Tell me about a time you handled a challenging situation with a colleague on the job.
Your interviewer wants to hear more about your interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills. They are also curious about what you might consider a challenging situation. You might discuss a conflict situation you experienced with another employee, in which case the interviewer will be curious whether you contributed to that conflict. Or it could suggest a strong sense of teamwork and collaboration, where you and a colleague faced and overcame a challenging situation together. Focus your answer on the steps you took to turn a difficult situation into a positive outcome. Share the lessons you learned from that situation, and the teamwork involved, while showcasing your strong interpersonal skills and collaborative mindset.
"A couple of years ago, we hired a new Junior Advisor, and I was assigned to be his mentor. I mentored several other thriving Junior Advisors before he started, and this opportunity excited me. Within the first week of his job, I overheard a colleague talking about his disdain for this new advisor and witnessed him criticizing him. I spoke to my colleague in a private office about my concern over his actions and choice of words. I knew he had the skills to succeed, and I reiterated that to my colleague. After agreeing to back off from any private criticism of the new advisor, he promised to help mentor him. Direct conversations are the best way to handle workplace conflicts."
"A couple of years ago, I approached a colleague who missed a deadline. We were conducting a big audit, and she had an outburst. At first, her response surprised us because we'd never witnessed such behavior from her. Remaining calm, we allowed her the opportunity to vent. It turns out she was going through some personal stuff impacting her work. While keeping our project deadlines in mind, I also took a personal approach in letting her know she could bring these issues to me as a colleague and a friend, and we could work through them together in the future. This approach is vital to any conflicts with colleagues and one I take as needed."
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