How To Answer ‘What Is Your Work Style’ In A Job Interview – Kathy Caprino

Part of Kathy Caprino’s series “Building a Better, Happier Career”

Interviewing for a new role can be exciting, but it also can come with challenges that make us feel insecure and concerned that we’re not fully prepared. This is especially true when we’re asked questions like “What is your work style” – about our preferred approach and style in addressing key job goals and responsibilities.

This question, while seemingly direct and simple, is typically posed to help the interviewer understand more deeply whether your work approach will align well with the open role and the organization’s work culture. With the right preparation, you can craft your answer so it’s not only helpful but also reflective of what matters most to you and highlights your unique strengths, priorities, and values.

To understand how best to address this question honestly and confidently, prepare by thinking about your particular style and approach and what “success” looks and feels like to you personally. Brainstorm in advance about how you most enjoy working, including the types of collaboration that are most successful for you and the business outcomes you find most rewarding and compelling to support.

Bring to mind the top accomplishments and outcomes you’ve achieved in the past that make you most proud, and tease out the exact skills and abilities you possess that helped you generate those outcomes. Think about both individual contributions as well as your successes through collaborations, and what was made possible because of your adaptability, creativity and resilience.

What are some different versions of this question you can expect?

The question “What is your work style?” can be approached in a variety of ways, each with subtle differences. Here are a few common variations you might hear:

“How do you prefer to work?”

This phrasing offers a more open-ended approach, giving the freedom to describe your ideal work environment and work practices that help you successfully complete tasks and projects.

“Tell me about your work process.”

Here, the interviewer may want to explore how you approach the execution of your projects, and how you make decisions, handle tasks, work with others, and address challenges and setbacks.

“What does your day-to-day work look like?”

This version is focused on the current flow of your daily tasks and priorities, as well as how you handle deadlines and multitasking. It also touches on how you prioritize your current workflow.

“Do you work best independently or as part of a team?”

This question aims to explore your collaborative strengths and comfort level in working cohesively with others versus being self-directed and taking solo, independent initiative.

“How do you handle feedback and communication with teammates or supervisors?”

With this query, the interviewer is probing about your communication style, your openness to feedback (both positive and what you may perceive as “negative”) and how you relate to and with others.

Each version of the question provides an opportunity to showcase your strengths and values. Be prepared to offer some concrete examples that demonstrate how you adapt to and thrive in different work environments and situations.

What Hiring Managers Are Really Looking For Through This Question

When interviewers ask about your work style, they typically want to evaluate whether you’ll be a strong fit for this particular role, including how you’ll mesh with the existing managers and leaders, other team members and the organization’s values and culture overall. Think about what makes you unique and stand out, what you prioritize as important in your career and roles, as well as traits and actions that have helped you achieve professional growth in the past, and share information that will help interviewers assess:

Your Self-Awareness and Self-Mastery: Do you recognize your strengths and areas for growth? Candidates who recognize and confidently discuss their key skills, accomplishments and work values often stand out from the competition.

Adaptability and Flexibility: Can you easily adjust your approach based on the team or project needs? Being adaptable is especially important in today’s dynamic workplaces.

Collaboration and Communication: Effective communicators who respect others, work well with diverse team members, and collaborate openly tend to thrive best in team environments. Interviewers want to understand your interaction style.

Growth Mindset: Candidates who demonstrate optimism, resilience and a commitment to growth and learning often achieve high performance results.

Key Themes to Include in Your Answer

Your answers should be honest, clear and tailored to the specific role and company culture you’re interviewing for. Below are some tips for developing a strong response:

Research the Company’s Culture

Before the interview, take time to research the company’s culture and standout qualities. Review their website, read employee ratings and reviews, and explore their social media presence and what leaders and employees share online. This will give you clues about their values, work environment, and pace. If it’s a high-energy, collaborative atmosphere, emphasize your teamwork skills. If it’s a more independent, results-driven environment, highlight your ability to work autonomously and produce consistent results.

Align Your Answers with the Role’s Requirements

Think about the skills and attributes required for the position. For instance, if the role requires cross-departmental collaboration, discuss your strengths in communication and teamwork. If it’s a role that demands self-management and independence, highlight your organizational skills, focus, and reliability.

Highlight Your Key Attributes

Hiring managers are looking for certain traits in almost every role, such as dependability, strong communication skills, flexibility, and openness to feedback. Incorporate these themes that fit your unique style into your answer. For example, “I’m very responsive when working in a team setting, making sure I’m communicating openly and taking in helpful feedback. When working alone and/or remotely, I’m highly organized and deadline-focused, but also comfortable asking questions when needed, which helps me deliver quality results.”

Incorporate Specific Examples

Illustrate your answer with examples from past successes. Talk about a time when your work approach helped you succeed in a project or contributed to an important goal. For instance, “In my last role, I was in charge of a large business integration project spanning many teams and departments and a newly acquired company with divisions across several countries. It was a critical project with a hard deadline and it impacted hundreds of employees’ responsibilities and outcomes. I set up weekly meetings with key stakeholders to ensure everyone was aligned, but I also set aside focused time to dive into my own research and analysis, to formulate an effective strategy for the project and adjust that strategy when needed. This balance allowed me to complete the integration in a timely way that met all the key goals of the leadership team.”

Preparing Follow-Up Questions

The “work style” question is also an invitation for you to ask follow-up questions. Remember, your interview is not an “audition.” It’s a two-way street. Consider asking questions that get at what you need to understand, including the team structure, communication style, work culture, key qualities that successful employees share and more. This can help you determine if the company is a strong fit for your personal values and approach.

Succeeding More Confidently In Your Interviews

Thoughtfully answering the question “What is your work style?” demonstrates you’ve reflected on your career trajectory and your strengths and talents, and how those have contributed to growth and success in previous roles. It’s not about whether you’re “good” or “bad” at certain tasks; it’s about alignment with the role and culture.

By viewing this question as a way to showcase your unique talents and the important ways you’ve contributed in the past, you can share the highest and best version of you, while also listen for clues to help you assess clearly if this opportunity is right for you, and will allow you to thrive and grow.