The Most and Least Challenging Parts of a Job

The Most and Least Challenging Parts of a Job The Most and Least Challenging Parts of a Job In an interview, your potential employers ultimate goal is to assess if the  position is a good fit for you. One way your interviewer might go about this is to figure out which aspects of the job will be the toughest for you to master. Some interviewers will ease into this topic by having you reflect on what you think are the most challenging aspects of the job. The second way to assess your suitability is to ask the opposite question: “Which part of this job would you find to be the least challenging?” Here are some suggestions about how to respond effectively to these two questions.   Most Challenging Aspects As with the common interview question, What is your greatest weakness? it is important that you be  honest  but not rule yourself out as a candidate. The tips below will help you present a strong response:   Focus on the Job Description The best way to approach this question is to  analyze the job at hand  and think about which tasks will be most difficult for you based on your past experiences. Start by breaking down the job into its various components and thinking about the skills, knowledge, and experiences you would need to master each component. You should also think about elements of the job that will require learning or adjustments youll need to make. Make sure to  match your qualifications to the positions requirements. Highlight Solvable Challenges   It is usually best to choose aspects of the job that arent absolutely critical to your specific role. For example, if youre a journalist applying for a position as a web editor, you might mention youre working on improving your photojournalism or video skills. Dont say that proofreading or writing copy will be your biggest challenge because as a web editor these are core responsibilities of the position. Selecting a knowledge or skill area that you lack is generally more advisable than choosing a personality trait that would be hard to change. For example, if youre applying for a sales position, you would not want to mention that reaching out to new people makes you nervous. Instead, you might mention that you have modest skills in PowerPoint but would be glad to take workshops or complete online tutorials to upgrade your skills. Show How Youll Surmount the Challenge If possible, you should also discuss how you might get yourself up to speed in the least amount of time. For example, you might take a course, complete online training, or take seminars on a topic you need help with.  Whenever possible, mention a fundamental strength you possess that would help you overcome the challenge. For example, you could say that youve always been a quick learner.   Be Honest and Specific When it comes to questions that require you to mention something negative, it can be tempting to give a vague response that doesnt truly reveal any weaknesses. However, dodging the question is not the way to go. For one thing, your interviewer will probably notice youre not being forthright.  And for another, it can actually be helpful for your candidacy if you are aware of areas youll need to work on, and are capable of formulating a plan of action. Examples of the Best Answers Here are sample responses when interviewers ask what the most challenging part of the job would be:   One of my big challenges will be adjusting to the new workflow and creating a new type of report to present to clients. My plan would be to ask a lot of questions when preparing my first report. Ill also ask a colleague to review the report before sharing it with the client.Ive previously used Microsoft Word processing and presentation software exclusively, and havent used Googles online equivalents. Although Ill have to learn a whole new set of keyboard shortcuts, Ill devote time to reading blog posts that walk me through the differences between the two types of software, and Ill watch online tutorials. Im excited by the idea of scheduling an offsite conference but itll definitely be a challenge. On the plus side, although I havent organized large corporate events before, I have planned personal events, including a 100-person family reunion, and team-wide holiday dinners for 200 people. If I get this job, one of the first things Ill do is meet with the person who organized last years offsite event to get pointers. Ill also touch base with a former colleague of mine who orchestrated offsite conferences for her company.   Least Challenging Aspects Even though the employer may start by asking about the one simplest aspect of the job, they may well follow up by asking about other parts of the job that would be relatively easy for you to carry out.  You should be ready to share parts of the job that would be comparatively simple for you to master. You should think of a question about the simplest aspect of a job much in the same way as you would a question about  your greatest strength. Start by reviewing the job description and, once again, breaking the position down into its components. Then, focus special attention on the parts of the job that appear to add the most value to the organization and look for a connection with your  skill set. It wont mean as much if you say youll be able to easily handle the parts of the job that they dont value as highly. You can, however, make favorable points if you match your skills with what they value the most. Be prepared to share multiple examples of similar tasks that you have successfully completed in past jobs.  You should be able to describe the situation, actions which you took, skills you drew upon, and the results which you generated. Having multiple examples gives you a better chance of striking gold with matching your skills to the ones they consider key to the position and to the success of their company. Answers to Avoid You dont want to give the impression that you will be quickly bored in the job, as it will present you no challenge at all. Respond with enthusiasm about the parts of the job that wont be challenging, perhaps focusing on skills that you enjoy using, even though you are skilled and experienced with them.