9 Common Teamwork Interview Questions (with Example Answers)
- Be prepared to answer common interview questions about teamwork and collaboration.
- Understand why employers ask questions about teamwork.
- Know how to connect your experience with a team to the role for which you’re interviewing.
Everyone loves a team player, so you can expect multiple questions about teamwork during your interview. In addition, teamwork questions say a lot about a candidate’s preferred work style and environment.
Today, we’ll look at frequently asked interview questions about teamwork.
How to answer teamwork interview questions
Working at a job or internship means working with lots of different people, from lots of different backgrounds. Because of this, the best employees are able to work successfully with anyone and everyone, near and far.
Most interview questions about teamwork are behavioral interview questions, so you can answer them by using the STAR method. As a reminder, STAR answers include clear examples of your past experiences—in this case, your experiences working in a group. Share examples that prove you’re a collaboration champion, such as class projects, school clubs, part-time jobs, or volunteer experience. It doesn’t matter if you played a leader, follower, or mediator role. It’s about being positive and showing that you’re someone a potential employer wants to work alongside every single day.
Sample leadership interview questions and answers
Employers can ask many different questions about your ability and inclination to collaborate with others. Here are nine of the most frequently asked questions, along with some sample answers.
1. What’s your preferred style of working?
This is the classic teamwork interview question. Do you prefer to work in a group, by yourself, or somewhere in between? Your response speaks to how well you’ll fit with the office culture. Do your research in advance to ensure you answer appropriately. If a company is all-remote and you prefer to work in a close-knit team, that’s a red flag.
2. Give me an example of a time when you worked well on a team.
If an employer asks this question, you can expect a team-centric environment. A great response should be enthusiastic and genuine, while conveying how well you play with others.
The designers got to make cool new graphics and experiment with layouts, and the writers got to write profiles, suggestions, and guides. We all worked together to make a great product, and it really boosted morale across the company. The company continues to produce it every month, and they always send me a copy.
3. What role do you typically play on a team?
Some are leaders, some are followers, some are coaches, and some are mediators. Read the job description carefully to discern what’s needed from you in this specific role. Then, tailor your answer accordingly.
4. What do you think makes for a successful team?
This teamwork question is all about checking on whether this employer has an environment in which you can succeed. Do your research ahead of time to ensure your answer aligns with the company culture.
5. Tell me about a time when you worked with a challenging team member
Keep things positive and upbeat when answering this tricky teamwork question. Remember to avoid throwing the other person under the bus. Instead, focus on how you reached a compromise to achieve success.
Additional leadership interview questions
6. What’s your perfect work environment?
7. Do you prefer working on a team or independently?
8. Tell me about a project that required you to work with a diverse group of people.
9. Give me an example of a team project that didn’t work out.
Tips for answering questions about teamwork
- There’s no “I” in team. If all your answers are about you and not your team, you’re answering the questions wrong. Yes, you’re the hero of your stories, but a real team player gives credit where credit is due.
- Keep things relevant. The more you tailor your responses to the job at hand, the more they’ll resonate with the interviewer.
- Stay positive. As we’ve said time and time again, you should always stay upbeat during an interview. When you’re being asked questions about teamwork, it’s even more important. The best teammates are optimistic and engaged!
