Are you a risk taker what risks have you taken
Are you a risk taker what risks have you taken
Are You a Risk-Taker?
Pre-reading Task
1. Are you risk-taker? In pairs, discuss what is the riskiest thing in our life?
• parachute diving;
• scuba diving;
• riding a motorbike with your eyes closed;
• windsurfing;
• white-water rafting;
• snowboarding.
2. What can you add to this list? Give your reasons.
Reading
Read the following article and do the activities below:
Jason Reeds, 15, from San Francisco, is supposed to be a “lucky” boy. His life presented him with lots of surprises.
One day, when Jason was twelve, he was riding his new bright motorbike with his eyes closed. Suddenly he hit a traffic light. The bike broke into pieces. Jason survived, though he was taken to hospital where he had an operation. The witness said it was a real miracle, because he thought the boy would die.
A year later Jason decided to try scuba diving. So he was thoroughly instructed but suddenly the diving system broke and he had no oxygen to breathe. He escaped death by a second miracle.
A few months ago, Jason tried a parachute jump. The parachute failed to open well, but the boy fell into the river and just broke his leg.
I asked Jason, “Are you going to try another risky sport?”
“Why not?” was the answer, “I’m going windsurfing next summer, and I think I’ll try white-water rafting one day. Life is so exciting!”
Exercises:
1. Choose the best title for the article:
• Risky Jason.
• Lucky Jason.
• Jason Survives Three Accidents.
• Jason Adores Risky Sports.
2. Answer the questions:
1. How many times has Jason tried risky sports?
2. What happened when he was riding his new bright motorbike?
3. What did the witness say?
4. Why did Jason have no oxygen to breathe?
5. How did the boy fall into the water?
6. What did he break when he made a parachute jump?
7. What is Jason going to do next summer?
8. What does he think he’ll try next?
3. True or false:
1. Jason Reeds is a famous sportsman.
2. He is from North America.
3. Jason’s new motorbike hit the wall.
4. He went to try scuba diving and the diving system broke.
5. The parachute didn’t open well.
6. The boy fell into the lake and broke his leg.
7. Jason is going to try snowboarding.
4. Change direct speech into indirect speech:
1. “The boy is very lucky to survive. It is a real miracle”, the witness said.
2. “Press this yellow button when you start diving”, the instructor said.
3. “Look! The parachute won’t open!” the man said.
4. “Jason, are you going to try another risky sport?” the reporter asked.
5. “I’m going windsurfing next summer”, Jason answered.
6. “I think I’ll try white-water rafting one day”, Jason said.
5. “Life is so exciting.” Why do you think Jason said this? What is so exciting in his life?
6. Role play. Work in pairs. One person is Jason. Another is an interviewer. Ask and answer questions about him. Here is some more information about the boy:
• Favourite music: Black Eyed Peas, H.I.M.
• Favourite school subjects: Spanish, Science.
• Favourite sports: football, swimming, diving, riding motorbike.
• Free time: sport; movies; visiting friends in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
7. Group discussion.
1. Think of the reasons why people like risky sports.
2. Divide into 2 groups. One group is in favour of risky sports, another is against them. Give your reasons. You may draw a chart like this and fill it by the end of your discussion:
Interview questions answered: Are you a risk taker?
Some interview questions have an obviously good and obviously bad answer, regardless of the job you are trying to get. This one does not belong to the group. Your attitude to risk, and whether you like to take it, can be both an advantage and disadvantage, depending on the role you are applying for, and the situation in the interviews. I will show you some great sample answers to the question, but before you look at them, think for a minute about the job, and what role does taking risks play in it.
Let me help you with some basic distinctions. If you apply for any entry level position in a big corp, or for any typical manual job–think restaurant work, assembly line, farm job, cashier, and so on, you should show more conservative attitude towards taking risk. If the job entails money handling or working with some dangerous substances (such as chemicals, for example), you can even show strong aversion to taking any risks, at least while on the job.
On the contrary, if you apply for a managerial or engineering role, simply a job in which you’ll have to make decisions, and sometimes on the spot, with certain variables unknown, you should present yourself as a risk taker, with certain limits. The same goes without saying when we talk about dangerous jobs, such as fishing on a rough see or working on an oil rig–jobs in which risk is even present, and a good salary is often a compensation for the danger the job entails. Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers now, including some unconventional answers. Hopefully at least one of them will resonate with the message you try to convey in your interviews.
7 sample answers to “Are you a risk taker?” interview question
* Special Tip: This isn’t the only tricky question you will face while interviewing for any decent job. You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, solving problems, and other tricky scenarios that happen in the workplace. If you want to make sure that you stand out with your answers and outclass your competitors, have a look at our Interview Success Package. Up to 10 premium answers to 50 tricky scenario based questions (+ more) will make your life much easier in the interviews. Thank you for checking it out!
Conclusion
Taking risks makes more sense in some jobs and less sense in others. Even though, there isn’t really anything like a bad answer to this interview question, unless you answer it with silence. What matters the most is your explanation. Do you love to take risks? Fair enough, as long as you explain how it benefits you and your employer.
Are you risk-averse? Fair enough, as long as you explain why it makes sense for you, and for your prospective employer. Of course they may agree or not, and an interesting discussion may follow. That’s only a plus for your chances of getting the job at the end of the hiring process. The key is to avoid short answers, such as “I am a risk taker”, or “I hate taking risks”. Show your open mind and readiness for a discussion, and win the favor of your interviewers…
Ready to answer this question? Great! Do not forget to check also sample answers to other tricky interview questions:
Are you a risk taker what risks have you taken
Are you a risk taker? Take our quiz
When it comes to taking risks, do you like to play it safe or do you throw caution to the wind? Well, did you know that your attitude to risk can have an impact on the financial decisions you make? Take our short quiz to find out where you stand…
(We should point out here that this is a highly unscientific quiz designed to get you thinking about your attitude to risk, and should not be used to base any financial decisions on!)
It’s all a question of balance
Whether you play it safe or take a risk, you’ll probably admit that it sometimes pays to stick your neck out. If you decide to set up your own business, choose to learn a new language, or even opt for a savings and investment plan for your money, the more risk you’re prepared to take, the more reward you could potentially receive.
When it comes to savings and investments, a With Profits saving plan from Foresters Friendly Society offers a middle ground, sitting comfortably between lower-risk cash savings and higher-risk stocks and shares.
The content of this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. We do not offer financial advice. If you’re unsure as to the suitability of a product you should seek advice from a Financial Adviser. You may have to pay for this advice.
Are You a Risk Taker or Risk Averse?
There is a phrase in the world of business that often gets thrown around prior to a big decision, it goes: “The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward,” and successful entrepreneurs often dabble with these risks if they’re to get to the higher levels of prestige in business.
Despite the bad connotations of risks, they aren’t all bad. Risk taking in business doesn’t mean going into a business blindly, it involves long, strategic planning and hard work. There are no particular winners in these methods of business, with those risk takers often going into the plan without too much planning, similar to that of gambling and often walk away with a loss, whereas the risk averse plan too much to the point of a missed opportunity, or the winning percentage is at a much smaller figure.
The cup half empty / half full argument can be brought into this context as there are certain personality traits that are linked to the decisions linked with risk taking. Those that are risk-averse tend to be:
Those who are more prone to involve themselves in risk are;
Taking risks in business runs parallel to entrepreneurship in that, leaving a steady-paying job to start your own venture is a huge risk in itself, and requires a substantial amount of financial backing in order to get up and running. This is before you have to deal with all the personnel operations of hiring employees, delivering marketing strategies and setting up reputable customer service.
Pierre Vannineuse, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Blue Ocean, a UK based alternative investment company shares his thoughts: “I like to think of myself as extremely optimistic and a risk taker. All the risks I’ve taken have been meticulously calculated to avoid minimal failure.
“Of course, even the most experienced risk-takers cannot foresee certain anomalies that spring up from time to time, but with each one you overcome, the more sagacious you become going forwards.”
It would be safe to assume that taking risks at the start of a businesses career arguably have more weight behind them, as there is a lot more to lose than a large company messing up a marketing campaign for example. Although financially, the larger company may lose more than the smaller, the larger company has the foundations to fall back on should they not pull off the intended plan.
It would be safe to assume that taking risks at the start of a businesses career arguably have more weight behind them, as there is a lot more to lose than a large company messing up a marketing campaign for example.
Business modernists denounce the taking and avoiding of risks as being a spectrum. If we were to start at 1, those would be the people that are too hesitant to manage risks, never really growing substantially but never making losses either, teetering along in their safe zone. Going up to 5, these are the neutral businesspeople that carefully consider a risk thoroughly before implementing it, to the point where they’ve lost out a portion of the winnings but also shortened the loss gap. Those that are 10 on the scale throw themselves completely into the biggest risks a business may come across, and although they do carefully plan it, in gambling style the margins for winning and losing are a lot wider.
Amazon founder and richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos has once been quoted as saying: “I knew that when I was 80, I was not going to regret having tried this…I knew that if I failed, I wouldn’t regret that. I knew the one thing I might regret is not ever having tried. And I knew that would haunt me every day.”
With the spectrum in mind, this should help you consider whereabouts you lie when it comes to taking risks, not only in business but in life too. Customers and people alike have constantly changing demands and habits, and for this reason, as providers, we should constantly be in a state of progress. The most reactive leaders will see recognise this, view it as a cost of opportunity and then ratify this action from the top down.
Are you a Risk Taker? 5 Best Answers and Interview Questions
Are you a risk taker? Some people are born risk-takers, while others are more cautious when making decisions in life. There is no right or wrong answer – it all depends on your personality and what makes you happy. Some people enjoy the thrill of taking risks, while others find it stressful and anxiety-provoking.
We will discuss how to answer this question when asked by the interviewer and sample answers for it.
Table of Contents
Why did the interviewer ask, “are you a risk taker?”
An interviewer might ask this question for a few reasons. They could be trying to:
How to answer the “are you a risk taker?” question in an interview?
When answering this question, it is important, to be honest with yourself and the interviewer. If you are not a natural risk-taker, that is okay. You can still be successful in your career without taking risks. However, if you are a risk-taker, be sure to explain how you weigh the pros and cons of each decision before making a final choice.
What are some benefits of taking risks?
Some benefits of taking risks are that it can help you grow as a person and lead to new opportunities. Taking risks can also help you become more resilient, and it can teach you how to deal with failure. Finally, taking risks can help you build self-confidence. These are great reasons to step outside your comfort zone and take a chance!
What are the drawbacks of taking risks?
There are a few drawbacks to taking risks. One is that it can lead to failure, and another is that it can be scary. You might also miss out on opportunities if you don’t take risks. However, the benefits of taking risks usually outweigh the drawbacks!
Are you a risk taker? 5 Best Answers
Answer 1
I’m a risk-taker! I believe that life is too short to play it safe. Taking risks is part of what makes life exciting and fun. Sure, there’s always the possibility that things might not go as planned, but I think that’s a risk worth taking.
Answer 2
I am not a natural risk-taker, but I have developed the ability to take risks where it matters. In my personal life, I tend to play it safe. But in my professional life, I have taken some significant risks that have paid off. For example, it was a big risk when I started my own business. But it has been successful so far.
Answer 3
I used to be a risk-taker, but not anymore. When I was younger, I remember I would always take risks without thinking about the consequences. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to think more about the future and what could happen if things don’t go as planned. Nowadays, I only take calculated risks that I know have a good chance of paying off.
Answer 4
I’m somewhere in the middle. I don’t particularly appreciate taking unnecessary risks, but I also don’t want to play it too safe. I think there’s a happy medium between the two extremes, where I try to stay. For me, it’s all about weighing the pros and cons of each situation and then making a decision.
Answer 5
I would say that I’m a bit of a risk-taker. I’m not afraid to try new things or take on new challenges. I think it’s important to step out of your comfort zone from time to time. Otherwise, you’ll never grow or learn new things. Of course, some risks are not worth taking, but I believe that calculated risks can be rewarding.
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Conclusion
So, are you a risk-taker? It’s up to you to decide. Remember that taking risks can lead to new and exciting experiences, but it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making any decisions. Thank you for reading! I hope this was helpful. 🙂