"Interview/oral board question: Tell us about a conflict/altercation...

[Ignite]

...you've been in, and how did you handle it?"

From browsing the forums a bit, this seems to be a pretty standard question in the oral board/interview and understandably so. It's probably the question that I would feel most unprepared to answer... I can't really think of a good response or personal experience that will actually answer their question. I guess it's nice that my life has been rather drama free, but I'm pretty sure it's crucial that I have something to say.

I'm not asking for your answers but just advice on how I can go about finding something in my past that will qualify as a good, or at least legitimate answer. Does it have to be something climactic and exciting?

The only story that comes to mind for me is when I was working the register at Starbucks when I was 18. I had a homeless guy who was noticeably a little intoxicated buy something at my register. He wasn't causing any problem and only appeared to be a little out of it so I took care of him and that was that. Anyways, the next customer in line who was standing behind me told me that he had saw the homeless guy put a music CD in his jacket while I was getting change out of the register. I calmly thanked the customer, and asked if he didn't mind hanging tight for a second while I went to the back room. I went to my supervisor and told her what had happened. I took my post back at the register, while she went out onto "the floor" to talk to the guy. She got the CD back without much of an issue and the cops ended up coming out. -- The only thing is that I was hardly involved, aside from doing the right thing in notifying my supervisor and not causing any unneeded disturbance in the coffee shop.

As for relationships with employers/bosses, I've never had issues with that. No fights or anything of the sort.

[mtxpro752]

It can be any type of conflict, not just at work. Something with your friends, parents schoolmates etc.

Any problem that was presented in front of you and how you handled it.

JUst an example, John Doe was assigned a school science project to be done out of school with 3 other students. Sally Hotpants and David Pocmarkface were all helping and doing their part but Jordan McLazybutt showed up late and didn't want to take on any part of the project.

So to resolve the conflict John Doe punched that jerk in the face and told him what was up...Just kidding

So to resolve the conflict John Doe spoke with Jordan McLazybutt and went over the groups plan of the project and how it was important for them all to work together. Jordan McLazybutt told him he didn't care. John Doe spoke with the other members of the group and they all picked up the slack. Professor Bill Nye the science guy was notified by John Doe that Jordan was not helping the group even after John and the group had tried to reason with him.

Professor Bill Nye the science guy emailed Jordan McLazybutt's mom, Zoe Golddigger McLazybutt about Jordan's lack of cooperation and about his failing grade in science. Jordan was sent to military school in freezeyourbuttoff Canada and John Doe got an A on his science project.

What does this story show?
It shows John was able to identify a conflict he was having with another student. John was able to formulate a plan to resolve the conflict on his own and with peers. Then it shows that John knew to contact proper authority figures after a resolution could not be met instead of resorting to inappropriate actions such as punching Jordan in the face.

Story#2

Johnny Neverbeenlaid wanted to go to the Star Trek convention but his mom, Single Hottiewithadorkforason, wanted him to clean his action figures up before he left the house. Johnny knew if he cleaned up his room it would take him a few hours and he would be late to meet his friends Richard Cokebottleglasses and Freddy Fatty-McFatpants outside the convention.

To resolve the conflict Johnny agreed to quit asking every guy that came to "visit" his mom if they would be his daddy and play ball. Johnny's mom agreed since she was running scarce of dates and both of them were happy. Conflict resolved.

That oral board question has to be the easiest one in the world to answer.

[PhilipCal]

Here's a thought, how about the simple truth? If the situation you've related is the closest you've come to a "conflict", that's the one you tell the Oral Board about. Oral Board members have pretty finely tuned BS detectors. You make up stories, or embellish them at your own risk.

[L-1]

Just Throwing This Out There

The following link lists potential questions asked of applicants for managerial positions in private industry. However, many of the questions come up on entry position law enforcement orals. The link explains what an employer is looking for, what is considered a meaningful response from an applicant and what is considered a BS response.

http://datsi.fi.upm.es/~frosal/docs/25mdq.html