Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate. How did you handle it?
BehavioralJunior
In shortUse a short STAR story about a real work disagreement. Show that you listened, used facts instead of opinions, looked for a solution together, involved the right person if needed, and kept a good relationship afterwards.
Model answer
Interviewers ask this to see how you disagree, not whether you win. Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and keep it under two minutes.
Example answer:
Situation: In a food delivery app, I found that the “Reorder” button added items even if they were no longer on the restaurant’s menu. The developer said it was fine, because checkout would show an error later.
Task: I thought users would be confused and lose trust, and I needed to raise that without turning it into an argument.
Action: First I asked him to explain his reasoning, and I learned the menu API was slow, so checking availability on Reorder would add a delay. Then I showed him a short recording of the user experience: three items added, then an error at payment. I suggested we ask the product owner, since it was really a product decision. We brought both views to her in five minutes, with the trade-off clearly stated.
Result: She chose a middle ground: check availability in the background and show a message on the cart. The developer and I worked well together after that, and I learned to ask about technical constraints before pushing my view.
What makes this work
- You listened first and understood the other side.
- You used evidence, not opinions.
- You moved the decision to the right person.
- You ended with a result and a lesson.
If you’re new to testing, a disagreement from a school project, a previous job or volunteer work is fine. Just make it real.
Learn more: Bug Life Cycle
What they're looking for
A real, specific example, respectful and fact-based communication, willingness to listen and change your mind, a constructive outcome, and what you learned.
Common mistakes
- Saying you never disagree with anyone.
- Telling a story where you were completely right and the other person was simply wrong.
- Picking a personal conflict with no work outcome.
- Criticizing a former colleague or employer.