A big part of doing your best during a job interview is preparation. And, since recruiters have at least a few standard questions, you can prepare for several you’re almost sure to hear. 

One standard behavioral interview question is, “tell me about a time you went above and beyond.” Depending on the job, that could mean above and beyond for your customer, patient, boss, or team.

Here’s how to tackle that common interview question along with deeper insight to help you ace your job interview.

Why do recruiters ask this job interview question?

Hiring managers are interested in learning more about your work ethic and attitude. This interview question can also provide insight into your problem-solving skills. The recruiter further wants to see how you perform under pressure; perhaps they’ll even see that in action during the interview.

A simple formula to answer the “tell me about a time you went above and beyond” job interview question

It can be helpful during the pressure of a job interview to have a pattern or formula to use when answering any question. That formula can also be used when preparing your answers before the interview. 

One option that is particularly suited to this question is the STAR method: situation, task, action, and results.

• Situation. Provide background to your story. Include the details that are relevant to your above and beyond” story.

• Task. What were the normal everyday expectations for your task or job? 

• Action. Provide insight into how you exceeded expectations and why you chose to do it.

• Results. Provide the results of your actions, clearly pointing out the benefits.

10 tips on how to answer this job interview question

Once you have the answer method down pat, you’ll need the details for one or two beyond the call of duty specific situations from your past jobs. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Choose a recent story

Using a recent story adds more credibility to you and your experience. It shows that you do this sort of thing all the time. 

2. Select a story that is relevant to the open position

Ideally, you’ll have one or more stories that relate directly to the open position. If your story is in a different type of position, it becomes more difficult for the hiring manager to relate to the story and to envision you in the open position.

3. Match the story with the open position’s industry

The same thing holds true for the industry. Ideally, you can provide a story in the same industry or at least a related industry.

4. Pick a story with a clear goal that you’ve exceeded

Above and beyond stories don’t need to involve a superhero cape. Instead, they can also be routine projects from your work experience with clear deadlines or goals that you were able to beat. Cover the goal, why you elected to beat it, and how you did it.

5. Make sure the story actually is above and beyond normal work expectations

Don’t choose a story that isn’t above and beyond. The hiring manager is trying to determine your work ethic. If you feel that coming in on time and going home on time is above and beyond the call of duty, it’s not going to work out.

6. Tell a story with a happy ending

Not all above and beyond stories have a happy ending. Make sure you choose one that does or at least has a significant beneficial impact on the organization and your team members.

7. Explain how you went above and beyond

Make sure you focus on how you went above and beyond. That is, address the specific action you took by going the extra mile that resulted in a happy ending.  

8. Point out the outcome’s benefits to the customer or patient, boss, and organization

Since you lived the “above and beyond” moment, it can be easy to forget the benefits. Take the time to clearly express the benefits of your actions and how you turned a difficult situation into a positive one. This is also a good place to emphasize your contribution to teamwork in addition to your solo contributions.

9. Make it short and to the point

It can be tempting to tell the whole story of your exceptional work effort. However, be mindful of the hiring manager's time and their ability to digest all that you’re telling them. Use your preparation time to trim down the story to just the essential items.

10. Mention how it applies to the open position

Don’t rely on the recruiter to connect the dots between your story and the open position. Take the time to point out how it matches their requirements from the job description and demonstrates how you can help their organization.

Sample answers to the “tell me about a time you went above and beyond” interview question

Here are a couple of example answers to help you get started developing your own answer.

I was driving our delivery truck, picking up some urgently needed parts for our manufacturing line (situation). I arrived on time at the delivery dock (task). But I could see that my coworkers unloading the truck were short-handed. So, with the dock supervisor’s permission, I pitched in and helped unload the truck and move the parts to the manufacturing line (action). That quick action made sure that the manufacturing line continued with the needed parts (result). I was recognized by my boss as well as the manufacturing manager on a job done well.

This story clearly uses the STAR method. It keeps it short and to the point. Points out the actions taken. And it notes that permission to help was sought before jumping in and making a significant difference. 

Let’s look at another example answer to show how you went above and beyond expectations.

I was working in the emergency room cleaning up after a particularly hectic midnight shift that was soon ending (situation). At that point, several ambulances arrived from an accident. Usually, as the shift ended, I’d go home (task). However, with the ER supervisor’s permission, I remained on duty to help in any way that I could as the shift change was underway (action). I stayed for another three hours, making a difference in the care for several patients and helping my coworkers (result). 

These examples are relatively simple but should give you a good idea of how to pull together your own “above and beyond the call of duty” stories to help you stand out from the other candidates.

How you can plan and practice your job interview answers

Follow the interview tips above to review your previous jobs and find the stories that fit the open position and industry. Then narrow it down to the best one or two stories to develop for a job interview.

Map out the stories using the STAR method: situation, task, action, and results. Then practice telling your story aloud with a friend or at least in front of a mirror. Make any adjustments as needed.

It’s best not to memorize the story as it can become stilted or too polished. Practicing will help you feel far more comfortable during the interview. That, in turn, will translate into a much-improved performance. 

What not to say

Don’t say you wouldn’t have needed to go above and beyond if only your company, supervisor, or coworkers had their act together. It does no good to demonstrate that you’re overly critical of those around you in the workplace.

It’s also wise to avoid bragging when answering this question and others. First, you don’t want to set up unrealistic expectations. Second, you don’t want to come across as arrogant. Find a happy medium to tell the story and point out your role in the positive outcome.

Follow up questions to ask to impress the interviewer

Asking questions during or at the end of an interview can help you learn more about the company. It can also impress the interviewer with your genuine interest in the position and the company. 

Here are a few thought-starter questions for developing your follow-up questions.

• What would you expect to be accomplished in the first 60, 90, and 120 days?

• What are the biggest stumbling blocks to expect?

• Are they any gaps between what we’ve discussed and the type of employee

   you’re seeking?

• What are the next steps in the search process?

The bottom line

You can plan on hearing this tough interview question at nearly every interview. There are also several other questions you can expect to see. 

There’s the usual starter question, “tell me about yourself?” More challenging can be the question, “why did you leave your last job?”. Click on the links for insight into answering these job interview questions. Plus, if you have some gaps in your employment history, we’ve provided guidelines for answering questions about your unemployment. 

As you can tell, Snagajob is a great place to get up to speed on job applications, resumes, cover letters, and career advice, all in support of your job search. Find work you’ll love, fast.