For companies, having a strong team is crucial for success. But when you are hiring employees, how do you know whether an individual will work well with a team?
Fastcompany.com offers the following factors to consider when trying to identify a team player in a job interview.
- Use of pronouns. When talking about job experience, a candidate who uses “we” instead of “I” shows they were actively part of a team.
- Answers to behavior-based questions. For example, if you ask a candidate to talk about a time when they had to resolve an issue, see whether they worked with others to resolve it rather than resolving it on their own.
- Sharing accomplishments. Candidates want to talk about their strengths and achievements, but emphasizing the team can be key. If a candidate designed a strategy, they should talk about how the team implemented it. Team players understand everyone adds value to the company’s collective goals.
- Listening to your questions. Team players typically are good listeners, so look for a candidate who listens to your questions and clearly and succinctly responds.
- Description of the current team. Get a clear idea of how the candidate’s current team is organized and focus on the candidate’s role and how he or she contributes to the team in a positive way.
- What the candidate values. What does the candidate value in a new job and new employer? When a candidate is asked how he or she will decide whether a job is a good fit, a team player may focus on collaboration, mentorship and communication.
- Questions asked. A team player asks questions about the team he or she would be joining when trying to determine whether the job and employer would be a good fit.