain why you chose as you did, which is the heart of the answer. Then give the result, and if you can, say what the decision taught you about how you decide.

Model answers

Listen to how each answer is built, then make it yours.

Answer 1: a restaurant owner
Answer 2: a customer service manager
Answer 3: a recent graduate

Check yourself

1What is the interviewer most interested in?
2Why does the customer service manager mention the refund data?
3Why is an obvious decision a weak choice for this story?

Practice · 3 min

Choose a decision where you had at least two real options. Write the situation, both options, why you chose one, and the result. Record your answer. Listen back and check that the "why" part is the longest part of the story.

Your recording stays on this device. Nothing is uploaded.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.