Is this a common interview question or am I paranoid?!

[Kkpp]

A week ago I had a first stage interview. I’ve worked at four companies each for around 4 years each. The interviewer asked me lots of questions around whether I’d ever fallen out with a colleague, whether I had always got on with people generally and went into detail about why I left each company. There’s nothing suspicious in my background but I have in the last few months had a huge clash with a manager. I’m now worried they know something? I also didn’t disclose this and wonder if that now means I’ve technically lied?

I have been asked this yes

@MsPug i have technically lied though haven’t I

It’s not a common question and it’s a red flag for the company that they asked it. Feels like they might have issues with toxic colleagues, maybe bullying.

I always all about the reason people left. So a standard question.

Also could mean they have a sensitivity in this area due to their own team. I was asked a question once ‘ how do you deal with difficult people.’ Turns out that the team was packed with them and they had very high turnover.

It's not welcomed to diss previous employments. So I don't believe you did anything wrong. Badmouthing would be worse, no matter how factual.

Also it’s not a fair question. Just because you have/haven’t got on with people in the past doesn’t mean the same would happen with a completely different set of people. You could be going from a bunch of reasonable people to complete arseholes or vice versa

Surely they don't expect people to be honest? Unless in a constructive, problem-solving way, ie "I once had difficulty with a colleague but, with the help of our line manager, we explored our differences and realised we had different communication styles. Once we understood that we got on fine."

I’d be wondering the opposite - did the person who has resigned leave because of a “tricky” colleague or was the person who left “tricky”? The latter isn’t an issue but if it’s the former and the person is family of the owner or something then it’s a problem for you.

Totally normal to ask why you’re leaving current job. I’ve always been asked this.

@zzplec yeah that’s what I found strange. How could I really answer that! I’m worried maybe they know about my current issues

I wouldn’t waste even a single second on worrying about ‘lying’ in this situation. What constitutes falling out or not getting on with someone is entirely subjective. I agree with pps that being negative about colleagues at interview is likely to be worse.

If they really dwelt on the topic of getting on with people (as opposed to a skills-based question about dealing with challenging people), then that would certainly make me want to find out more if I was going further in the process. Avoid landing up in a role or team where previous incumbents have struggled with conflict.

I've had this once in an interview and it honestly just made me worry about what I might be getting myself into. All it did was give me the impression that the manager had to deal with a lot of drama.

@Napface i hadn’t considered it from this perspective. I automatically thought it was something he had found out about my current situation. I guess it does suggest perhaps there has been conflict in the team. Or maybe he was trying to work out f I’m robust enough?

I'm often asked how do you deal with conflict, is that the sort of question you mean?

How you deal with conflict at work is a very common question at interview.

@Doggymummar @KrisAkabusi no it wasn’t asked like that. It was whether I had fallen out with colleagues before

I had this question, got the job and I'm part of a lovely team. It's an idiot test, to see if you'll run your mouth and say something stupid IMO. Like slagging off old colleagues or dealing with it in a bad way (like refusing to talk to them at all, or being nasty until they quit, rather than having a discussion and potentially escalation)

Same with the weakness question. They don't want to know what you're bad at, they want to see how you mitigate issues from something you're bad at.

Interviews pretty much have to read off the same set of questions for each person so they can compare answers fairly, I wouldn't worry about it.

I'd consider that a red flag.

I've only been asked it once in 40 years, and that company had a specific individual who upset so many people he was banned from their technical division, was sexist, racist, ablist, but was good mates with the CEO.

Working with him was not pleasant. Be careful.

I was asked this once and it was a red flag. It turns out the person I would have been working for was very brusk, even rude. I was clear I do not tolerate any behaviour like that and the recruitment consultant and I agreed the role was not for me.

I would take it that have problems with their own staff…

I would take it as that the company or hiring manager has had challenges with employees or even managers who were toxic. They want to bring on board experienced people who are capable of having good professional relationships. It’s a common question! And an opportunity in your answer to share your good people management skills.

Not sure why you bother asking that as nobody is going to tell the truth.

I don’t think it’s a question we could get away with asking, but I can see why they’ve asked it. It’s to see how you respond when put on the spot and to see if you’ll take the bait and launch into a rant about someone. I don’t think it’s targeted at you specifically, but may mean they have had some tension and are looking for someone low drama.

Some people absolutely do tell the truth and out themselves as someone that I wouldn’t want to risk employing!

It’s normal, have been asked this in my last 4 interviews, it’s about conflict resolution.