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Kaiser Permanente Mock Interview

Question 34 of 37 for our Kaiser Permanente Mock Interview

Kaiser Permanente was updated by on March 28th, 2024. Learn more here.

Question 34 of 37

How would you handle working with a patient or coworker who had a difficult personality?

"As a person who is introverted and always tries to have fun and be happy on the job, I have struggled in the past with patients and colleagues who are loud, demanding, and intrusive. As I've gotten better throughout my career, my way of working effectively with people like this is to listen intently, repeat what I hear them say, and keep my nose to the grindstone in delivering results. I don't let things get to me because of my thick skin and this has really helped me in a busy clinical setting. I'm sure it will help me as part of the dynamic and passionate team here at Kaiser Permanente."

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How to Answer: How would you handle working with a patient or coworker who had a difficult personality?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Kaiser Permanente job interview.

  • 34. How would you handle working with a patient or coworker who had a difficult personality?

      How to Answer

      As you're interviewing to join a company of over 235,000 employees, odds are high that you will encounter a colleague who has a personality that conflicts with yours. On top of that with over 12.5 million members, your interviewer knows that any person they consider to work at Kaiser Permanente will see some sort of personality conflict during their time there. They pose this question question to hear you discuss how you will work effectively with someone who sees things differently than you or clashes with you. The key to answering this question is staying true to who you are while also taking a professional and respectful approach to anyone you are working with. If you use an example from your past, try to avoid speaking negatively of others and focus on the approach you used to make it a positive interaction.

      Written by Ryan Brunner on March 1st, 2024

      Answer Example

      "As a person who is introverted and always tries to have fun and be happy on the job, I have struggled in the past with patients and colleagues who are loud, demanding, and intrusive. As I've gotten better throughout my career, my way of working effectively with people like this is to listen intently, repeat what I hear them say, and keep my nose to the grindstone in delivering results. I don't let things get to me because of my thick skin and this has really helped me in a busy clinical setting. I'm sure it will help me as part of the dynamic and passionate team here at Kaiser Permanente."

      Written by Ryan Brunner on March 1st, 2024

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "When you work in a diverse team and with patients, you will encounter difficult personalities. My approach is to tune out the negativity and try to figure out why the personality is difficult. While working with patients, the difficulty usually stems from fear of the unknown about their health, I try to be more empathetic and talk to them truthfully about the procedure. If I am unable to understand a team member's personality, I try to be professional and interact in a courteous manner."

      Amanda's Feedback

      Well done! With this question, the interviewer is trying to get an idea of how you interact with challenging people, such as a coworker who is hard to please or has a tendency to intimidate others. Your answer shows the interviewer that you can work well with almost anyone. Because this is a situational question, consider using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to provide a story-based example. This ensures that you give the right amount of information and detail to create a compelling and memorable answer. Make sure to avoid speaking negatively of anyone, and be sure to end your response with a positive. Using a real-life example of how you improved a relationship with a difficult coworker or patient gives the interviewer a glimpse of how your strategy pays off in real-life situations.
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