What Major Problems Have You Encountered At Work? 

When you are applying for an entry level position a typical job interview question is "What major problems have you encountered at work and how did you deal with them?"

Here are sample interview answers which you can edit to fit your personal experiences and background:

I feel that the best way to deal with any challenges is to meet them head on. When I found that one of my colleagues was saying things that weren't true behind my back, I went to him and talked it through. It turned out that he had misunderstood what I had said, and I was able to set the record straight with him, and my supervisor.

Once I found a major flaw in the work of one of the most senior members of the department, which could have been very costly to the company if it had been overlooked. I went directly to him, and called it to his attention so he could fix it before it affected the final outcome.

One of the major problems I have found in this profession has been a lack of proper funding for the programs we are trying to implement. I think that I have a lot of creative ideas to help overcome some of the budget limitations inherent in this type of work.

Why Are You Leaving Your Job?

One of the questions that is typically asked in an interview is "Why are you leaving your job?" or "Why did you leave your previous job?" if you have already moved on. If you were fired from your job, use these answers to respond. If you left of your own accord, review these suggestions on how best to answer and tailor your response to meet your particular situation. Be direct and focus your interview answer on the future, especially if your leaving wasn't under the best of circumstances.

Regardless of why you left, don't speak badly about your previous employer. The interviewer may wonder if you will be bad-mouthing his company next time you're looking for work. I once interviewed a person who told me that her last employer was terrible. They didn't pay her enough, the hours were awful and she hated the job. That company happened to be my company's biggest, and most important, customer. And there is no way I would have hired someone who felt that way, justified or not, about our valuable client. So, she gave up any opportunity of getting the job as soon as she answered the "Why did you leave?" question. Prepare answers to typical job interview questions, like this one, in advance. Practice your responses so you sound positive, and clear, about your circumstances and your goals for the future.

Sample answers to the interview question
 "Why did you leave your job?

I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am an excellent employee and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer.
There isn't room for growth with my current employer and I'm ready to move on to a new challenge.
I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn't job hunt part time while working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's time.
I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.
I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move.
I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head.
After several years in my last position, I'm looking for an company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.
I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
I recently received my degree and I want to utilize my educational background in my next position.

I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge.
I left my last position in order to spend more time with my family. Circumstances have changed and I'm more than ready for full-time employment again.
I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity for advancement.
I was commuting to the city and spending a significant amount of time each day on travel. I would prefer to be closer to home.
To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, I saw this job posting and was intrigued by the position and the company. It sounds like an exciting opportunity and an ideal match with my qualifications.
This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience and I am not able to fully utilize them in my present job.
The company was cutting back and, unfortunately, my job was one of those eliminated.