I want to hear about a time when you had to work together on a project with a coworker who you didn't like.

Question Analysis

This question is aimed at assessing your ability to work collaboratively with others, especially in challenging situations where personal feelings might interfere with professional obligations. The interviewer wants to understand your interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and how you prioritize team goals over personal differences. The STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—is an effective way to structure your response, allowing you to clearly outline the context, your role, the actions you took, and the outcome.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, I was assigned to work on a high-stakes project with a coworker whose work style I found challenging. We had different approaches to problem-solving and communication, which previously led to misunderstandings.

Task: Our task was to develop a new marketing strategy for a product launch, which required close collaboration and a unified approach to ensure the project's success.

Action: To address our differences, I initiated a meeting to discuss our working styles and find common ground. I actively listened to their concerns and shared my perspective. We agreed to set clear communication guidelines and scheduled regular check-ins to ensure we were aligned on project goals.

Result: By focusing on open communication and mutual respect, we were able to work effectively together. The project was completed on time and exceeded our expectations in terms of engagement metrics. This experience improved our professional relationship and taught me the value of addressing interpersonal challenges directly.