How to answer “Tell me about an idea you implemented” in a job interview

You're interviewing for your dream job and feeling pretty confident.

Then the interviewer says, "Tell me about an idea you’ve implemented."

Your mind goes blank. There’s not a single idea in your head.

Take a deep breath. You got this!

Drawing on your experience will help you develop the perfect answer to the question.

When an interviewer asks this question, they want to know:

• Can you think independently to solve a problem?

• Are you proactive?

• How will your skills benefit the company?

Think of an idea you implemented that made a difference. 

• Use an idea that's related to the position or field. Did you improve efficiency or help the company save money?

• Don't worry if you don’t have any related experience. Did you have an idea that helped your team or club? Or improved your personal efficiency?

• Keep your story short and to the point.

• Use numbers and details to support the effectiveness of your idea if you can.

• Avoid using an idea that was not successful.

Remember!

They're interested in your ability to solve a problem, not the idea itself.

"My boss asked me to find a way to keep clients informed about their projects. I implemented a weekly email to each client with updates from all the team members working on their project. This improved communication and transparency and increased client satisfaction by 50%."

Now It's Your Turn

You're in a job interview and the interviewer asks you to talk about an idea you've implemented.

Which idea best demonstrates your problem-solving skills?

A. I had a great idea to raise money for our club. I think it would have been really successful, but the other members voted it down.

B. I had an idea to reorganize the product placement in the store. It resulted in increased sales for our promoted items.

C. I have several ideas for new projects. I'm hoping to get them started soon.

Remember these tips to ace your next interview: