Working With People Interview Quetions
1."What do you do when you’re having difficulty solving a problem?"
There are many different ways to approach this answer. So there are many right answers. Just remember to explain yourself step by step.
Short Answers
"I usually take a short break. I found that this helps me think clearer and often times I end up solving the problem."
"I break down the problem piece by piece and try and solve difficult problems step by step. This approach helps me not to get overwhelmed by difficult problems."
"I always do my best solving difficult problems. If I have trouble, I’ll use resources around me such as looking through the Internet, asking co-workers, asking my manager, or looking through some books."
Long Answer
"There are couple things I do when I’m having a problem. Sometimes I try to focus so hard that I miss a point that would help me solve the problem. So I take a 2 minute break to help me approach the problem in a different way. I could either go get a drink of water, or stand up and move around. I find that this helps me at times. But if I still continue to have problems, I don’t mind asking a co-worker for some assistance. I believe in using all the resources around me and I think co-workers should use me as a resource as well."
This answer first tries to solve the problem without bothering another person. But if everything fails, it is ok to ask questions to someone else.
2."What do you do when you have a problem with a direct?"
This is more of a question for management. There are multiple ways you can answer this, but you should show that you are responsible and that you know how to resolve these types of problems.
Short Answers
"I believe in open communication. I always analyze the problem and then tell my direct clearly. I always provide steps that we both can take to deal with the problem. This approach helps me because it shows my respect."
"In this situation, I believe communication is very important. I’ll usually have a meeting with my direct on the problems I have. It’s easier to work on a problem together when everyone involved is aware, so I always communicate the problems that I see."
"I believe feedback is important to solve problems with a direct. I meet with my directs regularly and always provide suggestions on how to improve. I also use this time to work out problems we might have. It’s important to let my directs know where I stand so they don’t have to make assumptions."
Long Answer
"Because I’m the manager, I feel it’s my responsibility to improve the relationship. If the problem is work related, I’ll narrow the problem down whether it’s with his working style or another type of problem and assist in anyway I can. This would also involve providing feedback and suggestions on how to approach problems. But if our personality’s conflict then I would try to be more understanding."
3."What do you do when you have a problem with your boss?"
This question is a little easier for me because I haven’t had many directs I didn’t like. It is easier to tell a manager your problems because they are in a position where they should accept listening to your problems. So in this case, I would answer it by showing some honesty trait.
Short Answers
"I’m very open with my manager. I feel it’s important that my manager knows about how I feel. I always start a conversation and try and solve our differences through professional conversation."
"When I have a problem with my boss, I don’t like to keep it bottled up. I want to resolve problems so I can work efficiently without distractions. So I always talk to my manager about the problems that I have openly."
"I deal with different types of people very well, but if I have a problem that affects my work, I will openly tell my manager and the reason why it’s bothering me."
Long Answer
"I’m a very honest and open person. So anytime I have a problem with my boss, I always let him or her know. I make a list of things that bother me. I ask my boss for time to chat and I reveal these problems and the reasons for them. I want to make sure I’m not being offensive or sound like I’m accusing my boss of anything."
4."What do you do when you have a problem with your job?"
Nobody likes to be working when there is a problem with the job. You can hate it, or you could be too busy and too tired. What ever the reason, it is best to show that you will look for the problem and take measures to solve it.
"In this situation, I ask my self why I’m having the problem. After identifying it, I work on solving the problems so I can be more efficient in my work."
"It depends on the specific problem, but in most cases, I’ll face the problem that I have with my job and find a solution. If I avoid the problem, it will always be there and my work quality will decrease. So I found that solving the problems immediately helps me in the long term."
"If I have a problem that I can solve, I’ll do everything I can to correct it. If the problem is out of my control, I feel it’s important to let my manager know what my problems are."
"Whether I’m happy or unhappy, I’ll always do my best work. If the problem I have with my job is affecting the quality of my work, I’ll identify the problem and then take steps to find solutions."
5."What do you do when you have a problem with a co-worker?"
Usually when two co-workers have a problem, then they will just hate each other and try to be better than the other. You can’t say this because it is the wrong way to handle it. I would probably not deal with the problem and hate the other person, but that is not what I would say in an interview. You can mention that you believe having to deal with a problem with a co-worker is difficult because competitiveness comes into factor. Along with this statement, follow up with how you would try to look beyond that to make your relationship better.
Short Answers
"If I have a problem with a co-worker, I believe it’s so important to talk to them. Even if I’m the one with the problem, I want to know so I can be a better team mate."
"If I have a problem, I try to approach my co-worker and let them know as professionally as possible. If I’m the one with the problem, I’ll politely ask what I can do to improve the relationship. I found that proper communication solves many problems."
"I’ve always been told that I’m a great person to work with, but if I were in a situation where I was having a problem, I believe I would work on our relationship by being more understanding."
Long Answer
"Well it all depends on if it’s a personality conflict or an issue that is causing the problem. An issue is easy to deal with. I think I’d go and talk with the co-worker saying something like, ‘If you have some time, I think it will be good for us if we talk about this issue.’ Starting a conversation to deal with the problem with a co-worker is the hardest step, and if it’s done properly, then the issue can easily be resolved. If it is a personality issue, then I would try to be more understanding and at worst deal with the problem by anticipating conflicts ahead of time to put myself in a position to either avoid it or to make it less of a problem."
This is showing answers by using scenarios. It is a solid answer but if you disagree, feel free to think of a good scenario that will fit you better.
6."How do you handle conflict?"
This is a general question. It doesn’t ask if you are the one with the conflict, if it is a conflict with another person, if it is a conflict of schedule, or if it is a conflict with changes at work. If you want, you can ask a question to clarify. But if you want to answer in a general way, try to think of an answer that will work for all types of conflict.
Short Answers
"I treat most conflicts the same. I analyze the conflict and create a list of steps I can take to resolve it. By thinking about these steps and taking action, I found that most conflicts are easy to handle."
"I handle conflicts by analyzing them. I’m a very analytical person and I feel all problems have a solution. I usually think about the conflict and find ways to deal with it."
"Whenever I’m confronted with a conflict, I always follow a simple process. I think about what the current conflict is, think of several ways I can deal with this conflict, and then take the best action after my analysis."
Long Answer
"Whenever I have a conflict I have to deal with, I like to follow a simple process. I first identify the problem causing the conflict, think about solutions or ideas that will solve the problem, and then try to implement a solution. Although it’s very simple, it makes sure that I’m not panicking, losing my temper or losing control of the situation. And it prevents me from rushing into a decision that might make the problem worse."
This is an answer that could be applied to all types of conflicts. It doesn’t state the exact situations of each conflict, but it does state why following a process is good. The interviewer will not think this is an original idea. However, the answer provides reasons why it helps. These reasons are the key to the answer and it shows that you are organized and in control. This answer, without the last sentence is just mediocre. But the last sentence makes is very strong.
7."Have you fired anyone? And if so, why?"
If you fired someone before, then that means you are a manager or hire. If your answer is no, then this is an easy question. But if you answer yes, then you have to give a reason why. If you say I fired one of our employees because he or she couldn’t do the work properly, then this is a regular answer that will not help you. Large corporations have a procedure they follow to fire someone. If you can incorporate using the process of firing into your own experience, then the answer will be stronger. Here is an example.
Short Answers
"I’ve never had to fire anyone yet, but if I’m in this situation, I would follow company policy and do it professionally."
"I had to fire one employee who continually failed to complete projects. Before firing this employee, I tried to work with him by motivating, encouraging, and even providing different work. In the end, nothing worked and I had no choice but to let him go."
"The only time I had to fire someone was when an employee was continually late. We have a company policy of giving a verbal warning for the first three offenses, and then a written warning after the 3rd offense. I had many discussions about this problem with this employee, but it didn’t help. In the end, we had to let him go."
Long Answers
"When I was a managing a group of 4 people in my last position, I unfortunately had to fire one of them. The person was unable to perform at an acceptable level for a long period of time. Our company has a process in place of trying to grow our employees, empower them, and help them find their strengths, but nothing helped. I put the person on probation and explained that he will have to try harder. But after seeing bad performance due to a lack of effort for a long time, I had to fire him."
Another approach to this question is to take a strong stance on performance. As I said before, if the answer is different and creative, the interviewer will remember it more and that means they will remember you more. Then your chances of getting the job increase more than others. Here is an example of an answer that the interviewer will remember.
"Oh yeah, I fired a lot of people. All of the reasons were the same. They were not performing their jobs. I believe in good management. I believe I should mentor and help grow our employees. This is a business and we need to do whatever we can to help our company grow. One of the biggest factors on the success of a company is having great employees. So I won’t hesitate to fire someone that isn’t performing their job. It leaves more room to bring in someone who will benefit the company."
This is an answer I would be willing to use. But before using this answer, you must first look at the type of person asking this question and determine if he or she will like it. If the person is a strong person that shows no emotion, then it might be good. But if a person is very friendly, then that person might not like it. Even though it is a good answer, a friendly person might not like it because it could indicate that you are a cold person. Basically friendly people don’t like cold people and if you have to work together, they might not want to work with you. So be careful on using this type of answer.
8."What do you do when a worker is giving the team more problems then helping?"
If you have a lot of team work experience, you know that there are a lot of people like this. It is a fact that some people actually slow down the work than help the work. That is why this is a good question to ask. A good employee will know how to handle this situation. A bad employee will do all the work themselves. Although doing the work is good, it doesn’t show that you can deal with different types of people.
Short Answers
"I follow a process of helping my coworker out in any way I can. This can include assistance in their portion of the work or by encouragement. If that doesn’t work, then we redistribute the work to make sure everything is covered. I believe it’s important to let my manager know of the problem as well."
"If the problem is related to a difficult task that a coworker cannot solve, then I’ll get all the team members to help out. But if the problem is due to laziness or unwillingness to work, then I’ll inform my manager of the problem."
"It’s hard to deal with a worker that puts in great effort but slows down the team. I noticed it is best to tackle the problem early. One way I found that was helpful was to be more firm. This way, the project continues to move forward without so many interruptions due to small arguments."
Long Answer
"I’ve been in this situation a couple of times. One time, we organized and distributed easier work to the worker with problems. But this is only a short term solution. Most of the time, I end up spending a lot of time helping the person out. It might have been quicker if the rest of the team members did all the work, but I figure helping this person now will benefit us in our next project. Although this method doesn’t work all the time, I really get excited when it does work. Then I know I really helped another person succeed and this in turn helps the company."
This answer will also work if you leave out the last two sentences. But I included the last two sentences to emphasize that helping other people succeed is really the truth instead of just words. If you choose the right way to say something, it sounds much more believable.
9."When do you know enough is enough when dealing with a subordinate that doesn’t seem to be helping?"
This is another good management question. The best way to answer this question is with a procedure in mind. Basically after you tried everything, then enough is enough. But what exactly is everything. You can’t use everything because that shows you really don’t know. Instead of the word everything, list out all the steps so the interviewer believes you know what to do in this situation.
"I know enough is enough when I’ve exhausted all measures to help this employee grow. I would do my part by providing encouragement, giving extra instructions, mentoring, and giving different types of work. If I exhaust all of these steps, then I know I can’t do anything further and that is when enough is enough."
10."Do you like to work by yourself or with others?"
Even if you have a strong preference to work alone or with others, the best answer is to say both. Even if a job is mostly about working alone, there might be some team work involved. Most employers want someone who can work well in a team and work well alone.
"That’s a tough question… I like the combination of the two. It’s great working in teams while getting and sharing ideas with each other, but it’s also nice to sit at your desk and work hard productively. I like to do both so it’s hard to choose one over the other."
If they insist on choosing one, then choose the one that is relevant to the job you are interviewing for. Make sure you pause a little before saying so.
"If I had to choose just one, then… I’d probably choose to work alone."
11.How do you get along…
This isn’t a very popular question because it’s hard to learn about the person answering. The answers are all going to be the same. It’s just a matter of how you say it. Because there isn’t anything exciting to say here, you should show friendly characteristics so it is believable. These answers can be short. It really doesn’t matter how long the answer is but you have to make sure you show your friendliness through your voice.
"How do you get along with your subordinates?"
"My relationship with my directs is very good. They’re very open and honest with me and I’m sure they feel they can come to me with any problems."
"How do you get along with your co-workers?"
"I’ve always had an easy time getting along with different types of people. So I never had a problem getting along with my co-workers. I consider many of them my friends."
"How do you get along with your superiors?"
"I’ve had my share of great managers and mediocre managers, but I’ve always gotten along with all of them very well. I’ve rarely had conflicts with them and if there was an issue, I always talked it over with them."