Do you consider yourself to be direct and forthright with others?
The interviewer wants to know that you are straightforward yet genuine in your communication. The goal of your response is to show that you are thoughtful when you interact with others. Show the interviewer that you can be sincere and honest, even when facing potentially sensitive or delicate situations.
"Yes, I do consider myself to be direct with others. The most professional and respectful thing I can do is get to the point in a considerate way. I never sugarcoat a challenging situation; however, I approach conversations believing that everyone has the best intentions. One example of being direct is when one of my employees delivers a report with errors. I will approach them and say, 'There are errors in your report. I would appreciate you fixing these by the end of the day.' By doing so, I address the issue while being direct about the resubmission deadline."
"Part of being direct is sticking to the facts when discussing a situation. If there is a concern with my work, I appreciate my boss approaching me promptly and outlining what needs repair. As a recent university graduate, I had many opportunities to be direct and give feedback to fellow students during group projects. I would confidently bring up any potential issues or concerns and then openly brainstorm solutions with the group members to fix the issues collectively. I learned a lot about being a contributing team member and look forward to applying these skills in this role with Company ABC."
Avoid providing an answer that makes it seem like you are aggressive or combative in the workplace. For instance, instead of saying, 'I have no problem approaching someone directly when a problem arises,' consider saying, 'When I notice a concern or potential issue, I will approach the situation promptly and with care.'
Being a forthright person means you are honest, sincere, and direct. It means that you provide timely responses, offer helpful and prompt direction, and provide thoughtful feedback without hesitation. Rather than only discussing your personality traits, consider also providing an example of how you communicate in the workplace.
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
Yes, I believe that being direct and transparent is the only way to be. I help coach multiple sales reps at my company, and one time one of the reps came to me with a scenario in which they thought they had the perfect solution. They were excited about it, but I knew, based on my experience, that their solution would not work and had to tell them and let them know what their best option was.
Rachelle's Feedback
It's good that you were direct and took the opportunity to coach this person. Can you dive into the details of what you said/how you delivered the message?
