How to answer "How do you approach teamwork?" in a job interview

Have you ever struggled to answer teamwork questions at a job interview?

A teenage boy looking upset while saying, ' Well, now I'm depressed.'

There's no need to feel this way!

Use these tips to talk about your experience and express your enthusiasm for teamwork to land your dream job.

Recruiters' expectations

Teamwork is a universal skill required in almost all jobs across industries. Recruiters are interested in seeing how you:

Interact with others.
Work within a group.
Thrive in a work environment.

A group of four people jumping to a high-five each other at the office. The text reads: 'Teamwork'.

Advice to answer these questions

American Idol jury member Lionel Ritchie pointing to signal he approves of something.

Recruiters gauge your ability to work in teams and your interpersonal skills from your answers. Although there isn't a perfect reply, these tips can help:

Give examples with positive outcomes. Think about past examples where your contribution made a difference.
Use recent experiences if possible. Reflect on your previous job or a recent voluntary project you undertook.
Show your understanding of why teams succeed/fail.Rehearse a situation where your manager gave positive feedback to the team.
Frame your answers using the STAR model. Check out this Byte on how to use STAR for more information.

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Practical examples

Let's see a typical question and how to approach it.

Question: Do you prefer working with others, or alone?

Correct Answer

I love working in a diverse, supportive environment. In my previous job as an instructor, the school wanted to promote the students' participation in a cultural pub quiz. My job was to find a way to attract people to the event. I brainstormed ways of promoting it with my colleagues and used a colleague's idea of creating a poster for the event. After a week, student participation went up by 30%.

Incorrect Answer

I can work on my own, or in teams. I don't mind. I can adapt to everything the team requires.

The first answer shows a specific, positive example with a positive outcome. The second is vague and incomplete.

Quiz

You're at the interview table. Which of these approaches WON'T help you? Select all that apply:

Giving a particular example

Being unspecific

Taking some deep breaths first

Describing a negative outcome

Take Action

Research some typical questions on teamwork on the internet.

List a set of examples from previous work experiences/ volunteering actions.

Write and rehearse some answers by recording yourself, practicing in front of a mirror, or with someone else.

For more input on how to answer interview questions, check out this Byte: How to answer, "Where would you like to be in your career 5 years from now?"