There is only one reason that an employer would ask this type of question in an interview and it is because they want to find out whether the people you will be working with in the new job, if you should be hired, will find you easy to work with. They also want to know what kinds of personalities you are able to get along best with in a work situation. Managers know that in order for a team to be effective and productive, there must be a sense of cohesion. While everyone on the team is unique and different and brings something to the table, there is no denying that some personalities just do not get along that well. The key to responding to this question well lies in understanding that no matter what type of job you take, you will likely encounter a wide range of different personalities and you must be able to deal with them in an effective manner.
As you respond to this question you might state that in your past experience you have found that you are able to get along with virtually everyone but have found that you tend to get along best with people who enjoy a lot of activity and staying busy. As you can see, you do not want to provide an answer to this question that focuses on negatives in your own personality or which focuses on negatives in someone else. Instead, you should make sure that you are always completely positive in terms of the types of personalities that you work best with.
This type of response will indicate to the interviewer your understanding of the necessity of working with an array of different personalities and also that you clearly understand the types of people with whom you are able to be most effective and productive in a work environment.
This is a good question to practice answering when you are preparing for an interview because it is one that you are likely to encounter frequently no matter what type of job you are hoping to be hired for through your job search efforts. Taking the time to prepare for this question will ensure that you are able to handle even difficult questions if they should come your way during a future interview.
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