How to Answer: How would you handle a colleague who wasn't doing their fair share of the work?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Paralegal job interview.
26. How would you handle a colleague who wasn't doing their fair share of the work?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
A paralegal is a member of an entire legal team. Being able to work as a team and help drive efficiency is very important. The interviewer wants to know that you can work in a team environment and resolve conflict where needed.
Written by Nicole H. on January 17th, 2022
How to Answer
You may need to rephrase this question as you provide an answer because it can be difficult to determine what a colleague's fair share of work is. Unless you are their manager, you may not understand their work responsibilities or arrangements. Provide an answer that generally explains what you expect from working as a team and how you would address conflict amongst team members.
Written by Nicole H. on January 17th, 2022
Answer Example
"When working as part of the team, the ultimate goal is a successful outcome for the client. Sometimes that means taking on more work to ensure it gets completed. Colleagues are humans and things come up that can affect work. I believe it's important to have clear communication with each other so we can understand how workload is being distributed amongst the team."
Written by Nicole H. on January 17th, 2022