Drive & initiative

Tell me about a problem that wasn't anyone's job to fix — including yours — that you ended up taking on. Why that one, and what happened?

Tell me about a problem you saw coming and dealt with before anyone else felt it. What tipped you off?

Tell me about a problem that kept coming back in a past role and never got fixed on your watch. What kept it alive?

A more senior teammate is about to send out work with what you're sure is a serious mistake in it, and they haven't asked your opinion. What do you do?

junior situational

Tell me about a target you set for yourself that nobody asked you to hit. How did you hold yourself to it when no one was checking?

Tell me about a goal you were serious about and still fell short of. What did you do once the gap was clear?

Walk me through the longest you've stayed on a single piece of work that kept fighting back. What kept you going, and what finally moved it?

Tell me about a deadline that was heading for trouble until you put in effort nobody had asked of you. Why was that one worth it?

Describe a calculated bet you made on a piece of work that didn't pay off. What did you weigh beforehand, and who knew you were taking it?

senior

Tell me about a time your initiative overshot — you acted on your own and later wished you'd checked with someone first. What did you misread?

Tell me about a problem that landed while your manager was unreachable. What did you decide yourself, and what did you hold for their return?

junior