Tell me about a time when you had to work collaboratively with a team
Theme: Teamwork Role: Paralegal Function: Legal
Interview Question for Paralegal: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Paralegal: Assists lawyers in preparing for trials, hearings, and closings by conducting legal research and drafting documents. This role falls within the Legal function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Teamwork with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Project or Task: Provide a brief overview of the project or task that required collaboration
- Team Composition: Describe the team members involved and their roles
- Communication & Collaboration: Explain how you communicated and collaborated with the team
- Challenges Faced: Discuss any challenges or obstacles encountered during the collaboration
- Problem-Solving & Decision-Making: Explain how the team collectively addressed and resolved any issues
- Results & Impact: Highlight the successful outcome achieved through collaborative teamwork
- Key Takeaways: Share any key lessons or skills gained from this collaborative experience
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Collaboration skills: Assessing my ability to work effectively with others in a team setting
- Communication skills: Evaluating how well I can communicate and share ideas with team members
- Problem-solving skills: Determining my ability to contribute to finding solutions and resolving conflicts within a team
- Leadership potential: Assessing my ability to take initiative, delegate tasks, and coordinate efforts within a team
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Lack of teamwork: If the candidate struggles to provide a specific example of working collaboratively with a team or cannot recall any such experience, it may indicate a lack of teamwork skills
- Conflict resolution: If the candidate's example involves unresolved conflicts or difficulties in working with team members, it could raise concerns about their ability to effectively collaborate and handle conflicts
- Dominating behavior: If the candidate's response suggests that they dominated the team or took over all the responsibilities without considering others' input, it may indicate a lack of collaboration and teamwork
- Poor communication: If the candidate's example highlights communication breakdowns or difficulties in effectively communicating with team members, it may raise concerns about their ability to collaborate and work cohesively
- Lack of contribution: If the candidate's response indicates minimal or no contribution to the team's goals or tasks, it may suggest a lack of engagement or motivation to work collaboratively
- Inability to adapt: If the candidate's example does not demonstrate their ability to adapt to different team dynamics or work styles, it may raise concerns about their flexibility and adaptability in a collaborative environment