How to Answer Conflict-Resolution Interview Questions

August 2nd, 2023 by Staff

By DANIEL BORTZ – Monster.com contributor

There are different types of conflict at work, but your reactions should always showcase a diplomatic approach.

No one likes conflict, especially at work. But disagreements between co-workers are inevitable—and showing prospective employers that you’re well versed in conflict resolution is crucial. Will you add to the melee or can you step back and remain levelheaded?

Obviously, not everything in your career is going to be easy, whether that means confronting the person who stole your lunch from the office refrigerator to negotiating a new contract with clients to deliberating a new job offer. In an environment that’s diverse as the modern workplace there are going to be differences of opinion and behavior. Employers need to be sure you can get along well with others.

Conflict resolution is just one of the many hurdles the workplace will present to you. Here are five common questions hiring managers ask to assess your conflict-resolution skills and the best approach to answering them.

QUESTION 1: How do you deal with conflict?
People aren’t going to get along with each other all the time. It’s just a fact. Employers want to know that you can respond to conflict diplomatically. If you’re a my-way-or-the-highway type of personality, you’re not going to get very far in the interview.

Start off by emphasizing communication and respectfulness as a means to conflict resolution. For example, “I always take the person aside and discuss the issue privately. I listen actively to make sure I understand the other person’s point of view, and I work with the person to develop a solution together.” Stress that even if you both don’t completely agree on the end result, you tried to at least meet each other halfway.

QUESTION 2: Tell me about a time when you had an issue with a co-worker
This a behavioral interview question—meaning you should take it as an opportunity to share a success story about how you resolved an issue with a co-worker in the past. You want to make sure to choose an incident where you and your co-worker were able to resolve the issue among yourselves, without having to involve your boss or other higher-ups. Showcase your competence in problem solving.

Focus your answer on the facts rather than blaming the other person. Instead of saying, “Jim was such a slacker,” simply explain the situation and what steps you took to solve the problem: “On at least three occasions, Jim missed deadlines that pushed back our production schedule. After I discussed this with him, we found a way to improve the workflow system together.”

QUESTION 3: Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss
Tread carefully here. (And yes, we know that can be difficult.)

To set a positive tone, begin your response by acknowledging the difficulty of the situation: “It’s not easy to confront your manager, but I’ve learned that it has to be done some times.”

Then choose an anecdote that shows you respected your boss’ opinion: “When my boss suggested we change our sales pitch to new clients, we figured out what wasn’t working and created a new strategy together.”

QUESTION 4: How do you deal with differences of opinion when working on a team?
Conflict resolution is often a team effort. It’s not always easy to see eye to eye with co-workers, but that’s not a good reason to discount their contributions. No surprise many employers seek job candidates who demonstrate strong teamwork skills.

Hiring managers want to hear that you value diversity of opinion and understand how different points of view can contribute to a better solution than if everyone just immediately agreed with each other.

As such, your response to this question should point out that you welcome alternate perspectives: “I always appreciate different viewpoints from my own. When someone expresses a different opinion, I listen carefully to what the person says and utilize that feedback.”

QUESTION 5: Tell me about a time you had to respond to an unhappy customer or client
When you’re interviewing for a client- or customer-facing position, you’re applying to be an ambassador for the company and that type of role carries a lot of responsibility.

Especially in the age of the internet, how you respond to conflicts with a customer is a public matter. Losing a major client or customer can cost the company a lot of money. Show that you’re willing to go the extra mile to make customers or clients happy. This demonstrates that you understand the value of customer service.

As with other behavioral interview questions, your anecdote should focus on the positive outcome: “Here was how I de-escalated the situation and kept the client happy going forward.”

Show hiring managers that you aren’t nursing an overblown ego and are eager to embrace a peacekeeping process. Not only can this type of attitude serve you well in the workplace, but it can also improve non-working relationships as well.

Conflict Resolution Will Serve You Well
Learning how to peacefully coexist with your colleagues will take you far. Want to learn more expert insights to succeed at work? Monster can send you free career advice and job search tips so you can learn how to stay cool when the pressure inevitably mounts.

FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/conflict-resolution-questions

Chemical Industry Soars!

April 4th, 2019 by Staff

Economic growth in the United States remained dynamic at the end of 2018 with gains in manufacturing double what they were a year ago. However, all the world’s other major economies have slowed, ending a rare period of synchronized expansion.

In the United States, business investment is on the rise and domestic oil and natural gas production continue to reach new heights. Improvement in major end-use markets is setting the stage for gains in U.S chemical production during 2019. U.S. chemical manufacturers remain advantaged, with access to cheaper and more abundant feedstock and energy. This has resulted in sizable capital investment in U.S. chemical production capacity. As these investments…..

Read the entire article here: https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2019/strong-outlook-bolsters-u-s-chemical-industry/

USA a bright spot for chemical businesses

March 27th, 2019 by Staff

The US, in contrast to Europe, will be a bright spot. There, the cumulative power of spending and investment since the 2008 recession will keep factories humming, and that’s that’s good news for chemical businesses. “The industry is poised for significant growth in output. It’s a very promising outlook,” says Kevin Swift, chief economist at the American Chemistry Council (ACC), a trade group for US chemical makers.

High demand for chemicals used in manufacturing will dovetail with a rise in production capacity as new chemical facilities open to take advantage of the shale gas boom, Swift points out. The ACC projects that US chemical output, excluding pharmaceuticals, will rise 3.6% this year, up from an already vigorous 3.1% in 2018.

The biggest factor driving US demand for chemicals is consumer spending. Thanks mainly to job growth, consumer confidence remains at historically high levels. Even jobs in the chemical sector are multiplying after decades of erosion. And continued low unemployment is expected to finally push up wages this year.

Read the entire article here: https://cen.acs.org/business/World-Chemical-Outlook-2019-Around-the-globe/97/i2

High demand for chemical engineers coming…get ready now!

November 10th, 2017 by Staff

These are just a few indicators of expected growth…get ahead of the curve and send your resume now. We will match your qualifications and career expectations and notify you of any current or upcoming positions of interest. Let’s connect today….

Demand for Chemical Engineers is expected to go up, with an expected 2,280 new jobs filled by 2018. This represents an annual increase of 0.99 percent over the next few years. Read more: https://www.recruiter.com/careers/chemical-engineers/outlook/

Employment of chemical engineers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for chemical engineers’ services depends largely on demand for the products of various manufacturing industries. Read more: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Chemical Engineers, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm (visited November 01, 2017).

“Chemical engineers surpass other engineers in one key area — salary. ” Moreover, the retirement of many current chemical engineers by 2024 will create favorable job prospects for engineers earlier in their careers, it adds. Read more: https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2016/chemical-engineers-face-favorable-future/

5 Ways to Ace an Interview with a Bare-Bones Resume

July 20th, 2017 by Staff

Not everyone has the luxury of a long resume to power them through the interview process. New college graduates or people switching fields may find themselves at a loss when they think about just how they’ll compete against industry veterans. The good news is that many industries, particularly the fast-moving tech sector, are no longer just looking at length or depth of resumes to select people. HR managers have discovered that various sets of soft skills are key indicators of a person’s potential, and when you’re looking at hiring for long-term growth, potential can mean much more than bullet points on a resume.

Thus, the big question remains: how do you demonstrate your potential in an interview? Experience is easy to convey; you simply list items and cite examples. But potential is much less tangible, and many people might feel lost trying to quantify such a thing. Fortunately, research in cognitive abilities have identified key traits and qualities that many HR staffers have been trained to spot. These include:

1. Active listening

Regardless of technical skill or industry, effective communication is a major part of getting the job done, and active listening is the foundation of strong communication. Active listening is, by definition, simple: the clear demonstration that the listener is paying attention and picking up all significant details in a conversation. For new hires, this is particularly important, as they will be taking direction and learning lessons from many different sources. As a person moves up a career path, this becomes vital in a different way: as someone assumes a leadership role, they will need to be able to take input from people above and below to make educated, informed decisions. Gathering all of these viewpoints is only possible with active listening.

Interview Tip: Face the speaker, use body language to show understanding, ask appropriate questions, and never interrupt with unsolicited opinions.

2. Learning ability

In your first year on the job, you’ll be learning a lot of things, from day-to-day processes to project schedules to people’s personalities and quirks. The ability to absorb that information quickly and accurately is critical in any position. Outside of the first year on the job, it also lends itself to an upwardly mobile career path, as those who learn quickly are more versatile and can apply themselves to a larger variety of situations. Chances are, if you’ve made it to the interview stage despite a thin resume, that means that the hiring managers believe in your learning ability. Thus, your goal should be to reinforce this belief as much as possible during the interview.

Interview Tip: Weave in anecdotes of when you had to pick up new skills or abilities quickly, both professionally and personally.

3. Problem solving

Problem solving is one of the cornerstones of strong cognitive ability due to its combination of other traits: it requires logical thinking, active listening, teamwork, and strong situational awareness. On the job, an employee with sharp problem-solving abilities is able to work independently and can handle challenging situations. Strong problem solvers are gold for hiring managers because they allow for flexibility across departments while bringing senior-level potential.

Interview Tip: Prepare stories of severe challenges you’ve faced professionally and personally, along with clear paths to resolution and results.

4. Creativity

Most people associate the arts with the word “creativity,” but being creative is an asset in any field. Creativity simply means thinking outside of the box and innovating in new and different ways. That type of mental flexibility is highly prized among hiring managers because it means that you’re adaptable in extreme or unfamiliar circumstances. Not only does this generate previously unheard-of solutions, it allows companies to think of the bigger picture. By tapping into creativity on both process and product, companies can become industry leaders that push new ideas forward — and in many cases, hiring managers specifically seek to recruit creative people by bringing in “new blood” who can provide a different perspective.

Interview Tip: Research the company’s past and future projects and generate unique solutions to processes and known criticisms.

5. What not to do

The above four tips are excellent ways to demonstrate your value even when your overall experience is light. However, one overarching tip applies to all of those: use common sense. Don’t try too hard to force a narrative into the discussion, don’t use subversively insulting comments when talking about the company or product — even when you’re showing a potentially creative solution to an issue — and absolutely always be polite. Whether you come in with a long resume or a strong set of soft skills or both, these assets can quickly be subverted by coming off as arrogant or unlikable — and that is a trap you can fall into if you try too hard to demonstrate your cognitive abilities or best traits.

Instead, practice with friends and colleagues ahead of time and work on being natural in a high-stress environment. Not only will this help you feel more comfortable in the interview, it will also translate into how hiring managers perceive your personality. In short, it’s a win-win that can’t be quantified on paper.

Josh Millet is the CEO & Founder of Criteria Corp., a pre-employment testing company founded in 2006 that creates software for employers to gather objective data on job candidates with aptitude, personality, and skills tests. He is also the Founder of JobFlare, a mobile app that helps job seekers get discovered based on their abilities rather than their resume.

from: http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/interview-bare-bones-resume/?utm_source=UR+Recap+20%2F07%2F2017&utm_campaign=UR+Recap++20%2F7%2F2017&utm_medium=email

9 clear signs it’s time to quit your job

May 17th, 2017 by Staff

If you’re like most people, you spend more of your valuable waking hours at work than you do anywhere else. It’s critical that you spend your time at the right company, pursuing the right opportunity.

Bad management does not discriminate based on salary or job title. A Fortune 500 executive team can experience more dissatisfaction and turnover than the baristas at a local coffee shop. The more demanding your job is and the less control you have over what you do, the more likely you are to suffer. A study by the American Psychological Association found that people whose work meets both these criteria are more likely to experience exhaustion, poor sleep, anxiety, and depression.

Staying in a bad job for too long can be very harmful to your career. If you’ve tried everything you can think of to make things better and haven’t seen any big changes, it may be time to move on.

Choosing to leave a job can be a gut-wrenching decision. You need to know that you’re making the right choice. The good news is there are some clear signs that, if you experience enough of them, suggest it’s time to move on.

The company is circling the drain

A recent study showed that 71 percent of small businesses close their doors by their tenth year in operation. If you’re worried about your company’s health, there’s a good chance you’re right. Watch for clues, like suddenly needing management approval for even minor expenses, an increase in closed-door meetings, or an increased number of upper-management departures. If you suspect that the business is in trouble, it may be time to leave. If you wait until the company closes, you’ll be in the job market competing against your former co-workers.

There’s no room for advancement

It’s easy to get stuck in a job, and, if you love what you’re doing, getting stuck can be comfortable. However, it’s important to remember that every job should enhance your skills and add to your value as an employee. If you’re not learning anything new and are just puttering around doing the same old thing while people around you get promotions and plum assignments, it’s time to look elsewhere.

You’re out of the loop

Does it seem like you’re always the last one to hear about what’s going on at work? If you’re left out of meetings, rarely get face time with upper management, and have never even heard of the big project everyone else is so excited about, that could mean that your bosses just see you as a body filling a desk, rather than as a valuable contributor. That’s bad news for your career and may mean it’s time to leave.

7 Facts Recruiters Look for in Your Resume or CV

August 9th, 2016 by Staff

Most business decisions are based on hard cold facts, and hiring decisions are no different. If an organisation is going to invest time and money into employing you; they will need to see evidence that you can perform.

By now we all know that clichés and buzzwords do nothing to impress recruiters, but many candidates still do not fully understand which facts are sought in a CV. When writing your role descriptions in particular; you should put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and think about the evidence you would require to make an informed hiring decision. Including the following details in your CV’s role descriptions will provide clarity to recruiters and support the case for interviewing and eventually hiring you.

1. Your position in the hierarchy

If a hiring manager is going to bring you on board, then it’s crucial for them to understand where they can place you within their team. Whether you are sitting at the top of the pile and overseeing largescale operations; leading a small team or working independently with nobody under your management; you need to make your position clear. Be sure to describe who you report to, whether you manage anybody and which people are dependent on you.

2. Who you interact with

Human interaction plays a vital role in the running of any organisation, so hiring managers will need to be satisfied that you are comfortable dealing with people. Most jobs will require you to interact with a wide range of individuals, so your CV should demonstrate you are capable of this. Show exactly who you interact with from customers and suppliers to management and external regulators; to prove your business-social abilities. Evidence that you can build strong working relationships, and use them to create beneficial outcomes for your employers.

3. Technology expertise

Technology is used in every line of work; from computer based tools like programming languages and accountancy software, through to hardware such as production machinery and vehicles. Most roles will require some working knowledge of one or more tools, so employers will be keen to understand your ability to use their core systems and hardware. So whether you’re an expert coder or a sports car technician, it’s essential to detail the tools you are able to use and how you apply them within your roles.

4. Work Produced

The work that you produce will vary greatly depending on your industry. It could be anything from Excel reports or website pages, to physical products like mobile phones or even buildings. Whatever tangible work you produce within your own roles, include it within your CV and be clear on the volumes you have produced, quality of the work, and how valuable they are to your customers or internal dependents.

5. What your employer actually does

This may seem obvious, but a surprisingly few candidates include a sufficient explanation of their employers. Before you delve into the specifics of your roles, it’s important that the recruiter understands who you work for and what they do. Without building context around your role, it will be difficult for readers to fully understand your work. However the level of detail you need to include will vary depending on the organisation.

If you work for relatively small business, it’s less likely that recruiters will have heard of them; so you will need to provide a full explanation of the services they offer and markets they operate in. However if you work for a household brand then you will need to place more focus on describing the department you work in, and how it’s function contributes to the success of the wider business.

6. The objective of your roles

The most important aspect that recruiters will want to know about your previous jobs, is what were you hired to do? It’s all well and good writing a detailed list of your daily activities, meetings and presentations; but without outlining the high level purpose of your role, nobody will understand what all your hard work was for. Every role should start with a clear objective statement so that readers can comprehend the bigger picture of your duties.

7. Numbers

Recruiters will look for numbers in your CV as a means of quantifying your value to an employer. Figures can provide strong evidence of the return on investment that an employer can expect after hiring you. For example, if you can provide some statistics around revenue that you’ve generated for a firm, or the value of a project you have supported, they are a great way to demonstrate your value. But the figures do not always have to be monetary; you can include figures such as; percentages of targets achieved or time taken to deliver a piece of work.

By including some of the facts above in your own CV role descriptions, you will prove your worth to recruiters and greatly increase your chances of landing job interviews.

Originally published at http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/recruiters-facts-cv/?utm_source=UR+Recap+28%2F7%2F2016&utm_campaign=URRecap+28%2F7%2F2016&utm_medium=email

Mindset Matters

June 9th, 2016 by Staff

Like many fans of HBO’s comedy Silicon Valley, I love that the show so accurately depicts life in the high-technology industry. A few episodes depict a mindset and experience common among in-demand candidates. When I see it on the screen, it’s entertainment. When I encounter it in my recruiting, it’s challenging.

The “I’m Hot” Mindset

Nelson “Big Head” Bighetti is the close friend of the show’s main character, Richard Hendricks. After Richard’s file-compression startup, Pied Piper, starts attracting high-profile venture capital, there are discussions about whether Big Head — a likable fellow but an average-at-best programmer — would get to stay on with the company. The problem is rendered moot when competitor Hooli offers him a three-year contract at $600,000 per year, unaware that he brings nothing to the table.

Continue at http://www.eremedia.com/sourcecon/getting-your-sourced-candidates-ready-to-interview/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

The Career Summary – What, Why and How?

May 11th, 2016 by Staff

As it is the key to every job application, there’s a lot riding on your resume. In many cases it’s the only thing a hiring manager will look at, and even so, not for very long. When crafted well a resume can give a great perspective of your employment history, from where you have worked, to your accomplishments within each company. Ideally, it will reveal the skills you’ve attained. The difficult part in crafting a resume is finding a way to translate what you have done already into a demonstration of what you could bring to the table. Adding a career summary to your resume is a great means to do just that.

First of all, what is a career summary?

A career summary is brief introduction that is meant to convey your personal skill set. View it as a place to showcase how you are unique. What combination of skills and experiences makes you an asset? What can you provide that no one else can?

Getting ready for the big interview? Do you know the answers?

February 25th, 2016 by Staff

50 Most Common Interview Questions

Glassdoor Team | March 16, 2015

When it comes to the interview process, research and preparation for the interview can often times determine your chances of making it to the next step. One of the best ways to get ready for a job interview is to practice your responses to any and all interview questions – even the downright weird.

To help you get started, Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of interview reviews to find out some of the most common interview questions candidates get asked during recent interviews. So, if you have a job interview lined up, practice in front of a mirror or ask a friend or family member to listen to your answers to the following questions so you’ll be ready to put your best foot forward.

Most Common Interview Questions

What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why are you interested in working for [insert company name here]?
Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
Why do you want to leave your current company?
Why was there a gap in your employment between [insert date] and [insert date]?
What can you offer us that someone else can not?
What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?
Are you willing to relocate?
Are you willing to travel?

Read more at https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/common-interview-questions/