Talking about a time where you demonstrated good teamwork and communication skills in your graduate job interview is a great opportunity to showcase and demonstrate your strengths in collaboration and why you’re the best fit for the role.
In your response, keep it focused on the professional - consider it a question less on yourself and more on why your background makes you ideal for the graduate position. As a recent graduate you may not have much professional experience in this industry, but that’s okay! Instead draw upon relevant teamwork experiences elsewhere in your life that might help you in the position.
For example, your weekend soccer club or footy match shows you're able to work well in a team to strategise and collaborate effectively to win. Likewise, by finishing the often frustrating group project you may have learnt to work together with people who have different personalities and working styles. While these examples are different hobbies you may have, you aren’t limited to just hobbies. Your casual job, work experience, volunteering or anything else can be relevant if you focus on the importance of soft skills.
✏️ Example Answers
“Collaborating with my peers in group projects meant we had to work together to reach a tight deadline. Working with new people under pressure meant I learned to compromise and work well with different types of personalities. Learning to be flexible on what my role needed to be within a team was necessary for those group projects and will be a valuable skill I can bring to your team and project.” |
“Volunteering at my local festival, particularly preparing for events by helping set up equipment, really showed me the value of interpersonal skills to keep people motivated to get the job at hand done well and on time. Honestly, it was a formative experience for me and something that will help me excel in this kind of work culture.” |
See more common graduate job interview questions and how to answer them here.