Page 95 - Boost Your Hiring

The Manager’s Hiring IQ Test 81

INTERVIEWER’S QUESTION
37. Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a boss
or coworker.
Which response actually answers the question? Which answer
should you be wary of? Are there any red flags?

(A) “When I was new at my last job, there was a coworker who was
being rude to me and criticizing the way I was doing things. I
am a usually very quick about picking up on new things, but in
this situation I hadn’t been trained. I decided to talk to her
about the situation before it went any further. I asked her if we
could have a meeting, and she reluctantly agreed. I told her that
I respected the fact that she had been doing the job for some
years and that I looked to her for guidance. She told me that it
was not her role to teach the new people. I told her that I appre-
ciated that but that if she would just point out the things that I
was doing incorrectly and what I needed to do differently, I was
sure that I would be able to be more helpful. I think she liked
my attitude because things improved after that meeting.”
(B) “There was a time when my boss was not taking action to dis-
cipline a coworker who was coming in late on a regular basis. I
talked to him, and he basically told me that he was in charge
and that I was to take responsibility for my own behavior and
not my coworkers. I was really upset with his attitude. It seems
to me that if there is a policy, then everyone should be ex-
pected to live by the same rules. I felt so strongly about it that
I reported the incident to HR. My boss was upset that the HR
manager became involved. I ended up leaving that job because
of the lack of consistency in the treatment of employees.”

(C) “I’m the type of person who doesn’t ever have conflict at work.
In fact I get along with everyone. I try to ignore people’s irri-
tating behavior and just mind my own business. I don’t get
into the gossip or talk that goes on in the office. If something
upsets me, I just take a break or go for a walk and let myself
cool down. I’ve worked with a lot of different people, and there
have been plenty of times when I could have had conflicts with
them, but I just don’t think it is worth it. It would just upset
me, and I am better off just focusing on my own work.”

I think the strongest answer is _____.