How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Work Style

How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Work StyleHow to Answer Interview Questions About Your Work StyleWhile thisopen-ended questionmight seem vague, it allows you to showyourself in a positive light. In your response, you can strategically highlight how your work style is a good fit for the company at hand. What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know This question helps interviewers decide whether you will fit in well with thecompany cultureand the requirements of the job. For instance, if you require complete silence and focus to work, but the office has a bustling, collaborative atmosphere (and an open floor plan), you might not be a strong fit. How to Answer Interview Questions About Your Work Style When answering this question, it is important to keep the particular job in mind. Avoid clichs (like hard worker and good communication skills) and focus on specific elements of your work style that fitwith the position and company. 059 Watch Now 4 Tips for Answering Que stions About Work Style This question is far easier to answer if youdosome researchbefore the job interview. Analyze the job listing tomatch your qualifications with their requirements, and prepare answers that show how your work style makes you the best candidate for the job. Then, go a little further. Review the companys website, media kit (almost always available on their site), and social media presence to learn which qualities are most valued at the organization. Most employers have a strong idea of the kind of partie wholl succeed on their team, whether its someone willing to do whatever it takes or a worker wholl build lasting relationships. Its also important to be honest, while still highlighting the positive. Dont claim to be a perfectionist if youre a big-picture person instead, emphasize your vision and commitment to quality. Examples of the Best Answers My work style is extremely flexible- working on so many different projects requires me to be adaptive. In general , I try to work on one project at a time, working as quickly, but efficiently, as possible to achieve the best results. All of my projects require collaboration, so I use the team environment to check for errors. I am a perfectionist and a driven worker, and I think my clear communication skills allow me to bring out the best in any team, in any project. ExpandWhy It Works This answer establishes the candidates preferred work style (one project at a time) while also highlighting other key workplace skills, such as flexibility and collaboration. Unless the job description specifically called for multitasking, this response ticks off a lot of positive in-demand qualities for candidates. I am extremely dependable. I have rarely missed a days work, and am known for coming in early and staying late to finish important tasks and achieve results. This dependability extends to my collaborative work as well. I always meet deadlines and help my teammates to meet theirs as well. For example, o n my last project a teammate welches struggling to complete his assignment for the team, and I stayed late every day that week to help him not only complete his assignment, but exceed our initial estimatedturnaroundtime for the project. ExpandWhy It Works This answer gets its power from the examples provided. Hiring managers value employees who show willingness to go the extra mile and support co-workers. Ialwayskeep on top of my projects. Owing to my organizational skills and efficiency, I can successfullyjuggle multiple projects at once. While I complete most of my work independently, I greatly value input and will consult with team members to ensure were all on the same track. I also appreciate checking in regularly with my boss to update her on my progress and ask about any issues that have arisen. This open communication helps me complete tasks efficiently and accurately. ExpandWhy It Works This answer highlights the candidates strengths and shows a flexible nature. Tips for Giving the Best Answer Think Through Your Work StyleDo you work fast? Enjoy collaboration? Try to do your hardest project in the early morning? Have a preferred way of engaging with your manager? These are all things you can discuss in your answer. Be BriefYou cant mention every aspect of your work style in your response, most likely, so focus on the elements that demonstrate your best qualities and fit with the job at hand. Give ExamplesConsider including a brief example that emphasizes your work style. For example, mention a time when your efficiency andability to multitask helped you complete an assignment a week beforethedeadline. Be HonestIf you truly cant work when your desk ispiledupwithdocuments, be upfront. But do try to be cautious about any overly firm statements about your work environment needs. If youre still not sure how to frame your response, consider focusing on one of these areas Speed and accuracy If you work quickly and efficiently, you might mention this in y our answer, especially if the job requires meeting tight deadlines. However, its important to impress the interviewer with your competency and accuracy, rather than just your speed. If you say you work at a fast and steady pace, emphasize the strategies you use to avoid making mistakes.Structuring your day You may want to focus on how you organize your day. Do you prefer to do your most difficult tasks in the morning? Do you prefer to focus on one assignment at a time, or multitask? You might also mention how many hours you typically work. If you are someone who always goes above and beyond, and stays late to complete tasks, say so. Working alone or in collaboration The employer might want to know whether you prefer to work solo or collaboratively. Think carefully about the job before answering this question. Most jobs require at least some collaboration, so even if you prefer towork alone, emphasize that you value others input.Taking direction Another important element of your work style is how you like to communicate with your boss. Do you prefer to beguided, or do you like to be given a task and left alone to complete it? Thinking about your ideal relationship with your employer will help both you and the interviewer decide whether you area good fit for the job. Your communication style If this job requires constant communication, you might want to emphasize how you communicate with employers, staff, and clients throughout the workday. Do you prefer tocommunicatebyemail, phone conversations, or face-to-face meetings? Again, think about what this job requires before you answer. Most jobs will require a combination of communication tactics. What Not to Do GiveOverly Specific, Rigid ResponsesUnless you can very precisely nail down both the company and the interviewers preferred work style, its best not to be too definitive. If you say, I work best alone and the manager wants a team player, youll have automatically disqualified yourself. UseClichsDuring int erviews, everyone is a hard worker, detail-oriented, and a team player. Its fine to claim these traits for yourself, but since these words and phrases are uttered so frequently, back them up with examples ifyouusethem. Be Dishonest or Fail to Answer the QuestionsWhile you do not want to be too specific and make yourself seem rigid, its also unwise to be so vague in your response that the interviewer doesnt get a sense of you as an employee. We all have preferences when it comes to our workplace. This is your moment to share yours. If you truly dislike morning meetings, or have some other quirk, itmaybeworthmentioning it in your response. Possible Follow-Up Questions Whats your work philosophy?What type of work environment do you prefer?How would you handle a hostile work environment?How would you handle it if you were working on a project with someone who had a very different work style to you?How do you like to work with managers?Whats your preferred communication style? Key Ta keaways DO RESEARCH The more you know about the companys work environment and style, the more youll be able to tailor your response to show that youd easily fit in.BE HONEST If you have one condition that must be met in order for you to work efficiently, its reasonable to mention it. For example, if you tend to have lots of questions at the start of a project, you might want to mention that.BEYOND CLICHS Examples are always more meaningful than a long string of descriptors (like hard worker) that hiring managers hear all the time in interviews.