Job Interview Questions and Answers

Tag: coworkers

  • If coworkers are displaying improper behavior toward one another, what do you do?

    This is another situational question that can easily catch many applicants off guard if they are not prepared and cause them to stumble in their answer, resulting in an unfavorable opinion during the interview. You may not have ever thought about how you would respond in this type of situation unless you have been directly faced with it so when you are preparing for an interview it is a good idea to give it some thought.

    The best way to handle this type of question is to apply the situational guideline. This means that you would respond based on the given situation. In this case, your response to the situation might depend on the type of inappropriate behavior that is displayed. If two coworkers are involved in a physical altercation and it is in an area where customers could easily walk in then you might explain that your first response would be to make an attempt to bring the situation under control so that others are not injured and then report the behavior immediately to a superior.

    On the other hand, if the improper behavior that is displayed is more of a personal nature then you might explain that your response would be to talk to the individuals involved and explain that the behavior was not appropriate for the workplace and that it should stop. If the behavior did not cease at that point you might then report it to management.

    As you can see, a situational question can often result in a situational type answer. These types of questions can be very hard to predict because you never know exactly what the interviewer will ask, but you can be better prepared for handling such questions by taking the time to practice ahead of time and make sure you understand what it is that the interviewer wants to gain from your response to the question. In this case, it is likely that the interviewer wants to find out how you would handle potentially embarrassing or difficult situations and where your loyalties would lie if there was a problem with co-workers. In other words, would you cover up the behavior in order to remain on friendly terms or would you be loyal to the company and report behavior that could potentially harm the company in some way.

  • How would your past coworkers describe you?

    This is a question that must be answered carefully because you do not want to reveal anything unflattering. You should always remember that the person who is interviewing you could be your future supervisor, so you should definitely take care in describing how you believe former coworkers would describe you. The key is to describe yourself in the way that any supervisor would want to see a new employee. For example you might say that former coworkers would describe you as committed, loyal, friendly, professional, etc.

    When answering this question make sure you avoid the use of the word ‘think.’ You should sound as though you are confident regarding what others would say when describing you. When you use the word ‘think’ it sounds as though you re not sure and casts some doubt onto the subject. This is something that should be avoided. You should always strive to sound as though you are confident, positive and certain regarding how others would describe you.

    It may also be helpful when answering this question if you can provide a direct quote from a former coworker. For example, you might say that a particular coworker once told you that you are the hardest working person on the team. Of course, if you do share something like this when in an interview, you should be certain that you tell only the truth. Do not just make up something that a coworker might have said about you because you think it sounds nice. You never want to place yourself in a position where you tell something that is not true in an interview and it is discovered later.

    Also, when relating how coworkers would describe you, do make sure you focus on descriptions that would be appropriate for the workplace. Even if you socialize with coworkers outside of work, you should not steer into personal territory. Even if the coworker who sat next to you said that you were the life of the party when a group of you went out after work for a few drinks, this is not something to reveal in an interview. Stick to professional qualities. The interviewer wants to find out how you function in a professional work environment. Providing a clear and confident answer regarding traits others would see in you while at work will accomplish this goal.