When was one of the times that you assisted one of your colleagues outside of your responsibilities? How did things go?

Question Analysis

This question is a behavioral interview question designed to assess your willingness to go beyond your defined role and demonstrate teamwork and adaptability. The interviewer is interested in understanding your ability to assist others, your problem-solving skills, and the impact of your actions. A strong answer will illustrate a specific instance where you took initiative to help a colleague, the actions you took, and the positive outcome that resulted from your intervention.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I noticed that one of my colleagues in the marketing department was struggling to meet a critical deadline for a campaign launch due to unexpected personal issues.

Task: Although it was outside my direct responsibilities, I saw an opportunity to assist and ensure the project's success by offering my help.

Action: I approached my colleague and offered to take over some of the tasks related to coordinating with external vendors, which was an area where I had previous experience. I adjusted my schedule to allocate time for these additional responsibilities and communicated with the team to keep everyone updated on progress.

Result: My involvement helped alleviate my colleague's workload, allowing them to focus on the creative aspects of the campaign. As a result, we successfully launched the campaign on time, which received positive feedback from the client and boosted team morale. My manager later appreciated my initiative, which reinforced a culture of collaboration within the team.