"Describe a time you persuaded someone": how to answer

What recruiters look for

• Understanding the other side. You found out why people disagreed.
• Evidence. You used facts, data or examples, not just enthusiasm.
• Respect. You listened and adapted, rather than wearing people down.
• An outcome. Minds changed and something happened as a result.

For example, the Civil Service's Communicating and influencing behaviour includes being able to "respect the needs, responses and opinions of others" (checked 25 October 2026). The Civil Service isn't connected with Aplara and doesn't endorse it.

A structure to follow

1. What you wanted and who disagreed: briefly.
2. Understanding them: what their concerns were and how you found out.
3. How you made your case: evidence, a trial, a compromise.
4. The result: the decision, and what happened afterwards.

If you weren't fully successful, that can still work: show what you learned about persuading people.

Example answer

Sam is a fictional second-year mechanical engineering student. The details are invented to show the shape of a good answer. Use your own.

As events officer for our engineering society, I wanted to replace our end-of-term social with an industry evening, but most of the committee preferred the social because it always sold out. Instead of arguing, I asked members in our group chat what they wanted from the society; most said contacts for placements. I shared the results, suggested we keep a shorter social after the talks, and offered to find the speakers myself. The committee agreed to try it. I invited three local employers through our department's industry contacts, and 60 members came, more than the previous social. Two members later told me they'd applied for placements with speakers they met. I learned that evidence and a compromise persuade more than enthusiasm.

About 120 words.

Common mistakes

• Winning by pressure. Wearing people down or going over their heads isn't influence.
• No other side. If nobody disagreed, there was nothing to persuade.
• Skipping why they disagreed. Showing you understood them is the strongest part.
• Numbers you can't back up. Only include figures you could explain at interview.
• A generic AI answer. "I used my excellent communication skills to convince the team" says nothing. The steps do.

FAQs