“Are you innovative?” A tough graduate interview question

The success of any employer depends on the people who work there, the ideas they can bring to the table and their ability to make a positive impact on the company’s operations. So don’t be surprised if your graduate job interview includes a question about how innovative you are.

Several alumni have told us that they find the word ‘innovation’ intimidating, worry that they are not innovative enough, or struggle to think of an example of when they have been innovative. It can be difficult to find a good answer on the spot. However, if you take the time to prepare an answer before the interview and use our tips below, you will have no reason to be nervous.

Get help answering tougher interview questions with our article on the top nine tough interview questions and answers.

You can practice difficult interview questions using resources from our partners at Shortlist.Me.

How not to answer the interview question “Are you innovative?”

1.

“I’m not too sure if I’m innovative.”


While this may be the first thing that comes to mind, it’s better to take some time to think about what you want to say rather than blurting it out. Rather than demonstrating your innovativeness, it may indicate that you are not putting in the effort or enthusiasm for the job.

2.

‘No doubt. I am the most innovative person I know.


You don’t want to overdo yourself with such a bold statement, especially without any evidence of your experience or accomplishments. It’s good to be confident, and it’s definitely good to say that you think you’re innovative, but you don’t want to sound arrogant.

3.

“Yes, I would say I am innovative. I just finished a group project at university. We needed 30 students to complete our questionnaire, but we struggled to recruit enough people. My friend Bill came up with a great idea: all participants were entered into a raffle for prizes and the winner received a pizza from us.”


The good thing about this answer is that it gives a real example of an innovative solution. You should try to include an example in your answer. Unfortunately, this example is someone else’s idea. It is important that the answer you give demonstrates

Yours

innovativeness.

What is the Graduate Recruiter Really Asking?

Innovation will mean slightly different things to different employers; while an engineering company might be looking for a graduate who is committed to developing cutting-edge technology, a marketing agency will be impressed by a candidate whose instinct is to think outside the box about different ways to reach people.

At the end of the day, though, the recruiter is asking if you’re the kind of person who sticks to the status quo and doesn’t challenge the way things are done, or if you’re eager to find new and improved ways of doing things. They also ask if you have the potential to help their company succeed.

So how should you answer the question “Are you innovative”?

Think about what innovation means to you – and to the company. His website can give you some clues, especially what it says about his values ​​and priorities. It may also help to think of someone you would describe as innovative. Why did you choose them? What skills and qualities do they possess that you admire?

Some skills and qualities that go hand in hand with innovation are:

• the confidence to take on big, ambitious goals and take risks

• ability to adapt and ingenuity in unexpected situations

• the motivation to identify where things can be improved and then act on it

• the enthusiasm to try new things and acquire new skills

• creative approach to problem solving

• the ability to think imaginatively but also strategically and practically (after all, it doesn’t matter how creative an idea is if it’s not commercially viable)

• the ability to work independently without much input from others, as well as work with a team to achieve a shared goal

Although not essential, the recruiter will be impressed if you can refer to your work experience, extracurricular activities, university studies, etc. to explain how you developed these skills and attributes.

Your examples don’t need to be exceptional. The recruiter will appreciate that you are just starting your career; they won’t expect you to have invented a time machine, giving advice to the prime minister on how to succeed with Brexit and figuring out a way to halve the queue time at Heathrow, all by the time you graduate.

More realistic examples include:

• think of a unique way to raise funds for charity

• you are considering how to increase ticket sales for your drama society’s theatrical production

• finding a more time-consuming way to complete a group project for your degree

• offering a new weekday deal that will bring more students to the restaurant where you work part-time

Focus on what

you

did, although this does not mean that the example should not be team. Just highlight how you led the team and worked well with others.

If possible, use an example that shows how you had a positive effect. For example, maybe your idea to introduce a student-only dining deal on Thursday evenings, along with a loyalty card scheme, saw a 50% increase in repeat orders.

Other interview questions you can ask about innovation

There are several competency-based questions you may be asked, such as:

• Tell me about a time when you were innovative.

• Tell me about a time when you took an innovative approach to solving a problem.

• Tell me about a time when you thought of a better way to do something.

Other innovation questions the interviewer might ask include:

• What’s the best idea you’ve ever had?

• What do you think is the greatest innovation in history?

• Can you think of a new way to…?

• Do you like to experiment?

• If you had one month to spend £30,000 on one project, what would it be?

• If you met with our CEO for half an hour, what future opportunities would you suggest to them?

Careers where innovation is sought

If you are applying for a job in any of the following fields, you may be asked about innovation in an interview, as it is seen as a particularly important quality by employers in these industries:

• Banking

• charity and the public sector

• counseling

• engineering

• fast moving consumer goods (FMCG)

• THAT

• Marketing and Advertising

• retail

• science and research