# What role does empathy play in your life and how has it helped you?
###### In my life, empathy plays the role of helping me to connect with others. It allows me to get insight on someone's situation and better understand the context of why they behave, think, or feel the way they do.
# How does empathy help you build better software?
###### Empathy helps build better software because you can put yourself in your client's shoes to see what they need the most, allowing you to create a more tailored, higher-quality product.
# Why is empathy important for working on a team?
###### Empathy is the cornerstone for working with others. Without empathy, teams working together would struggle to understand why certain steps are necessary.
# Describe a situation in which your ability to empathize with a colleague or teammate was helpful.
###### When I was at my last job, there was a teammate who consistently underperformed. I got along with them fine, and I think this made it easier to empathize with them. I put myself in their shoes once I got to know them, and gathered some context about how the role was difficult for them. They had no technical experience and were very undereducated on computing in general, so I was able to understand that the job we were doing might not be a good fit. This person had a fitness and exercise sport science background, so I was able to understand that if I had spent my life working out and training my physical body, I wouldn't have the prowess of someone who did the same with their brain, and vice versa. This helped me relate to this colleague and we had a good relationship during my time there.
# When do you find it most difficult to be empathetic in professional settings? How can you improve your skills when faced with these scenarios?
###### In professional settings, sometimes it can be difficult to empathize with someone senior to me, particularly if they are incompetent, or if it's clear they are underqualified. In those scenarios, I should try to find out things I like about that person and try to empathize with them to help better understand their experience. This will come naturally to future clients, but there may be times where I need to consciously attempt to do so with colleagues above me.