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My most 'difficult' question is variations of where do you see yourself from now in five years or something along those lines. Any question that is very vague and open ended like that I find annoying.
Actually I find that one easy. I just say I'm a team player and I will do whatever is needed to keep things running smoothly. Where do I see myself in 5 years? Doing whatever I am needed to do. Unfortunately at the lab that meant washing the glassware because no one else would do it.
"Have you ever been in a work situation where you didn't get along with someone and and how did you handle it?" I mind my own business and do my job.
No matter what else I may be asked in an interview, this one seems to be asked a lot. I often apply for City, State or County jobs and this question is always present. It is: "Have you ever been in a work situation where you didn't get along with someone and and how did you handle it?" The other question on these interviews is often: "Think of a difficult time you have experienced in a the work environment and what did you do about it?" There is something interesting about these two questions; I feel as though they are looking for something very specific, even a keyword or phrase, yet no matter how I answer these 2 questions to the best of my ability, I can always feel that I haven't quite said what they were hoping to hear. How would you answer these questions.
These are behavioral-based interview questions and they are designed mostly to 1. measure your problem solving skills and 2. see how well you are going to play in the sand box with others.
The behavioral based interview technique runs on the assumption that past behavior is a good predictor of future behavior. This is generally true but I have some issues with using this method of interviewing. Some people are great candidates but interview poorly in this type of interview. Another problem with this is that others are great at bluffing their way through the interview and telling interviewers what they want to hear.
For the question regarding not getting along with someone, you can answer a couple of different ways. If you haven't had this issue then just say you have not had this issue but you would handle it by approaching the person and asking him/her what you could do to make your working relationship better and then collaborate with them to implement the ideas you came up with. If you HAVE had the issue, then just state what you did unless you solved it by taking them out back and kicking their arse, ha ha. It's not like I (or the HR person talking with you) is gonna be able to verify what you are saying.
For the 'difficult time at work one' you can use an example of a time when maybe you had a lot of projects going on at once that required a lot of coordination/prioritzation, or maybe you had to handle a touchy situation between people/with a client. I'm not sure what you do for a living but those are some suggestions.
Not sure how HR works in the government sector but I'm HR in the private (manufacturing) sector and when I ask questions I generally am more interested in the the experiences and thought processes of the person. There is no 'right' answer. If I am interviewing you to begin with, you already have the right skills/background/education. Is the public sector different?
"Have you ever been in a work situation where you didn't get along with someone and and how did you handle it?"
"Think of a difficult time you have experienced in a the work environment and what did you do about it?"
I have had a couple of interviews over the past 2-3 months and cannot recall if I got these questions, but here are my $0.02.
1 - The team has our defined goals and objectives. I will try to find ways where we can contributed in our area of expertise and both work towards those end goals. This way we can both "shine" in the end when the deliverable is due.
2 - There will always be a difficult time. A new process, a new technology etc. How you address this situation will define how successful you and the team will be. You always need to want to learn and grow.
These are just my thoughts and I have had several offers in the past 2 month
No matter what else I may be asked in an interview, this one seems to be asked a lot. I often apply for City, State or County jobs and this question is always present. It is: "Have you ever been in a work situation where you didn't get along with someone and and how did you handle it?" The other question on these interviews is often: "Think of a difficult time you have experienced in a the work environment and what did you do about it?" There is something interesting about these two questions; I feel as though they are looking for something very specific, even a keyword or phrase, yet no matter how I answer these 2 questions to the best of my ability, I can always feel that I haven't quite said what they were hoping to hear. How would you answer these questions.
By the questions themselves, it shows they don't have good management, don't know how to handle morale problems and how to define a good process for people to follow. And worst of all, if someone behaves that way, they think the solution is to find people who are passive to deal with it. Those questions are a red flag to their environment. I wouldn't take the job.
If they were asking that question in how to deal with clients, but this is about their own employees.
Actually I find that one easy. I just say I'm a team player and I will do whatever is needed to keep things running smoothly. Where do I see myself in 5 years? Doing whatever I am needed to do. Unfortunately at the lab that meant washing the glassware because no one else would do it.
"Have you ever been in a work situation where you didn't get along with someone and and how did you handle it?" I mind my own business and do my job.
That brings back memories. After graduating with a BA in Biology, I was hired by a testing lab in Cleveland, and immediately sent to Ann Arbor on a joint project. I spent my first 3 days washing glassware.
These are behavioral-based interview questions and they are designed mostly to 1. measure your problem solving skills and 2. see how well you are going to play in the sand box with others.
Except I don't see where they do any such thing. As I said, they have no way to know if the story happened the way you tell it or if it happened at all. Maybe it was you that threw the hissy fit and your co-worker that got it sorted but you'll be swapping the roles in your story, won't you? They mostly measure your interview preparation and story-making skills.
But these questions are a step up from what is your spirit animal or what kind of rock would you like to be.
What I say: "I try to leave my ego at home, just show up and do my job, so I tend to get along with people pretty well."
If someone else is being difficult and blocking me from getting some work done, I'll bring it up diplomatically with my management and say "Can you suggest a way for me to do this that doesn't impede Joe Shmoe's work?" I'll try to work around them, in other words, while giving them the benefit of the doubt.
If someone yells at me, I just calmly respond. Since I'm a parent, I have that skill. Usually they calm down once they realize I'm not taking the bait.
The above is all pretty reasonable stuff to tell an interviewer, I think.
If someone stabs me in the back... well, an interviewer isn't going to ask you that one. If they do, it's probably time to get up and leave. But what would I do if stabbed in the back? I won't go into details but let's put it this way: don't try to stab me in the back; it won't end well for you
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