How do you respond to change?

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The question | What they are looking for | How to answer | See also

The question

Have you been involved in any reorganization recently?

What happens when you are faced with change?

What they are looking for

Asking this may well indicate that the organization regularly goes through change, and that they know from experience that some people can handle change better than others.

They may also be looking for an understanding of what change is about, its purpose and perhaps also an understanding of how change succeeds and fails.

An indication that you are not familiar with organizational change could also be taken as showing that you have not faced much change and perhaps lack get-up-and-go.

How to answer

Show that you are familiar with change and face it with confidence and positive interest, seeking to work with it rather than trying to avoid it.

When working in XY Corp I had many different jobs. I found organizational change to be largely healthy and always sought to understand what was really needed so I could take a constructive role in it.

One way of answering this is to turn it around and show that, rather than being the target of change you are more likely to be the instigator.

Much of my current job involves improving and change, although I take care to ensure it is aligned with organizational strategy and that I can take people along with me. It is too easy to try to mandate change that only leads to chaos and unnecessary resistance.