Hi,got recently asked a question from a prospective colleague asking1. was there a person you struggled with in your previous jobs (yes)2. what would that person say about you.I just dont get it. How does that question help? The 1 person I struggled to work with in my last 8 years is not a representative judgement of my character is it?I do not question any of my soft-skills either because 99% of the people I can work with very well.

Play the game."Oh yes, well there was this one very senior/C-level person I struggled with initially. At first he seemed a little dismissive of my ideas because I was 18 grades below him and it's very uncommon in that company for junior people like I was to even speak to such senior people, but with quiet persistence and by using my excellent social skills I won him over and he now sees me as his trusted advisor and takes me to lunch twice a week!"And the answer to the next question:"Oh, I'm afraid he recently had a serious accident and will be in hospital and unable to take calls for some time. But I can arrange other references for you if you like?"Seriously, do people really expect an answer like "oh yeah, well Maureen in accounts hates me and she would say I'm a complete a$$hole".

BEP"Seriously, do people really expect an answer like "oh yeah, well Maureen in accounts hates me and she would say I'm a complete a$$hole".OMG - just realised I must work in same place as BEP :-) I find her a pain too but not as bad as the ar*e in PMO who thinks she's god.DC

Hi, Thanks for the sample answer ;)I was honest and just said "yes, this person would say I did not structure the work well enough and the goals were unclear" but c'mon, how can this one person be taken as a reference for who I am. I think its a bad interview question. It just confirms what everyone knows e.g. at some point in your work-life you have a fool working with you and he/she stays a fool until you part.

It's like that question, "What's your biggest weakness"Answer: "Asthma".

I dont think so. The biggest weakness is someting from my point of view that is worth addressing/improving. Asking mewhat person x out of 100 great colleages did not like about me is hardly representative nor might it be of any importance.

Sure it is, they're very similar, they're both double-binds!

Hi John,I think all these type of questions are still competency based questions and need to be answered in the formal STAR structure. The question you have pointed out is more of ' Did you have any difficult colleague and how did you manage him/her?'Irrespective of how the question is formed, you need to show the flow of your thoughts and structure the answer properly. So mention the Situation , then that overall tasks for you , the actions you took and the result of it. The second part of the question that says' what would the person say about you is more of the R from STAR that is the result that you should be pointing out. i.e. How the specific actions that you have taken would have made sure you achieved the combined goals that were set out for you and how you managed to turn this difficult person around so that he was impressed by you or would speak highly about you.

OK. Thanks

But these type of questions are being asked by HR.