How to answer this tricky interview question, says career expert: It shows you have skills that 'cannot be replaced' by AI

In today's job market, having a positive, collaborative attitude is just as important as having a polished resume, says career expert Erin McGoff.

Soft skills are "top of mind" for hiring teams, according to McGoff, the author of "The Secret Language of Work: Hyper-Helpful Scripts for Every Situation." That's why the people who have the power to hire you often ask behavioral questions, like "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a boss or coworker," in order to learn more about how you react to different situations.

"As we move into an age where AI can take on more technical skills, interpersonal skills are something that cannot be replaced," McGoff says. "Companies are really prioritizing attitude, personality, culture fit, because other things can be taught."

Your goal is to demonstrate your capacity to maturely navigate workplace conflict, according to McGoff. Here's how she recommends tackling this question.

Focus on a professional—not personal—conflict

McGoff's No. 1 tip for answering this question is to "keep it professional," she says. "Instead of making it about personal differences, you want to keep [your response] oriented towards the business," she says — it's "the mature thing to do."

For example, don't spend the entire conversation complaining about a past boss who denied your PTO request, McGoff says.

She also recommends framing your scenario as a difference in opinion, rather than as an argument or dispute.

According to McGoff, a candidate could start their answer by saying: "I've worked with many great bosses, so while I haven't had many personal disagreements, there have definitely been instances where I've had to professionally advocate for alternative perspectives and ideas."

Demonstrate your conflict resolution skills

Your answer should center on a concrete example of a time you calmly and constructively resolved a professional disagreement. McGoff recommends structuring the rest of your answer using the STAR format, which stands for situation, task, action and result.

To describe the situation and task, or their specific responsibility within the situation, a candidate could say something like: "In my previous role, there was a scenario where we were working on a project for a client. The project was moving in a certain direction, but I had specific insight that made me believe that a different direction would be more advantageous for this client."

Highlight the action you took to communicate your opinion and work toward a solution: "I asked my boss for a one-on-one and expressed this alternative path to them, and made the case for why I thought it was better for the client."

Finally, share how you solved the issue and emphasize the positive result. "We decided to compromise on the approach and move forward. The client was really happy with the results, and the project was a huge success." You can also share what you learned from the experience or how you adapted your approach or workflow to avoid similar issues going forward.

The point of your anecdote — which can include more specifics to illustrate your skills without sharing any confidential company information — isn't to show that you proved your boss wrong. Instead, McGoff says, it's an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to handle "healthy conflict."

"Healthy conflict is how we get work done," she says. "You have to learn how to disagree with people in a professional way, or else you'll never rise up" in your career.** **

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