How to Answer: Think about a difficult boss, professor, or coworker you've had in the past. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Loma Linda University Medical Center job interview.
3. Think about a difficult boss, professor, or coworker you've had in the past. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
No matter what role you are interviewing for, you will work closely with at least a handful of the 16,000-plus employees or the over 1,000 physicians. The interviewer knows that you won't mesh well with all of them. They need to understand that you would come to their team with the ability to work with some difficult personalities you will encounter as part of their team.
Written by Ryan Brunner on January 31st, 2023
How to Answer
Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities, even though you recognize that some folks are difficult to please. Before your interview, think about that one person at work who was hard to please. Talk to the interviewer about what made this person challenging and your relationship with them. The main thing Loma Linda UMC will be looking for is how you successfully navigated that situation.
Written by Ryan Brunner on January 31st, 2023
Answer Example
"Over the last few years, I've had a colleague who doesn't pull their weight. This is frustrating because they've proven they can work just as hard as anyone else; they just choose not to at times. This unmotivated coworker created more work for the rest of the team by being slow and unresponsive. I chose to have a conversation with my colleague. I took an empathetic approach and listened to my colleague's thoughts, and they let me know that, at times, they allow their personal life to seep into their work. I recommended the colleague contact our EAP for additional assistance, and they thanked me for the effort. When it still happens to this day, we are on great terms where I can say something to them openly."
Written by Ryan Brunner on January 31st, 2023