From Susan M. Heathfield,
Your Guide to Human Resources.
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• More Job Interview Questions for Employers

The following sample job interview questions about interpersonal skills enable you to assess your candidate’s skills in interpersonal relationships. Feel free to use these job interview questions in your own candidate interviews.

• Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with a coworker whom you disliked or with whom you had trouble working. What did you do to make the relationship work so you could succeed for your company?



• Tell me about a time when you disagreed with the actions or decisions of your manager or supervisor. How did you approach the situation? Was the situation resolved to your satisfaction or did nothing change?



• Tell me about a time when you worked with a friend or a coworker who became a friend. What did you do to ensure that the friendship bore positive results for your company?



• Describe a conflict you were involved in at work. How did you resolve the conflict? What happened next with that coworker or team?



• What are three examples of the kinds of behaviors, actions, or attitudes you are most likely to conflict with at work? Can you give me an example of a situation you addressed in the past? How was it resolved?



• What are the three most important factors that make you an effective, valued coworker in your current job? What would your supervisor say are the three most important factors?



• If you have reporting staff, how would these staff members describe your relationship with them?



• During your work experiences while attending college, tell me about a time when you demonstrated that you have the ability and desire to work effectively with your coworkers.



• When you have entered a new workplace in the past, describe how you have gone about meeting and developing relationships with your new coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.

Interpersonal Skills Job Interview Question Answers

You are questioning to determine the interpersonal skills of your candidate. The effective coworker solves problems and conflicts with his or her peers. The candidate can demonstrate that they have built effective relationships with supervisors and reporting staff.

The candidate is giving you an idea about the interpersonal behaviors he will have trouble dealing with in the workplace. The candidate is giving you an idea about how well he works with people. He is telling you about how he builds relationships with and solves interpersonal problems with coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.

More job interview questions...