How to Answer: Tell me about the most difficult supervisor you have ever worked with and how you went about working with him or her.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Office Administrator job interview.
13. Tell me about the most difficult supervisor you have ever worked with and how you went about working with him or her.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The Interviewer wants to identify how you work with others, specifically with authority figures. This question may be an indicator that there are strong personalities in the office. Your interviewer may also want to ensure that the individual they bring on board is willing to make corrections and take feedback when necessary.
Written by Jenna Cohen on March 31st, 2022
How to Answer
Draw on any of your past work, school, or volunteer experiences to answer this question. Present a situation in which you clashed with an authority figure, and make sure to present a positive resolution! The focus of your story mustn't be why you clashed or how that impacted you, but rather how you worked to either resolve the issue or find a way to work together.
Written by Jenna Cohen on March 31st, 2022
What to Avoid
Avoid focusing on the conflict. You do not want to create the impression that you disagreed with this past Supervisor in a manner that interrupted others' work or impacted other colleagues negatively.
Written by Jenna Cohen on March 31st, 2022
Answer Example
"When I worked at XYZ Company a few years ago, I had a hard time understanding the directions given by a particular Supervisor who I did not work with often. I found their instructions to be a bit vaguer than I was used to. This Supervisor felt that I was questioning their authority since I typically had more questions for them than I did for other Supervisors I worked with. In time, I learned which of my peers worked with this Supervisor most and would be good resources for my questions. The Supervisor liked that I was performing better and building relationships within their team, which ultimately helped our working relationship."
Written by Jenna Cohen on March 31st, 2022