Here are some of the most commonly-asked job interview questions about teamwork, along with some sample answers.
1. Give some examples of your teamwork
What They Want to Know: The employer wants to learn about your teamwork skills, and whather you enjoyed participating on a team. Share examples, shows how you've developed skills that will help you succeed on the job.I’ve participated on sports teams since I played T-ball as a kid: I played softball and baseball in high school and on an extracurricular team in college, and I play on a local softball team here. This has really helped me in my professional life, since I know how to evaluate the individual strengths of my associates, communicate well with them, and coordinate my efforts to support theirs.
2. How do you feel about working on a team?
What They Want to Know: Most jobs – at least those in traditional work settings – require that you be able to communicate and work well with others. Try to provide a recent example or two of how you’ve contributed to a team at your job.I prefer to work as a team member, because I believe that the best ideas are developed in partnership with others. I’m equally comfortable being a team member and a team lead – a few months ago I was selected to lead our team in a deadline-critical implementation project. Because of our great teamwork, we were able to produce our deliverables to the client well before deadline.
3. How do you feel about working in a team environment?
What They Want to Know: This question is a clear indicator that, should you be hired, you will be expected to be able to work well in a collaborative team environment. Keep your answer positive, and mention a few of the strong teamwork skills you could offer your employer.I’m a “people person” – I enjoy working with others, and I know how to communicate well, actively listen to my associates’ opinions, and mediate any conflicts that arise. As an extrovert, I’m really energized by team dynamics and excited as I witness the progress we make towards our goals.
4. Do you prefer teamwork or working independently?
What They Want to Know: Different people have different comfort levels with teamwork; the hiring manager is interested in your personality, your preferred method of doing your work, and your ability to work without direct supervision.I can honestly say that I’m comfortable both in working independently as well as in contributing to teams, and I was lucky enough in my previous job to be able to do some of both. Especially at the beginning of projects, I appreciate being able to strategize approaches with team members. Once we have our plan of action established, though, I enjoy working independently on my assigned tasks.
5. Tell me about a time you worked well as part of a team
What They Want to Know: Your interviewer will be interested not only in your response to this question, but also in your tone of voice and positivity. Be prepared with an upbeat response that demonstrates your appreciation of the value of teamwork.Good teamwork is an essential part of working back-of-house in a restaurant. Although I am primarily a sous chef, I realize that at any point I may be called upon to cover other responsibilities – be it stepping up when the head chef is absent, expediting orders, or even washing dishes when we’re understaffed. I also know how important it is to keep up team morale. A year ago we had several new hires who weren’t getting along. I initiated a monthly team-based cooking competition, with prizes, that motivated them to work together and provided them with a fun creative outlet.
6. What role have you played in team situations?
What They Want to Know: Some people are natural leaders, while others are excellent followers. By asking this question, an employer is trying to gauge both how you would fit into the department’s current team dynamics and to assess whether you are someone they should flag for eventual leadership responsibilities.Sample Answer: While I’m happy being a strong team player, I also love being able sometimes to take the lead and coordinate everyone’s efforts. I have great organizational, scheduling, and follow-up skills, which is why my supervisor and other team members often call upon me to take the lead in important projects, such as our major new mobile technology system acquisition last year.
7. Have you ever had difficulty working with a manager or other team members?
What They Want to Know: This, like most teamwork questions, addresses your collegiality and your ability to work on a team and accept supervision. Keep your answer upbeat, and avoid complaining about previous managers or team members (you don’t want your interviewer to peg you as a negative whiner).Not really. Sometimes I’ve had a new manager or team member who struggled slightly to adjust to our team dynamics and organizational culture, but I’ve found that talking to them privately and taking advantage of informal opportunities to connect them with our different team members has always eased those transitions.
8. Tell me about a challenging workplace situation that you had to deal with
What They Want to Know: Employers want to know how you handle stress in the workplace, particularly when it involves other team members.A few months ago we had a situation where one of our older team members actively criticized a new hire, publicly pointing out her mistakes and just generally trying to “throw her under the bus.” I spoke to her privately, reminding her of how challenging we had all found our first few months to be. I also made it clear to the team that I was mentoring the new hire, which helped both to instill confidence in her work and to defuse any bad-mouthing.
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