Question: Describe a time when you had to work with a coworker who you had difficulty getting along with. What was the context and what did you do?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Describe a time you had to work with a colleague you did not get along with. How did you deal with them?

Follow-up questions:

What happened in the end?
What is your relationship with this person now?
How did they respond to your strategies or methods in working together with them?
Why do you think they behaved that way?
Did you find it difficult to overcome this challenge?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Social – Rapport Buiding/Relating and Connecting with others,Social – Social Perceptiveness

Other Factors:

Personality-Team Fit

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships,Interacting with Others – Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (Conflict Management)

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People,Interpersonal Relationships – Frequency of Conflict Situations,Interpersonal Relationships – Frequency of Contact With Others,Interpersonal Relationships – Work With Work Group or Team (As a member, not a leader)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Assertiveness/Courage,Self Control

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

How well the interviewee tried to overcome the barriers to working with a ‘difficult to work person’. See if the strategies used were the most appropriate for the given situation, even if the end result was not successful.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Refusal to deal with difficult people is a red flag.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: Unknown