How well do you get along with other people?
This question highlights your people skills and personality. In the fire service, it is crucial to get along with your coworkers and the community you serve. Interviewers want to see that you are a pleasant, friendly person and not a problem employee.
Fire departments want to hire Firefighters that are not difficult to manage. If you do not get along with other people, the department will receive complaints from the community, which makes the department look bad. The interviewer wants to hear that you will not be a challenging employee if hired.
Explain how you work well with others, how others view your personality, and any awards or recommendations you have received for working well with others. Suppose you have a letter of recommendation or performance review from a previous employer that highlights your ability to work well with others. In that case, you can also mention that in your response.
"I get along with other people very well. In my current position as the manager of Starbucks, it is my job to get along with my employees and the customers. If there is an issue with either one, I can diffuse the situation and ensure that the customer and employee are happy. All of my employee reviews from my supervisor have been exemplary, and I have been recognized as the employee of the month four times in the two years I have worked for Starbucks."
Avoid saying that you do not get along with other people. If you are a challenging person to be around, the interviewer will pass you over for a candidate who interacts well with others.
If you have had problems with coworkers, supervisors, or customers in the past, you may have to work on your people skills. However, if you mention the problems you have had in the past, it will raise a red flag, and the interviewer will question your interpersonal skills.
Think of past jobs where you got along well with your coworkers, and use that experience to demonstrate how you get along with others. You do not need a lengthy explanation, just enough to convince the interviewer that you will be an easy employee to work with if hired.
"I have been called a people person by previous managers because of my ability to get along with everyone I come in contact with. I have worked in customer service jobs for five years and enjoy interacting with the public and have never had a complaint from a customer, coworker, or manager."
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
I feel I can get along with people very well. Honestly, I think I can count on one hand how many people I haven't gotten along with. My attitude towards being kind and positive definitely affects that aspect of life because it helps people become comfortable with being who they are around me, and it shows that I could maybe even be a good friend to people. Even in situations where I'm not fond of someone other they are not fond of me, I will always believe in being professional with them so it doesn't affect other people's relationships with others, or affect the environment with anyone in the workplace.
Amanda's Feedback
With this question, the interviewer wants to know what makes you a good people person at work. Your friendly personality shines here as well as your commitment to respect and professionalism in the workplace. You can strengthen this answer further by sharing a real workplace example of a time when you helped resolve an issue, helped a struggling team member, or worked effectively with someone you didn't necessarily enjoy working with. This illustrates that you have the ability to communicate well and mediate conflicts, which are both important when striving to get along with others.
Anonymous Answer
I get along with anyone and everyone. My interpersonal skills are something that I am very proud of. In my current place of work, I deal with contractors on a weekly basis and have a good relationship with my vendors.
Amanda's Feedback
Your answer shows that you have experience working with a variety of people and maintaining strong relationships with others. You can highlight your interpersonal skills even more by talking about how you consistently use clear communication, active listening, empathy, and a positive attitude to build trusting relationships, resolve conflict, and support a positive team-oriented environment.
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