Tell me about a time....

One of the best interview questions you can use to respectfully throw a candidate off their track is:

“Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone you did not like”

 It is a fantastic question because it uses the classic Competency based technique but more importantly it is based on emotion and them reaching back into their experienced.  

You can see for yourself their reaction and how they really feel about the situation within their body language before they even open their mouths.

It is a difficult question to fake because if the candidate says they get on with everyone and have never fallen out with anyone they have worked with they have either led a very sheltered life, you are interviewing Lorraine Kelly or is being less than honest.

Falling out with people is all part of business and how people deal with the situation is the important part. The answer will give you some insight on how they deal with politics and perhaps how they would deal with a situation in the future.

The answer will also highlight the type of people they like and dislike to work with and how they handle uncomfortable situations. How will they fit in with your culture?

 Comments welcome within the blog or via gdixon@castcsi.co.uk

Graeme Dixon, Director of www.Castcsi.co.uk, a Professional Recruitment company specialising in MBA level placements and Professional Services Director of www.aimstrategic.com, one of the UK’s premier Competitive Intelligence practitioners. Midlands Chairman of the Association of MBAs, Graeme has nearly 10 years Military Intelligence and 14 years Professional Recruitment and Headhunting experience.