Here's how you can showcase critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an interview.

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. When answering interview questions using the STAR method, you provide a structured response that highlights your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Start by describing the situation or problem you encountered, outline the task you needed to accomplish, detail the actions you took to address the situation or solve the problem, and finally, explain the results or outcomes of your actions. This approach helps interviewers understand how you approach challenges, make decisions, and achieve results.

During my freelance work in the environmental area for a client, it was necessary to analyze all variables, including demands, costs and fees. In an initial conversation, I concluded that we should include an additional margin in prices due to the possibility of additional reviews and evaluations, both locally and with regulatory bodies. However, after performing the environmental services, I noticed that expenses and work exceeded what was expected, resulting in a lower profit margin than expected for the volume of work performed. I understood that applying the STAR method would have been beneficial, saving time and optimizing the process.

Effectivement c'est excellente manière d'appréhender les choses. Selon moi la considération d'une situation nécessite aussi des compétences pouvant aller au delà du génie environnementale.

Adaptarnos y ser ágiles en un entorno constantemente cambiante es fundamental como profesional para poder destacar sobre los demás.

Solving problems in an environmental company was a rewarding experience, where I always sought the most effective solutions, combining technique and sensitivity. Despite having AutoCAD skills, I was impressed with QGIS, which brought significant innovations to my professional practice. Currently, we can also use drones to collect precise geographic data, providing valuable indicators for possible interventions on the ground.

Be prepared for a problem-solving scenario or case study during the interview. Walk through your thought process out loud, explaining the steps you would take to address the problem and reach a solution. Demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning and improvement by discussing how you stay updated with industry trends, new technologies, and best practices related to problem-solving. Be confident and concise to clearly articulate your thoughts and decisions, focusing on the key points of each example without rambling. By effectively showcasing your your value as a proactive and capable candidate who can contribute to solving challenges and driving positive outcomes for the organization.

Take into account perceptions of different stakeholder groups and make sure that their engagement continues throughout the project. In order to take insightful questions, always ask from the perspective of a standard user, so that you could evaluate the process itself and see ways of its optimisation.

Having 360 view connecting and impact on other connected issue is important some times single focus on one issue makes on critical secondary aspects. Specially during chaging some thing it is always better to think what was the purpose in the first place and if that purpose will not be lost. Also challenging assumption is important part.

I faced a serious problem with inadequate management of hazardous waste at the recycling company where I worked, which negatively impacted both the company and the neighborhood environment. To resolve this, I contacted specialized companies and acquired knowledge about handling such waste. I organized training for employees and owners, teaching proper management and disposal practices. As a result, the quality of the company's waste management significantly improved, as did the environmental quality of the neighborhood, enhancing the company's reputation in the local community.

Once at work I was faced with a situation where there were serious regulatory problems based on the altered parameters of contaminants released by a water treatment plant, mainly BOD. In this sense, we had to look for solutions that did not involve the installation of secondary treatment. To do this, historical data, possible problems that could be experienced in production (which means work in the field), papers on RILes, measurements and joint work with operators, among others, were analyzed. Finally, possible solutions were given such as recirculation of reusable used products, longer retention times, electrocoagulation, change the coagulant and even opting for secondary treatment if necessary.

At an Environmental Consulting office, I was responsible for creating maps and tables of environmentally significant areas for mining, using software like QGis, ArcGis, AutoCadMap, and Global Mapper. My colleagues often took days or even months to complete these tasks due to manual mapping when databases were unavailable. Determined to find a more efficient solution, I spent considerable time studying all we knew about these tools, and devised a method to integrate various mapping techniques. By training an algorithm to automate much of the work, I developed a streamlined approach that significantly simplified the creation of environmental interest maps.

While working on the RILes plant problem and the BOD parameter. The fact that we had to largely avoid secondary treatment was a great challenge. Therefore, it is necessary to adapt, study ways and explore technologies. Teamwork is also important and although many times operators are in their jobs based on experience and not studies, they could provide very useful information where you can probably complement it with theory.