behavioral SkillStorm

Question 1

B1. Describe how you have worked on a team project

Answer 1

Situation:
At Tech Elevator, I was part of a team of four engineers tasked with creating a full-stack animal shelter website. We collaborated closely with a product owner and a project manager to complete this within a two-week deadline.

	Task:
		Our challenge was to efficiently divide the work among front-end and back-end development while ensuring seamless integration and communication within the team.

	Action:
		We adopted a combination of individual and pair programming approaches. While two developers, including myself, focused on the front end, the other two worked on the back end. We often programmed in the same room, facilitating immediate communication and problem-solving. For complex features, we even conducted four-person programming sessions to ensure everyone was aligned. My role often involved driving the development process forward, particularly by maintaining focus and momentum when others were distracted.

	Result:
		This collaborative approach not only minimized git conflicts but also accelerated our progress. It allowed for a smooth integration of front and back end components and gave each team member valuable exposure to both aspects of the project, leading to the successful and timely completion of the website.

Question 2

B2. Describe the thing that you have changed that has made a large improvement

Answer 2

Situation:
At Tech Elevator, I faced challenges in maintaining focus and energy due to the intense learning environment.

	Task:
		I needed to improve my mental and physical well-being to enhance my learning efficiency.

	Action:
		I initiated a routine of regular cardio exercises and started waking up early to establish a disciplined daily schedule, aiming for better physical fitness and mental clarity.

	Result:
		These lifestyle changes significantly boosted my concentration, engagement, and energy levels, leading to improved performance in the program. It underscored the importance of personal well-being in professional and academic success.

Question 3

B3. Describe your strongest and weakest side and how you deal with the weakest one

Answer 3

Situation:
In my role as an orchestral violinist, I realized my detailed approach to playing sometimes led to slight misalignment with my section’s collective interpretation.

	Task:
		I needed to balance my precision with the ability to synchronize better with the section's overall performance style.

	Action:
		I reviewed rehearsal recordings and sought feedback from my section leader, focusing on group practices and aligning my playing with the the section's dynamics.

	Result:
		This approach improved my synchronization with the section, enhancing our collective sound and demonstrating the importance of adapting individual skills for team harmony. It was a valuable lesson in balancing personal strengths with group cohesion.

Question 4

B4. give additional information about your background that is not on your resume

Answer 4

Situation:
I volunteered for a performance at an elderly residence in Japan, combining my musical skills with my proficiency in Japanese, my second language.

	Task:
		The challenge was to deliver an engaging musical performance and introduce each piece in Japanese (even if it was my second language), ensuring clear communication and cultural connection with the audience.

	Action:
		I prepared by thoroughly practicing the music and carefully scripting my introductions in Japanese, focusing on clear, understandable language to resonate with the residents.

	Result:
		The performance was warmly received, and my Japanese introductions bridged the cultural gap. This experience not only enriched my language skills but also highlighted my adaptability and ability to engage with diverse audiences.

Question 5

B5. describe a challenge and how you overcame it

Answer 5

Situation:
At the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra, I was tasked with learning a difficult 21st-century composition with complex rhythms.

	Task:
		My goal was to master the piece to ensure a confident and accurate performance.

	Action:
		I implemented a structured practice approach using a metronome, starting at a reduced speed for challenging sections and gradually increasing the tempo by small increments. This meticulous method was applied to both specific passages and the entire piece, aiming to exceed the required performance tempo.

	Result:
		This strategy led to me being exceptionally well-prepared by the first rehearsal, contributing to a successful performance. It underscored the effectiveness of methodical preparation in mastering complex music.

Question 6

B6. Describe a time when you cooperated with someone outside of your team/department/group in an activity that turned out to benefit both teams/departments/groups.

Question 7

B7. Describe a situation in which you made an effort to repair an important relationship. What made this relationship important to you and the business?

Question 8

B8. We’ve all had to make a decision with limited information. Tell me about a time this happened to you.

Question 9

B9. At one time we all thought we handled a problem successfully only to find we had only affected a symptom of a larger problem. Can you give me an example of when this happened to you?

Question 10

B10. Give an example of a time when you were able to apply existing technology or knowledge in a new way to solve a problem.

Answer 10

Situation: The team needed to optimize a web application for mobile devices but lacked specific mobile development experience.
Task: To create a responsive web design.
Action: You used your understanding of CSS and HTML to implement a flexible grid layout and media queries.
Result: This approach successfully optimized the application for various mobile devices.

Question 11

B11. Can you give me a recent example of when you suggested a teammate try a different way to solve a problem, but it didn’t work as well as the original approach?

Question 12

B12. Tell me about the ways in which you have worked with group members to develop new and innovative ideas to solve business problems. Give me a recent example.

Answer 12

Always doing either pair programming or programming as the team of 4 for the animal shelter

Situation: Struggling with frequent merge conflicts in our group project’s code repository.
Task: Find a solution to streamline the code integration process.
Action: Proposed adopting a Git workflow strategy and conducted a team workshop on it.
Result: Merge conflicts significantly decreased, and team collaboration improved.

Question 13

B13, Tell me about a recent time when you thought, “There’s got to be a better way…”, and then you found one.

Answer 13

When developing Tenmo, the act of getting the balance of the person. How I had an argument with one of the developers about how to go about it. Found a simpler way of implementing it

Question 14

B14. Describe a time when you had difficulty convincing a work team to implement changes. How did you address their issues?

Question 15

B15. Describe your biggest disappointment at work. Why was this so disappointing for you?

Question 16

B16.Tell me about a time when you were particularly satisfied with your work situation. Why was this situation so gratifying?

Question 17

B17. Give me an example of a time when you worked with a group/team to determine project responsibilities. What difficulties or issues came up?

Question 18

B18. Think of someone from another department with whom you’ve worked with who would say you’re a good partner. Why would that person say that? Provide examples.

Question 19

B19. Describe the steps you took to identify or understand a complicated problem you have had to deal with on your job.

Answer 19

The transferring money part from TEnmo

Question 20

B20. Describe a time when you weighed the pros and cons of a situation and decided not to take action, even though you were under pressure to do so.

Answer 20

Toast Notifications for Animal Shelter

Situation: Faced with an opportunity to implement an advanced feature using a technology none of us were familiar with.
Task: Evaluate the learning curve and potential impact on the project timeline.
Action: Conducted a quick feasibility study and a team discussion.
Result: Chose not to implement the feature, focusing on using our current skills to ensure project completion on time.

Question 21

B21. Describe a time at work when you helped a coworker learn to use a new technology tool.

Question 22

B22. Can you think of a time when you recommended a solution that was or wasn’t accepted by the customer or internal group? What was the reason?

Question 23

B23. Tell me about one of the most difficult meetings you’ve had where you needed to gain someone’s agreement or commitment to an idea or plan.

Question 24

B24. Give me an example of a time when you were able to get someone from outside your workgroup to cooperate with you on an important initiative or project.

Question 25

B25, Describe a situation in which you had to use a different approach because your initial approach failed to persuade others.

Answer 25

Situation: There was tension between a horn player and a personnel manager.
Task: I needed to resolve this to maintain a harmonious environment.
Action: Initially, I tried to mediate/translate between the two people, but it did not work. Invited the management to participate.
Result: This led to a compromise that ended up helping the horn player.