Are you a team player?

How can you demonstrate this trait to your potential employer? Interviewing for a job naturally can be stressful. But one thing is for sure: Most companies and employers want to hire someone who is or can be a true team player.

They want someone who can contribute new, fresh ideas to help fellow co-workers and the company succeed. When it comes to interviewing, it is very important to convey and demonstrate how YOU are a team player.

Companies want to know how well you work with other people, and you will need to say more than that you enjoy working with others (which, by the way, is the standard response). Even if your role in the company doesn’t require a lot of communication, you will still need to engage with the other employees in a professional and personable manner. With that being said, it is very important to think about how you work with your co-workers.

Regardless of the job, employers will not want to hire you if they perceive you are challenging to get along with. Why? They don’t want to have issues and conflicts in the workplace. If you really think about it, it makes sense for an employer to “screen out”  or “vet” applicants who don’t have strong people skills, even if they have solid qualifications for the job.

 During the interview you will probably be asked the question:  Are You A Team Player?

Before you jump to answer the question, make sure to take your time to explain your response.

For example:

If you say that you “enjoy working with people” but don’t explain or expand upon your response, it doesn’t really paint the picture to the hiring manager that you are a team player. Keep in mind, this is a response that hiring managers hear all of the time. Anyone can say that they work well with people, but it is more important to show hiring managers how you accomplish it.

Now, how can you avoid the pitfall of giving a lame interview answer, but still make a viable point about whether or not you are suitable for a job that requires a lot of interaction with people?

Ask yourself this question:

What do you do that makes you a good team player or people person at work?

This is what the interviewer really wants to know. What is important is to show your prospective employer the skills you have and how you have used them in the workplace, using real-life examples.

Keys to Responding To This Question

1. Specify the types of interactions with people that are attractive to you.
2. Speak about what you have accomplished during the interactions with managers, co-workers, customers, vendors, and others.
3. Give examples of how you motivate co-workers to improve performance or help to brainstorm new ideas.
4. Use this time to share any awards or accolades that demonstrate you being a team player.

It may seem like when you are put on the spot in a high-pressure interviewing situation that you will drop the ball. Remember when you are prepared for this question — by taking notes of situations where you were a team player — it will be easier to recall the situations when asked on the spot.

How would you respond to the question? Let me know in the comments below.

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