Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult client or stakeholder
Theme: Stakeholder Management Role: Public Relations Specialist Function: Marketing
Interview Question for Public Relations Specialist: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Public Relations Specialist: Handles media relations and manages public image. This role falls within the Marketing function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Stakeholder Management with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Background: Briefly explain the situation and the role of the difficult client or stakeholder
- Challenges: Describe the specific challenges or issues that made the client or stakeholder difficult to handle
- Approach: Explain the approach you took to handle the difficult client or stakeholder
- Communication: Detail how you effectively communicated with the client or stakeholder to address their concerns
- Problem-solving: Discuss the problem-solving techniques or strategies you employed to resolve the issues
- Results: Share the positive outcomes or results achieved through your efforts
- Reflection: Reflect on the experience and what you learned from handling the difficult client or stakeholder
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Conflict resolution skills: Assessing how well you handle difficult situations and whether you can effectively resolve conflicts with clients or stakeholders
- Communication skills: Evaluating your ability to communicate effectively and professionally with challenging individuals
- Problem-solving abilities: Determining your problem-solving skills in managing difficult clients or stakeholders and finding appropriate solutions
- Customer service orientation: Assessing your ability to maintain a positive and professional attitude while dealing with challenging clients or stakeholders
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Blaming the client/stakeholder: Avoid blaming the difficult client/stakeholder for the situation. Instead, focus on how you effectively managed the situation and found a resolution
- Lack of empathy: Avoid showing a lack of empathy towards the difficult client/stakeholder. Demonstrate your ability to understand their concerns and work towards a mutually beneficial solution
- Lack of problem-solving skills: Avoid failing to highlight your problem-solving skills. Show how you identified the root cause of the issue and implemented strategies to address it effectively
- Inability to handle conflict: Avoid demonstrating an inability to handle conflict. Emphasize your ability to remain calm, professional, and diplomatic while resolving conflicts with difficult clients/stakeholders
- Lack of communication skills: Avoid neglecting to mention your strong communication skills. Highlight how you effectively communicated with the difficult client/stakeholder to understand their concerns and keep them informed throughout the process