Are You a Team Player?

On 11.28.09, In Job Recruitment, by me

This is a two sided question that most employers ask. They want to know if the applicant is a leader or a follower. However, one of the biggest mistakes that applicants make while replying to this is answering too much to one side or the other, such as emphasizing how much of a team player that they can be, and forgetting that only being a team player may not be enough. On the other hand, the applicant may under-emphasize it because they believe that the job they are applying for requires more leadership skills.

The best way for applicants to answer this question is to answer yes, and state the reasons why they are, for example, that they listen to other individuals and their ideas. Listening is a huge component of any successful applicant and person in any industry. Another aspect may be that they get along well with others and are very respectful of the opinions of their colleagues. While saying these things, the applicant should compose themselves as such because their body language can speak a lot more than their words. If the applicant is giving the impression of being somewhat arrogant and dishonest then the employer is not going to believe that person and will skip over them for the other applicants.

This being said, the answer should not be over-played. If the employer is looking for long term staff they will also want to know that the applicant has leadership skills as well. While the applicant should state that they make a great team player and why, they should also explain that they are versatile and can be placed in either a team environment as a leader or a follower. Both of these qualities are greatly desired with most employers, even from the lowest paying jobs. Employers want multi-skilled people, and this area is one of them.