Have you ever had a problem with a supervisor?

Commonly asked job interview question

This article will explain how to respond to the ‘problem supervisor’ job interview question.

When asked a question about previous supervisors, don’t fall into the obvious trap of stating the negative characteristics of the previous supervisor.

Instead follow these 3 steps to create a positive structured answer – see the video below for a more detailed explanation

  • State the situation (the reason for the fallout)
  • Explain how you both came to an agreement
  • Give the outcome from the situation and solution

Interview Question Have you ever had a problem with a supervisor?

Explanation of the Question:

This could be a trap-they want to see if you will speak ill of a pass employer.  Start by explaining that “you have always worked well with your supervisors”, if they push this question, continue by giving an answer along the lines of this:

Example Interview Answer and Video Tutorial

“The only thing I can think of is when I was asked by a supervisor to complete a task, and I already had a task that needed completing by a certain deadline. My supervisor was a little stressed but we prioritized the work and got both jobs done on time”