How to answer "Describe a time when you had to persuade someone" in a job interview

Have you ever had to convince your boss to extend a deadline, or maybe talked your coworkers into choosing a different restaurant for lunch? That's persuasion in action!

When a job interviewer asks you to describe a time when you had to persuade someone, they want to know how you use this skill at work.

An interviewer won't ask this question just to learn about a specific experience. They want to know more about you! A good answer to "Describe a time you had to persuade someone at work" can show off your:

• Communication skills

• Problem-solving abilities

• Emotional intelligence

• And even your leadership capability!

Having a strong answer prepared can make you seem like a rock solid choice to any interviewer.

When preparing your answer, picking the right situation is key!

Ask yourself these questions:

• What skills do I want to show off?

• When have I used these skills in a persuasive setting?

• What positive outcome happened?

These questions will help you determine the perfect story to share.

The STAR Method will help you organize your answer.

• Situation: What was going on?

  "My coworker didn’t want to follow a new process for finishing reports."

• Task: What did you need to do?

  "I had to persuade them that it would save time and reduce errors."

• Action: What specific action did you take?

  "I showed them how the process worked and explained the benefits."

• Result: What was the outcome?

  "After they started using it, they found it much easier and faster than the old method."

This will guarantee your answer is clear and easy to understand!

Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash

Imagine a job interviewer is asking about a time you persuaded another person. Which is the better answer?

Answer 1

At my last job, our team didn’t want to switch to a new project management tool because they were used to the old one. I needed to convince them that the new tool would make our work faster and easier. To do this, I showed them a demo and explained how it could save us time. After the demo, they agreed to try it, and within a month, we finished our projects 20% faster.

Answer 2

At my last job, I tried to persuade my team to rearrange the office plants. I thought moving the plants around would make the space feel fresher. After some discussion, they agreed to try it out. We spent some time moving the plants, but no one really noticed a difference, and it didn’t have any impact on productivity or team mood. I was happy I managed to persuade my team, though.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Be ready to answer "Describe a time when you had to persuade someone" in a job interview: