Using your resume to highlight that you can be a good team player is a great way to catch an employer’s eye. What employer doesn’t want to hire people with this attribute? Not only can working well with others reduce the number of workplace disputes but the synergy that comes with collaboration is good for productivity. If you want to stand out as a team player but avoid using empty buzzwords, here are six ways to use your resume to show your aptitude for working in a team-based environment.
- Describe any Leadership Roles
Think about the special responsibilities you had that were leadership-focused, including any temporary promotions where you led a team or filled in for your manager while they were on vacation. However, leadership can happen at any level in an organization and spans a range of different activities. For example, were you asked to present on behalf of your colleagues at a conference, lead a professional development workshop for your coworkers, or take the new CEO on a tour of the shop floor? Any role that you were given, no matter the duration, says that others had confidence in you to represent your fellow employees and the company.
- List Awards You Received
Make sure to include any awards and accolades in your resume. Maybe you received a special honor related to leadership or teamwork or you were recognized with an award that relied on collaboration and contribution to the workplace as some of the criteria.
Take the time to explain how the award relates to teamwork and don’t forget to include any nominations you earned as well. All of this supports your claim that you can be a very valuable employee who strives to contribute.
- Be Specific and Quantify
Give a brief statement that discusses the responsibility you had, such as the task details, how you proceeded, the number of people involved, and the outcome. It helps to offer specifics like, “Led a small working group of four colleagues from design and manufacturing to troubleshoot production issues and implement a solution that increased efficiency by 25 percent” or “Prepared and delivered a workshop on managing personal stress to 30 coworkers during professional development day.”
The key here is to communicate as much relevant information as clearly and concisely as possible. This will help bring to life the teamwork experiences you’ve had, and the employer will recognize where you have transferable skills.
- Share Credit with Others
Remember to explain how your accomplishments relied on the other members of your team. Use “we” instead of “I” where appropriate and include phrases like “worked closely with” to give your colleagues their due. Describing your activities in this subtle manner will reinforce that you know what team collaboration is all about.
Of course, this covers any awards or formal recognition that was given to your team too. If you and your coworkers published your findings in an industry journal, then credit those involved rather than just stating that the results were published.
- Profile Projects
Being a good team player is essential to the success of any project. Incorporate project work in your CV by listing the projects you were part of and stating a little about them. Be precise about the role you had, what the project was about, and the impact it had on the workplace, industry, or community.
Additionally, speak about the purpose of each project, deadlines, and how any unforeseen problems were handled. Again, provide enough details to illustrate your responsibilities and how you collaborated with others in achieving specific results. For instance, were you required to multitask or pivot your approach in some way to work together as efficiently as possible?
- Demonstrate Related Skills
There is a host of other competencies that are closely related to teamwork. Hiring managers will expect your CV to mention these strengths as well, so decide how to build them in. Do you have great written and verbal communication skills? What about listening or persuasion skills? Similarly, being punctual and reliable is essential for pulling your weight in any workplace.
If you are strong when it comes to organizing, planning, and decision-making, say so. Being able to receive criticism and feedback and act on the advice you receive to improve your performance is another important skill to have. A demonstration of a solid attitude that supports teamwork is the positivity you bring to the workplace. Finally, being able to manage conflict well with your coworkers is critical. Seek out places in your resume where you can indicate that you have these skills.