The short answer
Tell a STAR story where you changed someone's mind on a work decision that mattered. Show that you first understood their concerns, then built your case with evidence framed around what they cared about, and stayed open to adjusting. End with the decision, the result, and the relationship. Persuasion is about listening and evidence, not pressure.
Hear the question
Read aloud with the voice from the app's practice mode.
Transcript: Describe a time when you had to persuade someone to see things your way
Key takeaways
- Start with the other person's view and what they cared about.
- Use evidence: data, a pilot, examples, customer feedback.
- Frame your case in terms of their goals, not yours.
- Show that you were open to adjusting your proposal.
- End with a result and a relationship that stayed intact.
To answer “Describe a time when you had to persuade someone to see things your way,” tell a STAR story in which you first understood the other person’s concerns, then built a case with evidence framed around their goals, and stayed open to adjusting. End with the decision and its result.
Why do interviewers ask about persuasion?
Most work involves convincing people you do not manage: peers, customers, other teams, your boss. The interviewer wants to know:
- How you influence. Evidence and empathy, or pressure and politics?
- Whether you listen. Did you understand the objection before answering it?
- Whether you can bend. Good persuaders adjust their proposal when they hear a valid concern.
How should you structure your answer?
Use STAR. The University at Albany’s career office describes STAR as a way to stay specific and focused, which helps with persuasion stories, where it is easy to drift into describing the whole debate.
- Situation. What you wanted to change and who needed convincing.
- Task. Their position and why it made sense to them.
- Action. How you listened, the evidence you gathered, any trial or compromise.
- Result. The decision and what happened because of it.
Weak vs strong answers
“My team lead didn't want to use my idea, so I kept bringing it up in meetings until eventually she agreed. It turned out I was right.”
Why it falls flat: Persuades through repetition, ignores the concern, and ends with 'I was right'.
“Our support lead didn't want to add live chat because she worried it would overwhelm the team. I asked what volume she could handle, then proposed chat only during our two quietest hours for a month. I tracked response times and customer ratings. Ratings for chat were higher than email and response times held, so she expanded it to full hours with one extra hire.”
Why it works: Addresses the real concern, lowers risk with a trial, lets data decide and shows the outcome.
What does each AI interviewer probe?
Offermic’s AI interviewers are simulated personas, not real people. Persuasion stories often get tested like this:
Emily may follow up with: “What was the strongest argument against your idea, and did you agree with any of it?”
Sarah may follow up with: “Tell me about a time someone persuaded you to change your mind.”
Michael may follow up with: “What data did you use, and what would you have done if the trial had failed?”
How does the answer change by industry?
| Industry | Common persuasion scenario | Evidence that works |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Changing a process or a customer’s choice | Reply rates, ROI, pilots |
| Healthcare | Changing clinical routines | Patient feedback, safety data |
| Manufacturing | Supplier and cost decisions | Total cost, defect rates |
| Consulting | Client recommendations | Benchmarks, financial models |
Related questions
- Describe a time you disagreed with your boss is persuasion with more at stake.
- Give an example of collaboration often involves persuasion across teams.
- Tell me about a presentation you gave covers persuading a room.
Example answers by experience level
Examples written for this page, not real candidates.
Situation
Our team sent every prospect the same generic email sequence, and my manager was reluctant to change something that 'worked well enough'.
Task
I believed a shorter, personalized first email would get more replies, but I needed her approval to test it.
Action
Instead of arguing, I asked if I could test it on 50 of my own prospects for two weeks and report back. I tracked reply rates side by side with my usual sequence.
Result
The personalized version got clearly more replies. My manager shared the results at our team meeting and made it an option for everyone.
Illustrative example written for this page, not a real candidate.
Situation
I wanted our unit to switch to bedside shift handoff, but several experienced nurses worried it would take longer and upset patients.
Task
I needed the unit's buy-in, not just the manager's approval.
Action
I asked the most skeptical nurses to list their concerns, and we addressed each one: a script for sensitive topics, a rule to step out when needed, and a one-month trial on half the unit. I shared patient feedback and timing data weekly.
Result
Handoffs took roughly the same time, patients liked being included, and the skeptical nurses voted to adopt it unit-wide.
Illustrative example written for this page, not a real candidate.
Situation
Our CFO wanted to switch to the cheapest supplier for a critical part to cut costs.
Task
I believed the cheaper supplier's quality record would cost us more in the long run.
Action
I built a total-cost comparison including defect rates, rework and late deliveries from the supplier's past orders with a sister plant. I also proposed a middle path: dual-source with a small initial order from the cheaper supplier.
Result
The CFO agreed to the dual-source trial. The cheaper supplier's defect rate was high enough that we kept our main supplier, and the CFO asked for the same total-cost analysis on other categories.
Illustrative example written for this page, not a real candidate.
Do this
- Summarize the other person's objection fairly.
- Name the evidence that changed their mind.
- Show a compromise or adjustment you made.
- Describe the result of the decision, not just the agreement.
Avoid this
- Winning through pressure, repetition or going over someone's head.
- Painting the other person as stubborn or foolish.
- No evidence, just 'I explained it well'.
- Ending at 'they agreed' without the outcome.
Other ways it gets asked
- “Tell me about a time you changed someone's mind.”
- “How do you get buy-in for your ideas?”
- “Describe a time you convinced a stakeholder to try a new approach.”
Questions people also ask
What if I didn't manage to persuade them?
An unsuccessful attempt can still work if you explain what you learned about persuasion. But a successful example is usually stronger for this question.
Can I use a customer example?
Yes. Persuading a customer to try a different solution, or a vendor to change terms, shows the same skills as persuading a colleague.
Is persuading my boss a good example?
It can be, but make sure it doesn't sound like you went around them. Show that you respected their decision-making role.
Sources
- The STAR Method – Tips for Behavioral Interview Questions, University at Albany Career and Professional Development
- Using the STAR method for your next behavioral interview, MIT Career Advising & Professional Development
Written byCan Garip, Founder
Can Garip is the founder and developer of this app. He builds the AI mock interview product and writes its interview preparation guides.
Drafted with AI assistance, then edited and fact-checked by the author.