Question 140. Describe an occasion when you had to go to work sick. What were the circumstances?

situation: One day, I woke up without a voice and with a slight fever. As a paralegal, I knew my presence at work was always essential but that day especially I had to prepare a report for one of the attorneys, who needed it the following day.

action: Without hesitation I went into work. Unable to speak, I asked another assistant to answer my phone calls and redirect them or take messages. I focused my efforts on completing the report.

result: The next day I woke up feeling worse and did not make it into work, but the attorney had the report in hand for his court date.

Question 141. Give an example of a small project that you executed that had a departmental impact.

situation: As a seasoned sales manager, I was comfortable serving as mentor, coach, and motivator for the sales teams of King Red Manufacturing. Though the company's sales were strong, there was always room for improvement.

action: Following a series of assessments, I lined up sales representatives with vertical markets that matched their talents, strengths, and personalities.

result: This minor adjustment in territories unexpectedly netted the company an additional 8 percent in revenue.

Question 142. Describe a time when your analytical skills were put to the test.

situation: As a relationship officer for Drummond Financial, I expanded the bank's relationships with its customers by acting as a consultant when offering advice on products.

action: To minimize identity theft, money laundering, and terrorist financing, I complied with the USA Patriot Act and implemented "Know Your

Customer" initiatives. I always took the extra step to ask follow-up questions when a statement the client made didn't mesh with earlier comments or with completed paperwork.

result: The paperwork I submitted was virtually error-free, and it was rare that a member of the quality assurance team returned any forms to me for missing information.

Question 143. Everyone's professional career is peppered with successes and failures. Describe a time when you learned from a mistake you had made.

situation: I assigned a project to a team of employees. Once I outlined the expectations of the project, I left the team to their own devices as to carrying out the plan.

action: When I requested an update, I was informed that the team members were at a standstill. In fact, they did not know how to get started.

result: I called an emergency meeting to describe the steps they needed to take. The next time I assigned a team project, I provided guidance from the onset, to avoid uncertainty on the part of the staff.

Question 144. Describe a time when you were creative in cutting costs.

situation: The real estate industry is tradition-bound. To generate interest in properties, agents usually run advertisements in newspapers, host open houses, and participate in multiple listing services. Although these are effective strategies, I wanted to use technology to reach buyers and renters.

action: To expand my reach while cutting costs, I used new initiatives such as e-mailing existing and potential customers the promotional materials for open listings.

result: I was successful in coordinating fifty finished leases, plus up to seven new appointments per week with clients to discuss housing needs and expectations.

Question 145. Give an example of a time when you had a positive effect on a chronic problem.

situation: When I was hired as a guidance counselor for Kramer High School, the dropout rate for the school was one of the highest in the district.

action: To promote the welfare of students, I counseled students concerning their academic goals, occupational preferences, and educational objectives. In addition, I evaluated transcripts to make certain students were on track to graduate on time.

result: Single-handedly, I reduced the dropout rate by 28 percent, and I increased the number of students who went on to college.

Question 146. Tell me about a time when you managed more than one project at once.

situation: Working for Corel, I directed and implemented over one hundred projects in six months.

action: To ensure progress, I led virtual teams through the project life-cycle, including set-up and execution of schedules, test plans, contract negotiations, and systems reconfiguration while also coordinating the resources and change control in a matrix environment.

result: Without exception, I delivered results within specified time schedules, within budget, and meeting quality standards and code compliance.