What Is Your Work Style? Interview Question

Let us first know, why does the interviewer asks this question -

This question allows hiring managers to determine whether you would fit into the culture of their company. Furthermore, in your response, the interviewer will expect you to highlight your skills, self-awareness, industry knowledge, and the responsibilities of the position. This will also assist them in determining whether or not you are capable of changing and adapting to a new working style if necessary. It also demonstrates how you will collaborate and participate as part of a team. As a result, make sure your response demonstrates your ability to work both independently and collaboratively.



To answer this question, there are a few things you have to keep in mind. Let us see what are they:

Be clear and concise:

Your response will not be able to include all aspects of your work pattern. It would be preferable if you could concentrate and demonstrate your best positive qualities relevant to the job.

Determine your ideal work environment:

The interviewer is interested in whether you work well in groups or prefer to work alone. Most interviewers prefer candidates who work collaboratively, but working alone is not necessarily a bad thing. If you enjoy working as part of a group, talk about your experiences and how it has helped you achieve better results. And, If you prefer working alone, highlight the importance of collaboration and receiving feedback from coworkers.

For example you can say :

I had a few projects that required a lot of concentration and focus, which I could complete them efficiently on my own. However, for a few projects, I worked with my team members and we could brainstorm and delegate specific project tasks based on our individual skills and talents. So I can say that I can focus well, and I appreciate the flexibility
that both styles offer.

Be truthful:

It is critical to be truthful about your ideal work style. Inform the interviewer about your referred working style. If the office is bustling and too noisy and you prefer a quieter place let the interviewers know. But make sure to talk about adaptability and how can you adapt to different environment.

Talk about your productivity:

In your response, tell them how you organize and start your day, what strategies you use on a daily basis to complete your tasks, and if you are willing to stay late to complete important tasks. This can show the interviewer that you have the ability to work in an organized and fast-paced environment. Your response should include your productivity strategies. For example, you could recall a time when you stayed up late to complete a task on time.

Understand your communication style:

Each job requires a unique communication style. A sales job, for example, may necessitate face-to-face communication, whereas a college coordination job may necessitate phone or email communication. Consider what the job requires and whether you are comfortable. However, these skills can be developed; nevertheless, it is best to inform the interviewer if you need to work on yourself. It is also a good idea to inform your seniors about how you intend to communicate with them. For example, do you prefer to be properly informed and advised, or do you prefer to be assigned with a task and you complete alone. Thinking about your ideal relationship with your employer will benefit both you and the interviewers who can decide whether you are fit for the position you are interviewed for.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind and ensure you avoid these:

Avoid giving inflexible and specific answers:

You may not know the interviewers preferred style. As a result, make sure you don't give a rigid response to this question. Your response may favor one approach over another, but leave room for adaptability and flexibility. If you say something like "I perform much better alone," but the manager wants someone who works in a team, you've already eliminated yourself from consideration.

Do not be confused or skip this question:

The interviewers would like to know if you are fit for their organization. Be prepared for this question. Don’t say anything like I am not sure or I am not aware about my style. The interviewer will not be able to identify your work style and hence won’t be able to decide if they can go ahead with you.

Don't give a long response:

Your response should be descriptive but also it needs to be relevant. There's no need to go on; your response should show that your working style is positive, effective, and well-suited to their company. Make sure you're using the right terms.

Being dishonest:

We all have preferences when it comes to our jobs. This is your opportunity to tell us about yours. If you dislike early meetings or have any other peculiarities, please mention them in your response. Do not just commit to all that the interviewer says for the sake of getting hired.

Now let us see an example for a fresher

As a newcomer, my ideal work style is one in which I can work independently while also supporting each member of my team and other team members in their development. As for the company values, I believe this is one of the most important factors that drew me in. I am also extremely organized. I set aside time each week for personal tasks. Each day, I make a to-do list to help me prioritize and complete my tasks on time. I consider myself to be a problem solver. As members of the Speakers Forum in college, we faced many problems while organizing events for the college. As a member, I had the freedom to investigate a problem on my own, which allowed me to delve deeply into multiple solutions. It also aided my ability to maintain open lines of clear communication.

So, that was an example for a fresher candidate. Hope it will help you frame your own

Now, let's take an example for an experienced professional

My working approach can be described as versatile and flexible. I can operate independently as well as in a group setting. I've worked with members of my team as well as those from other departments. Even when confronted with unexpected problems, I aim to remain cool and effective. There were a lot of unanticipated complications in my previous role; it was a little stressful, but I liked the challenges, which encouraged me to do better.

So, that was a quick sample for an experienced professional.

In your response, emphasize how innovative, honest, and self-aware you are. Everyone uses descriptive language in the interviews. All candidates use terms such as team player, detail oriented, focused, and hard worker, which are acceptable; however, make sure you back them up with examples that show how and where you demonstrated those skills in your response. Finally, don't forget to research the company's working environment to get a sense of how to respond appropriately to the position you've applied for.