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“Tell me about a time when you had to make a hard decision” or “What was the toughest decision you ever had to make” is a common HR interview question. In this page you will find the complete guide to answer this HR question.
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“Tell me about a time when you had to make a hard decision” is a common HR question, which is mostly asked to experienced candidates but it can also be asked to freshers. This question is asked to check what a candidate considers as a tough decision and how they have reached this conclusion and the conditions that led to such a decision.
This question is a sort of situational question, where the candidate is expected to describe a situation, where they had to take a tough decision. To answer this question, you have to give all the details to the interviewer. You should frame your answer using the following pattern:-
First describe the situation you were in that led to the decision. You don’t need to go into details, but put emphasis on the part which led to the consequent decision.
Examples:-
Tell what happened that led to the decision. Explain the reason why you had to take the decision.
This is the main part of the answer. What exactly was the hardest decision that you had to make in this situation because of this reason? Tell the interviewer how you reached the conclusion and executed the decision.
End your answer with how the decision impacted or altered the outcome. Include how your decision made the ultimate outcome a positive one
Using the above guide you can frame your own answer for this question. Below we have provided sample answers which you can use for reference.
Inside a squad, the decisions I must make are difficult because they take longer and necessitate deliberate interaction with team members. For example, I worked on a group project and had to make a variety of choices about how to spend our limited budget. Our team knew how to connect easily with one another and these decisions involved group meetings, and I agree that we individually made the best decisions for the team.
Layoffs was one of the most important choices I have to make as a boss. Before making such difficult choices, I do consider what is best for the company and my workers. Though I dislike making such decisions, I am not opposed to doing so as part of my career. Due to the economic downturn a few years back, I had to let certain workers go. It was a difficult decision, but one that was eventually important for the company’s and everyone’s sake.
When I have to choose between the strong members of the promotion team, I find that it is the most difficult decision I have to make. There have been moments when, despite preferring one person over another, I had to choose another based on their willingness to embrace the responsibilities of their new career. I’ve had to encourage younger employees over older employees on several occasions mostly because they had more experience in technology and were more likely to work overtime. It’s never easy, but you have to consider who will be the most important and successful in the new location at the end of the day.
“Moving from my old team to my new team at work was perhaps the most difficult decision I had to make.” I’d spent two years with my old squad, and we’d accomplished a lot in that period. The boss of the other department confronted me and asked if I would be interested in the new role, which I initially declined. She did, however, discuss the situation with me.
Answer:-
This question is generally not asked to freshers as it highly unlikely that you ever were stationed at a decision making position. You can however include times when you were leading any committee in college and had to take any important decision.
Answer:-
Saying No directly will give a negative impact. Instead you can say that I have never been in such a position as of now.
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