It’s important to find team players in today’s highly collaborative environments. This can be easier said than done. Asking the right questions of potential employees is the key to filling your ranks with team-oriented recruits.
What Makes a Great Team?
Ask each candidate for their description of a great team. Have them cite real-world examples for even more information. It doesn’t matter where they draw their example from; it could be a professional sports team, a community group or even a competitor of yours.
Not only does this ensure they’re up to par with your expectations, it can also help you gauge how easy they’ll be able to blend it with your current company culture.
How Do You Manage Difficult Co-Workers?
Nearly every one of us has been stuck with a difficult co-worker at some point in our careers. Even the most lucrative jobs and stringent screening processes can’t weed them all out.
To get a better feel for a new recruit’s aptitude toward teamwork, ask them about their own strategies for working with difficult co-workers. Once again, having them cite real examples from their past roles can be helpful in determining their ability to work within diversified teams.
How Do You Make Your Voice Heard Within a Team?
We can’t all be leaders. This is especially true among younger recruits and inexperienced candidates. Although we can’t all play the role of captain, it’s still important we’re able to make our voices heard throughout the workplace.
This question gives you a feel for the recruit’s communicative abilities more than anything. Getting your voice heard when you’re not the leader of a group is an art that must be mastered over time. Inquiring about each candidate’s ability to communicate over a prolonged period ensures your stocking your roster with collaborative and team-oriented employees.
Do You Work Better Independently or With a Team?
Some employees just don’t work well with others. In fact, this isn’t necessarily a negative trait. Depending on your company, there may be any number of roles that are suited for independent workers.
When screening recruits for a team-based project, however, ensuring their ability to work with others is essential. Questions like this allow you to make informed staffing decisions ahead of time instead of taking your chances with the typical process of trial and error.
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