The only constant in life is change. Perhaps a cliche, but nevertheless truth. It isn’t different in any job, yet alone in big corporations. People come and go, processes change, you finish a project just to start a new one with a new manager, and so on, and so forth. Things simply do change, and interviewers wonder whether you can adapt to changes, and how you react to them. The most common questions targeting this ability are questions such as “Tell me about a time when you had to make a major change to your daily routine”, or simply “How well do you adapt to changes”. I will analyze the questions now, explaining what you should focus on, and I will also offer some great sample answers. Let’s dive into this.
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The Basics
- Most common interview questions belonging to this area: Tell us about a time when you had to make a major change to your daily routine. How well do you adapt to changes?
- Less common questions belonging to the area: How do you deal with new situations at work? What would you change about your approach and attitude in your new job, when compared to the last one?
- Out of 10 random jobs, in how many cases will this area be tested during the hiring process: 4/10. Not as common as some other areas of questions, but you will definitely face at least one of these questions in big corporations, and also when applying for any job that entails regular changes.
- Difficulty: 3/5. An average difficulty. It is quite obvious what the hiring managers want to hear from you, but interviewees often struggle to find the right words. What’s more, you may struggle to recall a situation when you had to make some major change to your routine or to your work. Sample answers should help you out.
- Main goals of the hiring managers with questions belonging to this area: Understanding your attitude to changes and your way of adapting to them. Assessing whether you are capable of (and willing to) make changes to the routines and methods of work that you learned in your previous jobs.
- Your main goals with answers to questions belonging to this area: Demonstrating that you can adapt to changes. Convincing them that you are willing to change, and won’t stick to some routines at work simply because you had such in your previous job. In some cases showing positive attitude to change in general, or even preference for constant changes at work.
7 sample answers
Sample answer no. 1: A fresh grad speaking about adapting to changes:
The best example is from one year ago, when I decided to take on a part time job at a gas station while still studying at college. Since I cannot afford to work in the mornings or afternoons, due to my school obligations, I worked mostly evenings and night shifts. I had to adapt to this big change to my days, foregoing some free time activities and Friday nights out. But I knew why I was doing it: trying to get some experience on my resume, and also earning some money to support my studies. Of course, it was hard at first and my body had to adapt to working at night. But I eventually managed to combine working and studying. Now I finally graduated, and I am looking for my first full time job. I believe this experience made me stronger and ready to face changes that will no doubt come in bulk in this stage of my life.
- Quick thing to notice here: A good answer overall. They clearly described the change and the impact it had on them (“… it was hard at first and my body had to adapt to working at night…”), and also showed positive attitude to changes and determination to overcome initial discomfort that any change brings (“…I knew why I was doing it…”) and willingness to sacrifice something for their goals (“…foregoing some free time activities and Friday nights out…”).
Sample answer no. 2: Talking about major changes to dietary routines:
I had to make a major change three years ago, when doctor diagnosed me with dangerously high cholesterol levels. It wasn’t a surprise though, since we had the history of this medical condition in my family, and I really didn’t do anything to help the issue. Spending my time sitting and working on a computer during the day, and watching TV in the evenings and eating unhealthy food, I could hardly expect a different outcome. But I decided to change things. I started to do Nordic walking twice a day, waking up at 5:30am to manage to do my exercise before going to work. I also became vegetarian, and started to eat more healthy food. These were all major changes to my daily routine, and on some days I found it super hard to get up from bed in the morning, or resists junk food. But I persisted, and eventually not only improved my cholesterol levels. I dropped twenty pounds, and I feel better than I felt when I was twenty years old…
- Quick thing to notice here: All sorts of health issues are more prevalent than ever, and talking about overcoming them can be a good answer to a variety of interview questions, including the questions about adapting to change. I like that the candidate doesn’t hide the battle they led while trying to adapt to new routines (“…on some days I found it super hard to get up from bed in the morning…”). Making major changes is tricky for everyone, and you shouldn’t pretend that it was easy for you…
Sample answer no. 3: An applicant talking about a death of a person close to them:
The major change I didn’t make. But I could not avoid it. My partner died in a motorbike accident. It was like a lighting striking from the sky, it happened completely unexpectedly. And I had to change everything, because we lived together and used to go almost everywhere together. Things that belonged to my daily routine suddenly lost their sense. And I found it hard to bear with it–as you can certainly imagine. But I did not give up. I started to visit a therapist, and asked friends for help. Eventually, little by little, I found new hobbies and started going to places with other people. The sessions with the therapist also helped me a lot. My daily routine today is completely different than five years ago, but I have accepted it. We cannot turn back the clock, and people do not return from their graves. It is what it is, and these days I enjoy my daily routine. Hopefully the job with you will soon belong to it.
- Quick thing to notice: This isn’t a bad answer, and it can certainly help you connect with the interviewers on a personal level. I like how to applicant clearly explains what steps they took to deal with this major change (“…visit a therapist, and asked friends for help”). However, I would still opt for a different answer if possible, something less personal.
Sample answer no. 4: Woman talking about a career change and how she dealt with job loss:
I had to make such a change when I lost my job during the pandemic. Because I was totally unprepared for it. A loyal employee of the government contractor for over ten years, I had my routines which I followed day after day. Suddenly there was no reason to wake up early, and nowhere to go after my morning coffee. Though I felt hurt and disappointed and lacking motivation, I knew I could not afford to stay idle for long. I have bills to pay and a child I love and want to provide for. Hence I quickly developed a new daily routine. Reading for two hours in the morning, I was working on my skills in psychology and HR. Then I always spent one hour browsing job boards, looking for fitting offers. After that I cooked lunch–something I wasn’t used to do since I always dined in restaurants. And so on, and so forth. I came with a new routine, and with a clear goal–to find a new job, in human resources, this time in the private sector. And I am happy to see that my effort is finally yielding results, interviewing for this great job with you…
- Quick thing to notice here: Notice how nicely she connects changes in her life with explaining why she decided to change her career to HR, and also with praising the employer (“…interviewing for this great job with you”). She also doesn’t hide the initial opposition and obstacles she faced (“…I felt hurt and disappointed and lacking motivation…”). A good answer overall.
Sample answer no. 5: Hating routine:
I had to make many changes within my last job. We were a small and agile team, and making changes while constantly trying to improve the effectiveness of our work was one of the principles we followed in the company. I can assure you that I did not have problem with that. I am actually someone who hates routine, and it is important for me to always learn and try new things.
- Quick thing to notice with this answer: The applicant uses rather strong language here, claiming that they “hate routine“. I would avoid such exclamations, unless you are 100% sure that you will experience constant changes in your new job. Most jobs are repetitive in nature, and saying that you hate routine can easily be a showstopper in an interview. One can have positive attitude to routine and still be able to adapt to changes quickly once they occur. And that’s the attitude hiring managers seek in 95% of cases. They aren’t looking for people who hate routine.
Sample answer no. 6: Older corporate employee explaining how they adapt to change:
Over the years I learned to accept change as something inevitable at work. Now we have AI, but for sure few years down the road we’ll have something else that we’ll have to adapt to. My personal way to adapting consists in a few steps. The first one is the act of acceptance, or if you want an act of overcoming personal resistance that we all naturally feel towards changes to our routines. Second one is defining clearly what I have to learn, and in which ways I have to adjust my work to adapt to changes. And the third step is simply putting this to practice, day after day. It isn’t always easy, but once the inner resistance isn’t there anymore, you can adapt to any changes. And often the fourth phase arrives, when you actually embrace the change and are grateful for it, because it makes you job easier and more efficient…
- Quick thing to notice here: An excellent answer. The candidate clearly describes the exact steps they take when facing changes and new situations at work. At the end they even embrace change, correctly acknowledging that most changes eventually lead to more efficiency at work (corporations would not implement them otherwise). I also like that they talk about the “inner resistance” we people naturally feel towards any major changes.
Sample answer no. 7: Major changes when kids leave home:
Well, I had to make major changes when my kids left to live in the dormitory. Honestly speaking though, I embraced such a change. Finally, after years of spending my time mostly working and caring for the household, I had some time for myself. I started reading books again, meeting with old friends, and basically I didn’t find it hard to find the house empty in the morning, and in the evening. In my opinion, everything is a question of attitude, and point of view. Every situation has a bright side, and a dark one. And I prefer to see the glass half-full instead of half-empty. Hence instead of missing the presence of my kids and their smile at home, I focused on the opportunities their absence brought to my daily routine.
- Quick thing to notice here: Notice how she clearly says that every coin has two sides. It clearly demonstrates that she can look at things with perspective, and overall has a positive attitude to life, trying to focus on the positive aspects of any changes in her life.
Advanced information
Mistakes people make while answering questions about adapting to change or about making changes to their daily routine
- Trying to make it sound easy. The most common mistake I notice with this group of questions is that people try to make it sound easy. But that’s not how human brain works, and hiring managers know that. When we face major changes, be it at work or in our personal life, it is never easy. Because we have to adapt, learn new things, change our daily routines. And you should share these struggles with the interviewers. That doesn’t mean that these challenges have to stop you. Because you have your goals, are willing to sacrifice something for them, and eventually learn new habits and routines. But it is a mistake saying that it is easy and almost automatic for you to adapt to change.
- Saying that they actually hate routine. First of all, we should avoid using words like ‘hate’ in the interviews, regardless of the questions we reply to. Such words simply have negative energy and connotations, and they won’t ever help you succeeding to get the job. And secondly, whether employers admit it or not, 95% of jobs are routine, to a lesser or grater extent. Saying that you easily adapt to changes because you hate routine sounds nice, but the part of your answer that you ‘hate routine’ will be a showstopper in many interviews. Try to avoid making this mistake.
- Failing to recognize the bright side of the changes you have to adapt to. Nobody likes to hire people who complain all the time, and who see only the negative in everything. Changes are hard for us, but that doesn’t mean they happen for no reason. Companies implement changes to improve things, though it may sometimes take months, or even years, to see the eventual improvement. Nevertheless, failing to recognize the good in every change is a mistake many people make in the interviews…
7 keywords to remember when answering questions belonging to this area
- Chane is inevitable, define clearly your steps of dealing with changes, admit that you struggle to adapt, recognize the eventual improvements changes bring to your life or work, hating routine isn’t a way to succeed in any interview, give credit to others who helped you deal with changes, show willingness to sacrifice something while adapting to changes.
So that’s it! You’ve just covered area no. 23 out of 25 areas that cover 99% of questions you may ever get in the interviews. Just 2 areas left! Check the next one: Ethical challenges, or go back to homepage for the full list of 25 areas and pick one you want to learn about and practice right now.
