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Job Interviews & Careers vocabulary · Skills, Strengths & Weaknesses

Proactive

Meaning in job interviews & careers, with examples

/proʊˈæktɪv/adjectiveCommon term

In job interviews & careers, proactive means: Taking action early to solve problems or create opportunities, instead of waiting for someone to tell you what to do.

In Turkish: proaktif, inisiyatif alan, girişken

How it is used

A favourite adjective in job ads and performance reviews: 'a proactive approach', 'proactive and self-motivated'. The opposite is reactive. Interviewers may ask for an example of a time you were proactive.

Example sentences

  1. We need a proactive person who can spot problems before they grow.

  2. Instead of waiting for complaints, she proactively called our biggest clients.

Common collocations

  • proactive approach
  • be proactive
  • proactive and self-motivated
  • take a proactive role
  • team playerA person who works well with others, shares information and puts the success of the group before their own.
  • detail-orientedCareful to notice and check small things, so that your work is accurate and has very few mistakes.
  • soft skillsPersonal and social abilities that help you work well with others, such as communication, teamwork, time management and problem-solving.
  • strengthA quality or ability that you are particularly good at and that helps you do your job well.

More terms: Skills, Strengths & Weaknesses

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