How to Answer: Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult person. How did you handle it?
15. Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult person. How did you handle it?
What You Need to Know
From your work history, picture a co-worker who didn't carry their weight or had a difficult personality. Maybe they were unmotivated or preoccupied with their personal life. Think about what bothered you about this person and how you were affected by their behavior. Most importantly, the interviewer wants to know how you let this person's behavior affect you and your work performance.
Avoid taking this as an opportunity to complain about someone; instead, view it as an opportunity to showcase your ability to deal with difficult people while maintaining your productivity.
Written by Christine Pasqueretta
Answer Example
"In my previous position, I did have a coworker who didn't pull their weight. Our team started to complete most of the tasks when it came to group projects. It didn't take much time before our manager 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."
Written by Christine Pasqueretta
Manager Example
"Difficult people make me tick! I enjoy trying to understand where they are coming from and then what techniques I can apply to help them improve their behavior or resolve a situation. Most difficult people want to feel like they have a voice. So, I listen, empathize and reassure them while still maintaining my position as their manager."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 5th, 2020
Sales Example
"In my first position out of college, I worked with a person who enjoyed gossip in the workplace. I found that I could redirect her to work by giving a quick reply and then asking her a pointed work question, which would get her back on task. There were a few key takeaways from this experience. I learned how to concentrate on chatter or disruption better than before, and I perfected my skills at refocusing someone else to the task at hand."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 5th, 2020
Retail Example
"In the past, I had a coworker who was very unmotivated. This situation was pretty difficult since I never wanted to let anyone down and would not allow something to remain undone. I was already doing more than my fair share of the work and was in no position of authority to change her attitude. I did pull her aside and let her know how actions impacted me. She picked up the pace for a bit but eventually my manager terminated her. Luckily her replacement was amazing!"
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 5th, 2020
Marketing Example
"One of the graphic designers I currently work with is a moody creative. The success of my position directly depends on his quality and timeliness of work, unfortunately. Because of this, I've learned to tap into how he operates. We use project management software to track where the project is, but I also have bi-weekly check-ins. I know he's better to deal with in the afternoon, and other little quirks about him. It's somewhat humorous at times, and I'm happy to have discovered some workarounds."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 5th, 2020
Admin Example
"I once supported a very challenging VP as their executive assistant. Reading between the lines was the name of the game. This challenge became easier as time went on, and I got to know the ins and outs of my job better. However, the beginning was incredibly trying. I coped by asking my co-workers for advice or direction, or using my intuition and doing what I thought was best. The position certainly taught me independent thought and troubleshooting!"
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 5th, 2020
Teacher Example
"I work with many challenging students, all of the time. I find that if I am struggling to reach a student that means I need to spend more time with them, rather than shy away as natural human instinct would have it. I will ask them how I can best help them, meet with their parents, and dive deeper into their needs."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 5th, 2020
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
I talk with them and let them know what impact it has on business and other employees if they don't want to do the job. After some training with them and show them how to doing, they understand and tried to be more happy and working."
Kevin's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
But every other morning this co-worker was telling me his concerns about the project, our testing approach, the amount of work in the backlog, and it was making me doubt myself, my efforts and bringing my mood down.
Task: But still, I was trying to relieve his concerns and make our communication positive.
Action: So I always tried to cheer him up, and when I saw that his concerns and doubts distracted him from being productive, I arranged a meeting with our product owner to discuss these concerns and so the product owner would relieve those concerns and help the team member focus on the current tasks.
Result: After the conversation with the product owner, my coworker remained productive and focused. It helped him to stay positive so that he could focus on the tasks. And, our work dynamic was great."
Rachelle's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Jaymie's Feedback