How to Answer: Tell me about a time when you worked with a person who did things very differently than you. How did you get the job done?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Medical Coder job interview.
10. Tell me about a time when you worked with a person who did things very differently than you. How did you get the job done?
How to Answer
These situations seem to happen often in the workplace since everyone's work style is a bit unique. Maybe you are organized, and you had to work with someone who is not organized. Perhaps you are a 'big picture' thinker, and you had to work with someone who micromanaged the details. Maybe you are a technology whiz, and you had to work with someone who likes to do things with paper and pen.
Start by discussing the project you were working on and the ways your work styles differed from each other. Explain how you came to a mutual consensus on how to conquer the project. Show the interviewer that you are capable of giving merit to other working styles, even if they do not match your own.
Written by Heather Douglass
Answer Example
"My co-worker and I approach deadlines differently, and that is okay. I prefer mapping out the situation and putting myself on a timeline whereas she prefers to just jump right into the task. We have found a good balance of our two working styles after discussing our differences. On our last project, we agreed to split the tasks up and come together at the end of each day to put the pieces together. We have also agreed to keep the lines of communication open throughout the day. As different as we are from each other, we both agree that so long as we get to the end goal together, it doesn't always matter how we got there."
Written by Heather Douglass