I think one of my greatest strengths is as a problem solver.

I have the ability to see a

situation from different perspectives and I can get my work done even in the face of
difficult obstacles. I also feel that my communication skills are top notch. I feel just as
comfortable presenting to senior executives as I do mediating a conflict between junior
team members. I worked as a programmer in the past so I have that perspective of a
developer and I think that they respect me for that.
I am too much of a perfectionist.
I work too hard sometimes.
I care too much about my work.

Part 1: How to Choose a Good Weakness

Be authentic.
Dont select a weakness just because it sounds good. You will make a better impression with
sincerity. That doesnt mean you have to share a weakness that makes you look bad. If
youre like most of us, you have several weaknesses and at least one of them will be
interview-friendly as defined by the additional guidelines below.
Pick a weakness that is acceptable for the job at hand.
Be aware of the job requirements and dont cite a weakness related to any of the required
skills or desired qualities. If youre an accountant, dont talk about hating math or lack of
attention to detail. If youre in sales, dont confess to being too reserved or lacking
persistence.
Select a weakness that is relatively minor and fixable.
By fixable, I mean its something you can improve through work and motivation.
For example:
Fixable: I get nervous when speaking in front of large groups.
(You can get better through practice and learning new skills and this is a common
development area.)

Part 2: How to Demonstrate That You Are Working on Your

Weakness
In the second part of your answer, you need to describe how you have already taken steps to
improve in your area of weakness. Heres why:
1) A great candidate is always looking for ways to learn and grow
2) A fabulous candidate then takes the initiative to improve
Use your answer to demonstrate your motivation to be the best at what you do. This is how
to truly emphasize the positive when talking about your weakness.

Example 2: Too Direct

Sometimes I can be a bit too honest when I provide feedback to coworkers. My
personality is naturally very straightforward and to the point, and most of my colleagues
really value that, but I have learned that there are times on the job when more diplomacy
is required.
I took a training class on conflict management and it really opened my eyes to the need to
communicate differently with different people. So now I am much better at providing
constructive feedback, even if it doesnt always come naturally.

Example 3: Public Speaking

Honestly, I would say that public speaking is an area that I could work on. I tend to get
nervous when asked to present to a large group of people. In small team meetings, Im the
first one to stand up and present. But put me in front of a big group and I can get
flustered.
I actually spoke to my manager about this and we set it as one of my development goals
for this year. I took an internal presentation skills class and attended some meetings of
Toastmasters, a networking group for people who want to practice public speaking. With

some practice, I started to feel more comfortable. Last month, I even volunteered to
represent our team at a division-wide town hall. I only had to present for 10 minutes, but I
did it and got great feedback! It was actually kind of fun, so I plan on continuing to seek
out opportunities to improve in this area.

Sample Answer 1: What Do You Like About This

Company?
Well, the JP Morgan reputation is certainly a factor. I would be proud to work for a
company with such a long history of leadership in the industry.
Also, a good friend of the family has been working in corporate finance at JP Morgan for
the last two years and he told me that the culture supports learning and development on
the job and really rewards hard work.
Why We Like It: In this case, the candidate is interviewing for a very well-known firm. In
a situation like this, the tendency for many candidates is to basically answer, Well, its JP
Morgan. Duh. In todays job market, thats not going to be enough to set you apart from
other candidates, even if your resume is stellar.
This sample answer addresses the companys brand and history, but also demonstrates that
the candidate took the time to do some additional research through his network (read on for
some tips on how to research companies before you interview). The answer goes on to
emphasize the candidates interest in working hard and developing on the job.

Sample Answer 2: What Do You Like About This

Company?
I saw an article in Business Week about your new CEO John Jacobs and the firms
renewed focus on technology innovation.

I consider myself an innovator and I would love to work for an organization thats leading
the future of the industry.
Why We Like It: Its smart to seek out recent press on any company that interviews you.
In this case, the candidate found an article about the firms new CEO and quoting it makes
her sound smart, prepared, and interested.
She also singles out the bit from the article about innovation and articulates that this is a
shared value. It doesnt hurt that she compliments the firm as a leader in the industry. A
little flattery can be effective just be careful not to cross the line into pathetic kissing up.
I feel that my proven track record leading multi-functional teams makes me an excellent
match for the job requirements. Also, the role excites me because I love the idea of helping
to develop cutting-edge software products and I know I could start delivering results from
Day 1.
Why We Like It: This answer manages to sell the candidate while addressing what she
likes about the job. She leads with the fact that her experience makes her a great fit for the
job requirements. She continues by stating that the role excites her. This is good. Dont be
coy about whether you want the job or not. Show some enthusiasm. And finally, our
candidate wraps by promising that she can deliver results immediately.
Well, I have great respect for your companys software products and I would welcome
the opportunity to work with the best in the business. At the same time, I have friends in
the industry who have told me about your companys respect for employees and how you
create a great environment for rewarding innovation. I think my proactive style would fit
in really well here especially in this particular role.
Why We Like It: This sample answer addresses both the organization and the role. He
compliments the products, the employees, and the work environment (companies do love to
say they are innovative, dont they?). He then talks about how his style would fit in well. If
this were my client, I would advise him to add one last line about WHY his style would
benefit this role in particular.

Well, I have all of the skills and experience that youre looking for and Im confident that I
would be a superstar in this project management role.
Its not just my background leading successful projects for top companies or my people
skills, which have helped me develop great relationships with developers, vendors, and
senior managers alike. But Im also passionate about this industry and Im driven to
deliver high-quality work.
Why We Like It:
She has a lot of confidence and is able to concisely sum up how she meets the positions top
requirements (project management experience, relationship and team skills). This answer
is a little bit general and could perhaps be further strengthened with examples(describing a
successful project, naming one of those top companies, offering evidence of those great
relationships).
However, assuming that the candidate has already discussed some specifics of her past
roles, this answer does a good job of reiterating and emphasizing. She doesnt make the
interviewer put all of the pieces together on his own.
She does it for him and naturally does it with a very positive spin. We also really like the last
line: Whats not to love about passion, drive, and high-quality work?
Example Answer 2: Programmer
Honestly, I almost feel like the job description was written with me in mind. I have the 6
years of programming experience youre looking for, a track record of successful projects,
and proven expertise in agile development processes.
At the same time, I have developed my communication skills from working directly with
senior managers, which means I am well prepared to work on high-profile, cross-

department projects. I have the experience to start contributing from day one and I am
truly excited about the prospect of getting started.
Why We Like It:
This is another good approach to summing up key qualifications and demonstrating a great
fit with the position requirements. In particular, this candidate is likely to win points
with the experience to start contributing from day one. He wont need much training or
hand-holding and thats attractive to any employer.
Example Answer 3: New College Grad
I have the experience and the attitude to excel in this production assistant position. I have
almost two years of television production experience including two summers interning
at The Ellen Show, where I was exposed to all aspects of TV production and worked so
hard the first summer that they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more
responsibilities.
During my senior year at UC San Diego, I have been working part-time for a production
company, where I have served in an assistant role but also recently had the chance to help
edit several episodes. I have a reputation for getting things done and with a smile on my
face.
Thats because I love working in the television industry and am excited to learn and get
experience in every way possible.
Why We Like It:
This candidate has some nice internship and part-time experience, but shes a new college
grad and doesnt have any full-time positions to talk about.
This answer highlights the experience that she does have (and the fact that she performed
well she was invited back to her internship and was given an opportunity to edit at her
part-time job).

She also expresses her enthusiasm for the job and her strong work ethic. These qualities are
important for an entry-level hire, who will likely be doing quite a bit of grunt work at first.

Common mistake

Ask any salesperson. Its tough to close a deal in a buyers market. Many candidates
sabotage themselves with avoidable mistakes.
Lack of preparation Dont try to wing it. You should take the time to prepare your 3-4
bullet points and look for opportunities to customize for any new opportunity. Then, you
must PRACTICE delivering your sales pitch until it feels comfortable.
Modesty This is not the time to be modest or self-deprecating. You must be ready,
willing, and able to talk about what makes you a great hire. This will require some practice if
you are naturally a bit modest.
You dont have to be super-confident like the candidate in the video example above. You can
use your own style. If youre not comfortable making value statements about yourself(i.e. I
am the perfect candidate.), you can stick to fact (I have ten years of experience, got
promoted, broke the sales record, won the award, delivered on time and on budget,
received kudos from my manager/client, etc.)
Another way to sell yourself with facts is to quote other peoples opinions. Quote your
manger, My manager told me that hes never seen anyone with more advanced Excel
skills. You can also reference your general reputation: I have a reputation for always
closing the deal or I have a history of always completing my projects ahead of schedule.
Being too general Do your best to add some personality to your answer. Dont simply
rattle off the bullet points listed in the job description. Really think about what makes you
unique and express it in your own voice.

Talking too much Remember the law of answering interview questions: You should
limit each answer to 1-2 minutes in length (not counting any follow-up questions or requests
for additional detail).
If you try to walk through your entire resume when answering this question, the interviewer
is likely to tune out.
Focus on your most compelling selling points. Keep in mind that youll be more believable if
you focus on a few strengths and dont try to claim that you are a master of every business
skill imaginable.
Still not sure what to ask? We have some proven examples of good questions to ask during a
job interview:
1. Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
This is your chance to learn as much as possible about the role so you can decide whether
this is a job you really want. By learning more about the day-to-day tasks, you will also gain
more insight into what specific skills and strengths are needed and you can address any
topics that havent already been covered.
2. What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in
this role?
This question can often lead to valuable information thats not in the job description. It can
help you learn about the company culture and expectations so you can show that you are a
good fit.
3. What are your expectations for this role during the first 30 days, 60 days,
year?
Find out what your employers expectations are for the person in this position.
4. Describe the culture of the company.
Are you a good fit for this particular organization? Make sure you are comfortable with the
culture and the dynamic of the company.

5. Where do you think the company is headed in the next 5 years?

If you plan to be in this role for several years, make sure the company is growing so you can
grow with the company.
6. Who do you consider your top competitor, and why?
You should already have an idea of the companys major competitors, but it can be useful to
ask your interviewer for their thoughts. Naturally, they will be able to give you insight you
cant find anywhere else.
7. What are the biggest opportunities facing the company/department right
now?
This question shows your drive to seize opportunity and may help you learn more about
where the company will be focusing over the next several months.
8. What are the biggest challenges facing the company/department right now?
On the flip side, you may want to ask about challenges. This question can help you uncover
trends and issues in the industry and perhaps identify areas where your skills could save the
day.
9. What do you like best about working for this company?
Ask about your interviewers personal experience for additional insight into the companys
culture.
10. What is the typical career path for someone in this role?
This question can help you learn whether the company promotes from within, and how
career advancement works within the organization. By asking the question, you show your
interest in growing with the organization just be careful not to phrase it in a way that
sounds too self-serving (i.e. When can I expect a raise and a promotion?).
11. How do I compare with the other candidates youve interviewed for this
role?
This is a slightly risky choice. You dont want to put the interviewer in an awkward position.
However, if things are going well and youve built a strong rapport, this question can help

you see if there are any concerns or issues that you could address to show why youre
the best person for the job.
12. What are the next steps in the interview process?
This question shows that you are eager to move forward in the process. It will also help you
gain important information about the timeline for hiring so that you can follow up
appropriately.
Remember: Dont ask about salary or benefits just yet. Wait until you are in the final steps
of the interview process to negotiate with the hiring manager or an HR representative.

The latest in our ongoing series on answering common behavioral interview questions.
Are you a team player? You better be able to prove it.
All job seekers should be prepared to answer behavioral interview questions (Tell me
about a time) about working on a team.
Based on my experience consulting with both hiring organizations and job seekers, I can tell
you that teamwork questions are the most common of all of the behavioral interview
questions.
This is probably because the ability to work with others is considered critical for most
positions from entry- to C-level.
Most hiring managers want to know if youre a good team player before they commit to
working with you every day. By asking a behavioral question, they are giving you the
opportunity to demonstrate your team skills by sharing a relevant example.
Behavioral Interview Question A job interview question that seeks an example of how
youve demonstrated specific competencies in the past. These questions usually start with
Tell me about a time or Give me an example of

Teamwork behavioral questions can be general:

Tell me about a team project that you worked on.
Describe a project that required input from people at different levels in the organization.
Share a rewarding team experience.
You may also get questions that focus on how youve handled a challenging
team dynamic:
Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult team member.
(This one is a favorite of hiring managers and you may also want to read our post on
answering behavioral questions about managing conflict)
Give me an example of a team project that failed.
Sometimes, you may be asked specifically about experience leading a team:
Tell me about a time you stepped up into a leadership role. (A future post will give you
additional advice on how to answer all types of leadership questions)
All of these teamwork behavioral question offer you an opportunity to showcase how
well you collaborate and what a joy you are to work with. You can ace these questions
with just a little bit of preparation.

Why Interviewers Ask About Teamwork

Most jobs require you to work with other humans. Before hiring you, a smart manager
will want to find out:
Are you easy to get along with?
Do you collaborate well?
Can you communicate effectively with different personalities?
Can I handle seeing you in the office every day without strangling you?
Some jobs come with specific teamwork challenges:
Can you deal with difficult personalities?
Do you know how to push back diplomatically when necessary?
Can you mediate disagreements?
Can you motivate people to perform?
You should always review the job description carefully to try to understand what
teamwork is likely to mean in each role.
At a managerial level, team leadership may be the focus. At a fast-moving start-up, they may
be looking for people who can pitch in and play many roles. For an entry-level position, it
may just be about the ability to get along in a professional environment.
You will want to choose an example that demonstrates the most relevant aspect(s) of
your team experience.
It is particularly important for new grads to be able to speak convincingly about their
teamwork skills. Early in your career, you probably dont have a strong professional track
record to talk about.
Therefore, the hiring manager will be hiring based on potential demonstrated by academic,
extracurricular, and internship experiences.
In the interview, they will be trying to get a sense of what you would be like to work with.

How to Answer Behavioral Questions About Teamwork

Weve all had team experiences on the job, during school, in a volunteer or
extracurricular role.
Before your next job interview, sit down and make a list of the significant team projects that
you remember.
Start by listing every team experience that you can think of, even those that dont stand out
as particularly impressive. Give yourself a little time to brainstorm before you narrow down
the list.
Here are some rules for choosing the best examples to share in your
interviews:
1. Recent is best. Your most relevant examples will be from the last year or so. Its okay to
go back further for a story thats particularly impressive or relevant.
2. Be a hero. Pick an experience that really allowed you to shine. Maybe you stepped up
to solve a problem, resolve a conflict, or bring the group together. Maybe you helped to
achieve spectacular results (brought in revenue, reduced expenses, delivered a high-profile
project).
3. Keep it relevant. For each interview, review the job description to get a better
understanding of the type of collaboration required (see above). Then pick the most relevant
example you have. It will serve you well to prepare a few examples that represent different
types of team projects.

4. Go for added value. If you can, choose an example that shows off your team skills
while also demonstrating other strengths. For example, pick a story that also highlights your
leadership talents, your numbers acumen, or your sales expertise.
5. Use the STAR format to structure your story. We recommend also reading our
article Behavioral Interview: Tips for Crafting Your Best Answer for more advice on how to
use the STAR format to structure and focus your team stories. Remember: The goal is to jot
down bullets to create a story framework, not to memorize a script.

Sample Answer STAR Format

Now were going to share an example answer to show you how the STAR format can be
used to structure a compelling team story.
Well start with an example answer for a general behavioral question about teamwork:Tell
me about a time when you worked on a team. (Note: Keep reading to see how this general
story can be adapted for answering questions about working with difficult team members)

S/T (Situation/Task)
Give a little bit of background information to help the interviewer understand the context
of the project (and just how important/impressive/difficult it was).
Example Situation/Task Bullets
At Bank XYZ, we were preparing to roll out the new release of our online corporate
banking platform.

 My role was to manage the communications to customers about the new release, which
involved coordinating with dozens of people from Technology, Operations, various
Product areas, Customer Service, and Marketing.
This particular release included a major new reporting feature that customers really
needed so it was important to get it right.
Why We Like Them
With these bullets, we get a basic understanding of an obviously complex project. It would
be easy to go off on a tangent about different aspects of the banking platform, the release
process, and/or the team dynamic.
However, you want to keep your S/T concise while still giving a sense of the importance and
scope of the project.
Tip: Think about which details are most important in explaining the projects back story.
Remember that the goal is to keep the entire answer to 1-2 minutes and youll want to
spend more time on the A and the R sections (which are more about YOU than the S/T is).

A (Approach)
Talk about the key actions that you took. For a team story, the focus should be on working
happily and productively with others.
Example Approach Bullets
Unfortunately, the developers ran into technical problems with the new reporting
feature that was supposed to be the centerpiece of the release. In order to make the release
date, they had to scale back and offer only limited functionality. We knew that some
clients would be disappointed.

 It was my job to get everyones input on how to communicate it to customers and I had
to do it quickly because the decision was made right before the release date and we
wanted to give customers the courtesy of a heads up.
After a lot of back and forth with the engineers and the senior people in Product,
Customer Service, and Marketing; I drafted the announcement to customers. I emphasized
the positive aspects of the new functionality, explained the delay, and layed out the
timeline for the full functionality.
I also had to work with the group to quickly put together talking points for our Client
Account Managers and revise all of the training and Help documentation.
Why We Like Them
This piece of the answer really focuses on teamwork and how the candidate collaborated
with and managed people across the organization. There is just enough detail to get a sense
of what the candidate did and why it was impressive. He also shows that he was able to work
under pressure, communicate diplomatically, and meet a tough deadline.
Tip: Make sure that you are playing up the team aspects of the project. Who did you
collaborate with? What steps did you take to make the team dynamic work? At the same
time, look for ways to mention other strengths that you demonstrated.

R (Results)
A strong interview story always has a happy ending. Wrap up your answer by describing
the positive results of your actions.
The outcomes can be quantifiable (reduced processing time by 50%, brought in $50K in
additional revenue) or anecdotal (The client told my manager that I was fantastic, the
CEO said my presentation was impressive).
Example Results Bullets

 I was able to get sign-off from all of the stakeholders within 24 hours a minor miracle
that required a lot of persistence.
We were then able to communicate strategically and proactively to clients before the
release went live.
The release communications were positively received by clients. Though some were
disappointed with the limited functionality, many more were pleased with the benefits of
the feature in beta version and appreciated the timely and clear communications.
I received nice kudos from the senior managers in Technology and Customer Service
they told my boss that I was invaluable in keeping everybody focused on the customer
experience and making the tight deadline.
My manager was so happy with my performance that I was promoted to Manager level
primarily as a result of my work on this project.
Why We Like Them
Any story that ends with a promotion is a winner! With these bullets, the candidate also
describes positive feedback from clients and senior-level team members.
Tip: Pick a story with a dramatic ending. Its not always possible to end with a promotion or
a big-money new account.
However, you want to show significant results. Dont settle for a weak ending like, So we
finished the project and it seemed to go pretty well. Yawn.

Customizing Your Teamwork Story

But what if your interviewer puts a specific spin on her teamwork question?The
most common variations ask about dealing with a challenge or a difficult team member.
The difficult person question is pretty common. It would be smart to prepare an example
that includes a difficult team member as part of the plotline.
The STAR example above could be customized pretty easily to work as an answer to a
difficult person question.We would simply incorporate the following bullets into the A and
the R sections:
A (Approach)
Unfortunately, I had trouble getting feedback and final approval from my main contact
on the Technology team. I knew that he was busy preparing for the release, but he seemed
to be blowing off the customer communication piece as unimportant. He was significantly
senior to me and kept dodging my calls and emails.
Finally, I had to push and let him know that the communication would go out as it was at
9AM if I didnt hear from him before 6pm. I was bluffing because I knew I had to get
explicit sign-off from Technology, but it worked.
R (Results)
He sat with me for five minutes and gave me a few small changes and then his approval.
Later, after his boss praised us all for a job well done on the customer communication,
my contact thanked me for being persistent. And from that point on, he always returned
my calls right away.

Remember: As always, practice makes perfect. You will want to choose your example, jot
down the key elements of the story in STAR format, and then practice delivering your
answer (without your notes in front of you).
This will help you remember the key details and present them in a polished, confident, but
natural way.
What are your thoughts on teamwork interview questions? What other
behavioral questions would you like us to break down for you with an
answering guide? We want to hear from you.
Also, heres a cute video with some penguins exhibiting teamwork. Enjoy!

How to Nail Tell Me About Yourself

Think of it as your elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a short summary used to quickly and
simply define a product, service, or business and its value proposition. It answers the
question: Why should I buy/invest? It should be concise enough to be delivered during a
short elevator ride (to the 5th floor, not to the 105th floor).
You need an elevator pitch for yourself as a job candidate and it should be customized for
different opportunities. You must keep it focused and short, ideally less than a minute, and
no more than 2 minutes.

You wont be able to fit all of your great qualities and resume high points into 2 minutes, so
youll have to spend some time thinking about how to present yourself in a way that starts
the interview on the right note.
A great answer will address the following:

What are your primary selling points for this job? This could be number of
years of experience in a particular industry or area of specialization. You might also
highlight special training and technical skills here. Focus on the qualifications in the job
description and how you meet and exceed the requirements.

Why are you interested in this position right now? You can wrap up your
answer by indicating why you are looking for a new challenge and why you feel this role is
the best next step.

The Skillful Formula for Answering This Question

Ill share the Tell Me About Yourself formula that I teach to my interview coaching clients
(and Big Interview members). There are three components:
1. Who You Are Your first sentence should be an introduction to who you are
professionally, an overview statement that shows off your strengths and gives a little sense
of your personality too. This is not easy to do gracefully on the fly. It pays to prepare a bit in
advance.
Good: Im an innovative HR manager with 8 years of experience managing all aspects
of the HR function from recruiting to training to benefits for Fortune 500
companies.
Concisely summarizes diverse background.

Bad: Well, I grew up in Cincinnati. As a child, I originally wanted to be a fireman, then

later became interested in dinosaurs. I excelled in the sciences from early on, placing first
in my fourth-grade science fair. Funny story about that
Way too much information.
2. Expertise Highlights Dont assume that the interviewer has closely read your
resume and knows your qualifications. Use your elevator pitch to briefly highlight 2-4 points
that you think make you stand out.
Good: I have spent the last six years developing my skills as a customer service manager
for Megacompany Inc., where I have won several performance awards and been
promoted twice. I love managing teams and solving customer problems.
The emphasis here is on experience, enthusiasm, and proof of performance.
Bad: My first job was as an administrative assistant for Macys in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida. I learned a great deal in that role that served me well over the next 12 years. At
the time, I wasnt sure about my career path, so I next took a position selling real estate. It
only lasted for six months, but I sure enjoyed it.
Zzzzzzz. Nobody cares about your first job 12 years ago. You are starting with
the least impressive part of your career and the interviewer is likely to tune
out before you get to the good stuff.
3. Why Youre Here End by telling them you want the position and why.
Good: Although I love my current role, I feel Im now ready for a more challenging
assignment and this position really excites me.
Concise and positive.
Bad: Because of the companys financial problems and my bosss issues, Im worried
about my jobs stability and decided to start looking for new opportunities.
Dont be too candid or you risk coming across as negative. This answer also
makes it seem like youre interested in a job, any job not this job in
particular.
Remember: You will have time later to walk through your resume in more detail and fill in
any gaps. Dont try to squeeze in too much information or your interviewer WILL start to
tune out.

A good interview is a dialogue, not a monologue. Keep it concise and give your interviewer
the chance to dive in and ask questions.

Example Answer for Tell Me About Yourself:

I have more than five years of experience as a technical project manager at top Wall
Street companies. Most recently, I led the development of an award-winning new trading
platform. Im a person who thrives in a fast-paced environment so right now Im looking
for an opportunity to apply my technical exp and my creative problem solving skills at an
innovative software company like this one.
Notice that the first line sums up her experience and name drops top Wall Street
companies. Its always good to mention high-profile employers by name. Most hiring
managers will perk up because they assume that if you made it through the hiring process at
other well-respected companies, you must be pretty good.
She then describes an impressive recent project that we can assume is very relevant to the
work required in the open position. Next, she spends time talking about why shes interested
in this company/role, using the terms fast-paced, creative, problem solving, and innovative.
This is great if those words are used in the job description and/or company values.
With this answer to Tell me about yourself, the candidate is leading with some of her top
selling points experience at top firms, recognized stellar performance (award), technical
expertise, problem-solving skills, etc. This will help him grab the interviewers attention and
make a strong first impression.
It bears repeating that a strong first impression is critical in a job interview situation. Start
the interview strong and end it strong and you might even get away with flubbing a few
questions in the middle.

How Not to Answer Tell Me About Yourself

Dont make these common mistakes when responding to Tell Me About Yourself:
1. The Resume Rehash Many candidates respond by launching into a recitation of
their resume from the very beginning. That can turn into a very long monologue that starts
with ones oldest and probably least relevant and impressive experience. By the time
you get to the good stuff, your interviewer has zoned out and is thinking about lunch.
Dont get me wrong. Its important to prepare a brief summary of the high points of each of
your past positions. It is likely that you will be asked about your accomplishments and dayto-day responsibilities in previous roles. Ideally, this should come out in an engaging
conversation, though, not a long monologue at the beginning of the interview. Youll only
confuse your interviewer with information overload.
Even if the interviewer specifically asks you to walk him through your resume, dont take
the suggestion too literally. You can still lead with your elevator pitch and then segue into an
overview of your most recent position, leaving plenty of opportunities for the interviewer to
jump in and engage with you.
2. Mr./Ms. Modesty Many of my interview coaching clients make the mistake of being
too modest. They reply with a humble or vague introduction that fails to clearly
communicate their strongest qualifications for the gig.
Some of these clients are just humble people who arent comfortable with selling
themselves. Others have never really had to worry about a strong pitch they were always
courted for new opportunities when the job market was stronger.

Today, the competition for any good job is fierce. Dont rely on the interviewer to see past
your humble exterior and figure out how great you are.
If you take time to prepare, you can find a way to present yourself to full advantage while
staying true to your personality. For modest types, I recommend focusing on factual
statements.
You dont have to brag, Im the best salesperson in the world. Instead, you can state, I led
my division in sales for the last three years and had the opportunity to bring in more than
$18 million worth of new business during that time.
3. The First Date Approach This is not a first date. Your interviewer does not want to
hear that you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. Many recent grads
misconstrue the question and talk too much about their personal lives and hobbies.
This is probably because many only have admissions and other school-related interview
experience (clubs, programs, etc.). For these types of interviews, there is much more interest
in who you are as a person. In job interviews, focus on who you are as a professional unless
asked about hobbies or outside pursuits.
4. The Clueless Ramble I have watched a surprising number of smart candidates
totally flub this question because of overthinking. Their answers sounds something like
this: You mean about my job experience or about my schooling or what kind of
information are you looking for?
I know that these candidates are aiming to please and that Tell me about yourself can be
interpreted in many different ways. However, asking for too much clarification only makes
you look hesitant and confused. Dive right in with the approach that we outlined for you
above. If they are looking for something else, they will ask you for it.

Good Rule of Thumb Dont pull a Michael Scott on your interview.

Craft Your Pitch

So now that you know how to approach it, I have a feeling that youll learn to love hearing
the Tell me about yourself question.
Take a few moments now to sit down and plan how you will respond in your next interview.
And please stay tuned for in-depth advice on answering other critical job interview
questions in future posts.
BONUS: If your job search has got you down, enjoy the Sesame Street Job Song:

Answering Behavioral Interview Questions: Handling Conflict

Posted by Pamela Skillings on Sep 4, 2013
Behavioral Interviews How to Interview Interview Tips

Part of our ongoing series to help you answer common behavioral interview questions.
Hiring managers love to ask behavioral questions and one of their favorite subjects is
conflict. Here are a few examples of conflict-related behavioral questions:

 Tell me about a team project when you had to work with someone difficult.
Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work.
Give an example of a time you had to respond to an unhappy
manager/customer/colleague.
Tell me about a time that you disagreed with a rule or approach.
There are many other variations on this theme and it is a very common interview topic.
From the interviewers perspective, the idea is to find out about the candidates conflict
management ability and general interpersonal skills.
Recently, I was conducting an interview skills workshop for managers at a large corporation.
The subject of conflict behavioral questions came up (this big multinational company uses
primarily behavioral questions when interviewing candidates).
One manager shared a memorable answer to How would you handle a conflict at
work? A recent candidate responded: Id invite that person to meet me in the parking lot
after work and sort it out man-to-man.
Guess what? He didnt get the job.
Before we tell you how to answer the question like a champ, heres a little refresher on
answering behavioral interview questions in general.

Behavioral Interviewing Refresher

Most job interviews include behavioral questions (those questions that typically start
withTell me about a time or Give me an example of or similar).

With behavioral questions, interviewers seek examples of how youve handled specific
situations in the past. The idea is that past job performance will say a lot about how you
would handle yourself if hired for the job at hand.
Learn more about behavioral interview questions and some general advice on preparing
for and answering them.

Why Interviewers Ask About Conflict

Most jobs require you to get along with different types of people. Some of your coworkers,
managers, and/or clients will turn out to be idiots, slackers, and/or weirdos. Disagreements
are bound to arise.
To succeed at work, you must be able to deal with conflict professionally. This is particularly
true in certain jobs (project management, customer service, law) and in certain company
cultures.
Your interviewer wants to get a sense of how you will respond to conflict. Anyone can seem
nice and pleasant in a job interview, but what will happen if youre hired and Gladys in
Compliance starts getting in your face?
Conflict questions are common because everybody wants to hire a good team player. (It is
probably the most common behavioral question subject) Interviewers often ask about your
team experiences and they like to ask specifically about one that involved a conflict or
difficult person.

How to Answer Behavioral Questions About Conflict

This type of question can catch you off-guard. After all, youve probably been focusing on
how to talk about all of the positive and wonderful bullet points on your resume.
Nobody likes to talk about conflict at work. Most work conflicts are boring. Plus, youd
probably prefer to pretend that you are an absolute delight to work with and that nobody
has ever had an unkind word to say about you.
A behavioral question about conflict forces you to talk about a less-than-delightful situation.
It can be difficult to come up with a good example on the fly and even more difficult to
describe in concisely in a way that presents you in a favorable light.
This is why its important to prepare an example in advance using the S.T.A.R format.
The goal is not to script out an answer word-for-word. The STAR format allows you to
structure the general shape of your response by jotting down bullets for each of the key
aspects of the story. Check out Big Interview for more guidance on structuring great STAR
stories and an Answer Builder tool that you can use to make the process much easier.

Sample Answer Tell Me About a Time You Had a Conflict

on a Team Project.
Heres an overview of how to use the STAR format specifically to present a conflict
experience:

S/T (Situation/Task)
Briefly describe the context for the conflict that arose. Provide just enough background
information for context.

Example Situation/Task Bullets

I was managing the creation of our new corporate brochure and we were on a very tight
deadline because we had to have brochures printed in time for a big upcoming trade show.
I was in charge of delivering on time and I had to manage team members from
Marketing, Sales, Graphic Design, and Product Management.
The designer that was assigned to the project was very talented, but unfortunately
missed a deadline that I assigned. When I approached him about it, he blew up at me.
Why We Like Them
These bullets provide good context it was an important and complex project with a tight
deadline. The designer not only missed a deadline, but threw a fit when called on it. This is a
real conflict that could have led to disaster if handled poorly.
Tip: Dont get too caught up in unnecessary details. The interviewer doesnt need to know
about the color scheme of the brochure, the history of the trade show, or the designers
weird wardrobe choices.

A (Approach)
Talk about the key actions that you took. In the case of a conflict story, the focus should
be on how resolved the disagreement in a professional and productive way.
Example Approach Bullets
I was taken aback by his response, but I remained calm. I acknowledged that the
deadlines were tight and explained again the reasoning and the importance of having the
brochure ready for the trade show.
He relaxed a little when he saw that I wasnt attacking him. He told me about all of his
other competing projects and how overwhelmed he was. I asked him if there was any way
that I could help him come up with a solution.

 Eventually, we agreed that it would help if his manager had a better understanding of
how important and time-consuming this project was. We decided we would speak with
her together.
She ended up assigning some of his other projects to another designer, which took some
of the pressure off of him.
Why We Like Them
This candidate walks through the actions taken and why. He shows that he stayed calm
under pressure, tackled the issue head-on, and was able to persuade others (the designer
and his manager) to his point of view.
Tip: Again, stick to the actions that are most relevant and that show your conflictmanagement prowess.

R (Results)
Every good interview story includes a happy ending. End your response with a
description of the positive outcome(s) of your action. These results can be
quantifiable(increased sales 20%, saved the company $25K) or anecdotal (The client was
thrilled and sent my manager an email, my manager loved my approach and gave me a
promotion).
Example Results Bullets
As a result, the designer was able to focus on the brochure and meet the deadlines.
He apologized for his blow-up and thanked me for my help.
We successfully completed the brochure in time for the trade show and received
numerous compliments from both our own sales reps and potential customers.

 Our trade show presence led to $300,000 in new sales leads and I believe the new
brochure played a key role in that.
Why We Like Them
This is a nice, concise happy ending. The candidate describes the resolution of the conflict,
the positive effect on the relationship with the designer, and the business outcome.
Tip: The bottom-line results ($$$) make it even more impressive. This is not possible with
every conflict-resolution story, but you should always pick the example with the most
significant results.

More Tips for Handling Behavioral Questions About Work

Conflicts

1. Pick a Good Example:

Choose an example that shows you taking an active approach to resolving an important
conflict.
Be specific. Dont give a general answer like, I deal with conflicts all the time and have
learned to stay calm and that communication is key. Its boring and it doesnt answer the
question.
Dont choose a minor disagreement (He didnt want Italian for lunch) or a conflict that
was resolved by someone else or just went away without direct action. The idea here is to
show off your interpersonal skills and problem-solving ability.

 Avoid examples that could make you look bad. For example, dont share a time when your
mistake or miscommunication CAUSED a conflict.
2. Get Specific About Your Actions
The most memorable and compelling stories include enough detail to paint a picture.
Show why this conflict was important and that you handled it capably.
However, you must make an effort to keep the story concise. Its very easy to go off on
tangents (especially if you havent prepared in advance). Keep it focused.
Stick to bullet points. Dont try to memorize a script.
3. Practice
Take the time to practice telling your story. This is especially important when telling a story
about a conflict.
Conflicts often lead to arguments, problems, and damaged/broken professional
relationships. You want to feel confident discussing the sensitive details in a way that gets
your points across.
Funny example of Adam Sandler NOT handling conflict well.