Think about a demanding boss, professor, or coworker. What made them difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
The interviewer asks this question to gain insight into your interpersonal, conflict resolution, problem-solving, and communication skills. They want to see that you can work with a variety of people and can successfully handle challenging people in the workplace.
"I once worked at a small medical facility where the primary physician was very demanding. When he walked into the facility, employees quietly announced that he was in the building so that everyone could prepare for his arrival. This physician had great intentions; however, his people skills were a little rough. I saw that he meant well and recognized that he wanted to do many good things. When we interacted, I always took his feedback with the understanding that he didn't mean things as harshly as he might say them."
"During my internship, I had a fellow student who didn't pull their weight. This unmotivated person created more work for the rest of the team by being slow and unresponsive. Our team started to complete most of the tasks regarding group projects. It didn't take much time before our professor noticed this particular individual was slacking. I feel like, in most instances, the underachievers will weed themselves out over time, and it's rarely worth making a fuss over."
Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize some folks are pretty difficult to please. Think about that one person at work who is hard to please. Perhaps there is someone at work who tries to intimidate others. Talk to the interviewer about what made this person challenging and their relationship with you. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone, and be sure to end your response on a positive note.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
During clinicals, a nurse I was following wasn't being nice and was rude. At first, I thought about going to my instructor to change my nurse, but I decided to say something to the nurse first. I said, politely and calmly, that I am here to learn from you and help you as well. She apologized.
Rachelle's Feedback
It's great that you approached this person, stood up for yourself, and shared your feelings. I have reworded the response slightly to help with the flow.
"During clinicals, I was assigned to a nurse who was rude and not teaching me. Rather than going to my instructor to request a change, I decided first to say something to the nurse. I calmly explained that I wanted to learn from her, and help her as well. She apologized and the situation improved."
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