Have you ever had to work with someone you didn’t get along with? How did you navigate that?

What You Need to Know
How to Answer
Answer Example
Mechanical Engineer Example
Manufacturing Engineer Example

SpaceX is known for its culture of putting in long hours while working nonstop under high-pressure, fast-paced conditions. Expectations are high, and it is not uncommon for their employees to experience burnout on the job. Working under such circumstances can put one's emotional maturity to the test. Therefore, this question aims to evaluate your emotional intelligence and sense of teamwork.

How you answer could inform them how well you get along with and collaborate with the others on your teams. So try to offer an example where your fellow team member may not be among your closest friends, but you can see past any personal differences and work well together, succeeding in your common goals. You want to exemplify that you are emotionally mature and always have your eye on the big picture.

"I worked with a gentleman who didn't have much of a filter and would often volunteer his political opinions or offer his assumptions of the morality of others; he would also summarily judge anyone for their disapproval of his manner. This was difficult for more than a few teammates in our department to deal with. But he had his talents, and I knew I wasn't going to change him. The only thing I had any control over was my attitude and approach to the situation. So, anytime I worked with him on a project, I would focus on the project at hand, and he would ramble on. If he was mumbling along with one of his rants, I would interrupt him with a project-related question without hesitation and maintain my focus on the work at hand. I never engaged him with his rhetoric and just stayed on point. I was able to often laugh it off by not taking him too seriously. So, we worked together just fine."

"Yes, I did my best to only engage on topics professionally. I would not get into family, politics, or anything outside of the office. It was always very to the point, but courteous. The definition of a professional relationship."

"Yes, I do my best to be kind and supportive of them in all cases. While we were never "friends" in the workplace, we were able to be extremely successful working together through the kindness and mutual respect shown."