How to Answer: Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach, and did it work?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Nuclear Engineer job interview.
14. Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach, and did it work?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer may be looking for a response that highlights your persuasive and problem-solving skills. A good interviewer will ask about specific times you influenced others, including the circumstances of the situation, what you did specifically, and the outcome.
Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 5th, 2022
How to Answer
Questions like this give you a chance to highlight the skills, personality traits, experiences, and knowledge you have that will benefit the company. Avoid discussing times where you attempted to influence others unsuccessfully or where you attempted to influence others in questionable situations. Focus on the steps you took to resolve the problem and convince your coworkers or manager of the merits of your solution. Explain why your solution was the better choice and how you came to that conclusion so the hiring manager sees there was a method to your persuasion.
Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 5th, 2022
Answer Example
"While working on my recent internship, I needed access to data from a different department to complete one segment of my project. The head of that department initially refused my request for access to the data because I was an intern. I went to my manager requesting assistance, and she said it was a learning opportunity for me. So I asked the department manager to meet in person. At that meeting, I walked him through the scope of my project, how the data would be used, and how it would be kept secure. Once he understood the actual use of the data and its security, he authorized my access later that day."
Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 5th, 2022