Tell me about a challenge you have faced and how did you overcome it?

The interviewer is trying to gather insights about your problem-solving skills and adaptability in a challenging situation with this question. They want to assess your ability to cope with difficulties, react positively and come up with solutions, which is an essential skill in the work place. It is recommended to use a real-life example, preferably from your work experience, that presents you into a hard and challenging situation, which required your problem-solving skills.

Here is how you can structure your answer:

1. Begin by briefly explaining the context of the challenge;
2. Then, describe the problem you faced and why it was a challenge;
3. Show how you took responsibility, own initiative, and actions, you have taken to tackle the problem;
4. Finally, explain the positive result of your actions. If the result didn't turn out as expected, focus on what you learned from the experience.

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method is also useful to follow when formulating your response.

During my tenure as a project manager at XYZ Company, we were to deliver a fully functional software to a client within a short deadline. Unfortunately, a major bug was detected during the final phase, which could potentially delay the deadline. Here, the challenge was to fix the bug without breaching the deadline. I took the responsibility and coordinated with my team to fully understand the impact and potential solutions. We decided to divide the problem into smaller tasks and assigned each to a member who excelled in it. This encouraged team cooperation and allowed us to work on the problem simultaneously. In the end, not only was the bug fixed, but we were also able to deliver the project on time. This experience taught me the value of problem division, time management, team work and clear communication in achieving a task efficiently.

Here is another scenario. As a sales executive, I was assigned to convince a highly potential client who was not interested in our products. The challenge was overcoming rebuttals and creating a need for our product. I prepared a comprehensive presentation, outlining the unique selling points of our product, and how it could help the client's operations and profit. I pleasantly addressed the client's concerns, and demonstrated the potential return on investment, customer service and feedback, and our after-sales services. After the thorough presentation, the target shifted perception and signed a contract with us. This challenge allowed me to improve my persuasion, communication and problem-solving skills.