How to Answer Interview Question “What Is Your Working Style?” (Ultimate Guide)

You’ve crunched through and produced an incredible resume. You are a confident and commendable worker, ready to pull through with the capturing of your dream job. You are a rockstar. You’ve finally reached the interview process, pressed your best suit and sat with readying adrenaline. Then, as the sweat beings to pull from your palms’ pores, the interviewer asks you “What is your working style?”

If that introduction sounds familiar, we just posted a similar article regarding another opening interview question. How to Answer Interview Question “Tell Me About Yourself”.

As a staffing agency, we decided that it was time to share some of our secrets. We know a thing or two about interviews (we conduct them every day). When strange-but-common interview questions are thrown your way (like the one this article is based around), it can seem like a trap orchestrated by the hiring manager, attempting to catch you in a wave of ‘ums’ and ‘uhs’. Forgo that. Be prepared when the open-ended questions strike.

Here is the ultimate guide to how to answer the dreaded “What is your working style?”

Why Ask the Question?

Ultimately, it can feel as if there is a wrong way to answer the working style question. To some degree, that thought process is correct (no pressure). We live in a time where workplace culture has reached an all-time high in importance. Both employees and employers are beginning to understand the critical nature of building a team with like-minded working styles and ideals.

Overall, asking this question allows the interviewer to get a better understanding of your work ethic and pace. For example, if the business is a high-stress restaurant, the interviewer is looking for someone that can work under the pressure. Of course, it’s impossible to determine the true velocity of a potential employee’s work skills based on a question, but that’s the interviewer’s problem to solve. As the interviewee, it’s your job to answer the question honestly. That’s it.

Furthermore, how you answer determines self-awareness. Both an honest and humble answer can display a level of maturity and confidence in your abilities.

What IS Your Working Style?

Before formulating the best way to answer the question, it’s crucial to know exactly what your working style is. Yes, it may seem vague to pinpoint what type of worker you are, as if you can fit your entire personality into an archetype. Though tough, it’s important to pick something to go off of. If unprepared, you can spiral out into an incomprehensible rant.

Let’s pinpoint a few different ‘working styles’ to go off of. Of course, stating one or more of these words does not classify as the entire answer unless you’re going for short and mysterious, which is an awful way to conduct an interview.

Here are a few examples of working styles to base your answer off of:

• Coachable
• Collaborative
• Detail-oriented
• Determined
• Flexible
• Organized
• Independent
• Team-oriented

If your working style is not listed above, that’s okay. Pick something within a similar vein. Even if you don’t 100% fall into the chosen category, it’s easier to formulate your answer after picking a general concept to build upon.

Side note: Notice that we did not list hardworking as one of the working styles. Let’s leave ‘hardworking’ to cliches and examples. It’s a vague and eye-rolling term. Stop using it as an adjective to attempt to sway hiring managers. Though it seems like something employers want to hear, it ultimately means nothing.

Side-side note: There tends to be a negative connotation around the term independent. It’s often hammered into us as job seekers that all businesses are looking for some team-oriented. This is not always true. If the job you are interviewing for involves working alone, the hiring manager may be looking for a worker that can succeed in an independent environment. Henceforth, stating independence as your working style depends on the job at hand. We will get into tailoring later.

Plan Your Answer Ahead

This is a tip that will find its way into every single interview guide, but it’s crucial to understand.

Overall, you want to have the overview of your answer planned out in your head before you enter the interview. On the contrary, you do not want to have a rehearsed speech. Confusing? Kind of.

Basically, you want to think of things you are going to say (like which specific working style) and an example you will use to back this up. While you can’t determine exactly which questions the interviewer is going to ask, there will be some sort of question that falls within the same category.

Other close variations of this question are “What kind of work environment do you prefer?” or “What skillsets do you offer?”

The answer to these questions may not be identical, but they involve a similar makeup. Therefore, having an overall idea and supporting examples ready can help you stay cool and calm during the interview.

Once again, this does not mean preparing a practiced speech. Walking into an interview with a prepared speech shows that you care enough about the job to prepare, but it doesn’t fit the reason for the question. The interviewer wants to see your personality and ability to speak shine through the forced moment. Babbling off a prepared script doesn’t allow your true self to peak through your answer.

Your Answer Should Not Be Longer Than 2 Minutes!

Every interview question answer should be brief and precise (hence practicing). Rambling shows a sense of unpreparedness and lack of focus. You want to pinpoint your answer, speak clearly, and articulate your point quickly.

There are examples of interview questions that can stretch beyond two minutes, but those are often industry-specific. For basic questions like “What is your working style?” your answer should be swift. Keep it under two minutes.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Still having trouble figuring out what your working style is? That’s okay. Once again, it’s nearly impossible to fit every individual into single adjectives and archetypes.

Here is the overview of what employers are looking for when they ask this question. Ask these questions to yourself when figuring out your answer.

• Do you prefer routine or do you like different day-to-day activities?
• Do you prefer working with a team or working by yourself?
• Do you like having multiple projects at once or focusing on a single task?
• Are you comfortable as a leader?
• Do you take criticism well, regardless of the person it comes from?

There is no wrong answer to any of these questions. It’s all about displaying honesty and maturity in your answer. It’s possible that your answer may not align with exactly what the interviewer is looking for, but you can still paint yourself in a positive light. If your honest answer doesn’t align with the interviewer’s view of the job at hand, then you might not be a fit for it after all. Honesty here may save you in the long run.

Tailor Your Answer to the Job Description

We noted earlier that saying you thrive as an independent worker can be beneficial for certain jobs. Henceforth, this concept works in the majority of job interviews.

We will repeat the concept until our faces are blue. You should be doing research before applying for a job. Whether it be for tailoring your resume, application, or interview, you must know about the position and company before moving forward. Not only will it help you prove your professionalism to the company, but it will help capture their attention.

Doing company research goes tenfold towards answering this specific question. What working style do you think the company is looking for?

If the company you are applying to writes qualifications in the job description (i.e. must be a leader, must work in a fast-paced environment, must be open to criticism), then your answer has already been laid out for you. Fit your answer to what they are looking for and what type of employees they need.

If the job description doesn’t have specific personality traits listed, you have to infer what is necessary. What type of job is it? What skills are necessary for the line of work? Furthermore, take a look at more information about the company. Do they have a strong culture? If so, what employee attributes would apply to it?

You have to do a bit of detective work to put together a thoroughly-tailored answer, but it will be worth it.

Tips on What to Say in Your Answer (With Examples)

We have babbled on long enough! Let’s get into it.

Remember, this is not one-size-fits-all. Consequently, to create an example, we are going to focus on one working style and go from there. While this may not give you an exact answer to follow, it will give you an idea of how to craft and work through your answer.

1. Start With the Working Style

Pick one. Pick a basic concept that you will go over and further deepen through your answer. You may fit into multiple categories and styles, but that would result in a full presentation. If the interviewer has further questions, they can follow up.

Decide which topic you want to delve into. Do you want to discuss organization, attention to detail, teamwork, or flexibility? Once you’ve decided which working topic you want to focus on, pick a word or phrase to describe your style around it.

For example, if you want to go into your abilities around organizational skills, state that you are focused and efficient.

Let’s use organization skills as our overall example.

Here we stated that we are focused and efficient workers. Furthermore, we gave more detail about how that can be beneficial in the workplace. If the job includes doing multiple tasks at once, then this answer would be perfect.

2. Segue Into Another Topic

How do your flexibility and organizational skills lead to other aspects of work? How does it affect your teamwork and communication skills?

In this example, we are using organization, so it should play into more situations than just handling daily tasks.

Not only does this show teamwork ability, but it shows a bit of what we can bring to the job. We express that we can adapt to any environment and have the communication skills to keep up. We’ve established our worth as both an organized workers and team members (or leaders).

3. Include an Example

A quick example can prove that you actually do fit within this working style. Furthermore, examples can clear up questions that may come later. Most interviews involve a question regarding discussing a time that you overcame a problem. You can answer both questions here!

For this example: think of a quick work story that shows your ability to be flexible and organized. How did these skills help you overcome a problem or complete a project? Achievements work here, too.

If your example fits into the industry you are applying for, great!

Also, if you have an accompanying example that involves a similar job, use it. If not, that’s okay. You can have an example of organizational ability that doesn’t involve the specific industry. Ultimately, it’s just to back up your claim.

Obviously, this is a very vague example. Your example will be more in-depth and involve specifics.

Either way, this example showed a real work instance where your organizational skills helped you succeed. Also, it shows that you achieved a certain level of success through these abilities.

Finally, you attributed the success to your team, not just yourself. This is always a plus in interviews. Yes, speaking confidently about yourself and selling an interviewer on your abilities is the key, but thanking your coworkers also shows a level of teamwork skills and professionalism.

4. Put it All Together Now!

Now we have got all the pieces. Let’s see our finished product.

Of course, the specifics and styles will be different for everyone. Our example didn’t involve a specific industry or work projects. Fill those in as needed. Overall, this is the easiest and most effective way to structure your answer to “What is your working style?”.

This example explains your working style, how it benefits the company, how it plays into your teamwork and a specific story. It’s all under two minutes, too!

The Dos and Don’ts Around “What Is Your Working Style?”

You thought our ultimate guide stopped there? No! It’s the ultimate one for a reason. Well, it’s one of many ultimate guides. Still.

Here’s a bonus, lightning round regarding what to do (and not do) when answering the question.

Do: Be Honest

This may sound contradicting. We delved into the entire concept of tailoring your answer to fit what the company needs. While this is true, you should still base your answer around honesty.

For example, if the job description states you must be able to work in a fast-paced environment, and you have before, you can make sure to point it out. That’s tailoring. If you have worked in a fast-paced environment before and were unsuccessful or hated it, you shouldn’t lie about your ability. Tailoring is pinpointing the truths that they want to hear, not making them up.

Furthermore, this will benefit you in the long run. If you say you can handle fast-paced environments and get hired, you may end up burning a bridge or seeming like a bad worker. Just be honest.

Don’t: Rattle Off Multiple Styles

The answer to the question is not an article for clickbait. Don’t stuff your answer with keywords.

“My working style is that I’m hardworking. I enjoy fast environments. I love working with a team. Multitasking is my favorite.”

That’s too much. If you start by mumbling off a large number of skills, you are going to end up lost in your explanation. Stick to one or two specifics and explain them in detail. One strong example is better than just stating multiple styles. It seems more genuine and trustworthy. A well-thought-out answer is more attention-grabbing than just saying buzzwords.

Do: Say No if It Applies

This tip plays back into honesty.

If the interviewer asks you if you can thrive in an environment or situation you know you can’t, don’t lie. You are not obligated to say yes to every question. It won’t crush your employment possibility as much as you may believe.

It’s all about the wording. Let’s say the interviewer asks if you can work independently and you know you can’t. Don’t just flat-out say no. Instead, say that you prefer to work with a team, but you are willing to try to adapt to working independently. While it’s not your preferred working style, you are dedicated to your work. You will make it successful.

Ultimately, you never want to be too rigid with your answer. You prefer to work this way, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

Don’t: Use Cliches or ‘I Don’t Know’

The quickest way to eliminate yourself from job contention is to answer an interview question with “I don’t know.”

Furthermore, cliches are similar in theory. If you answer the question with the most basic of concepts, you are pretty much saying you don’t know.

“I don’t know,” and “I’m a hard worker. I work really hard,” are the same thing.

The good thing is, that you are reading this article. You are already preparing your perfect answer. This should never be a problem.

Important Things to Remember

– Avoid Definites

As we said, don’t be too rigid with your answers.

We are humans. Our adaptability is what has made us such a long-lasting species. While your natural working style may not be what the job is looking for, it doesn’t mean you cannot eventually learn to work in that environment. Therefore, don’t state your working styles as definite.

You prefer to work this way, but your flexibility allows you to learn the other way. You are dedicated enough to adapt and try your best.

Stuff like that. Don’t say “I cannot work in that specific environment,” unless you really, really can’t.

– Confidence Sells

Confidence is the most critical attribute to portray when entering a job interview. Sure. You don’t want to sound braggadocious, but you do want to be sure of your abilities.

Be confident in yourself. Remember who you are and all that you can achieve. You can do this.

– Keep it Professional

Humor is great and all, but know how to read a room. If you have to wonder if a joke is appropriate, it isn’t.

Remember that this is a job interview, not a first date. Yes, you want to portray some personality, but you also want to get hired.

– You Can Pause

Don’t find yourself rambling early into the interview.

You can practice your speech repeatedly and still get caught off-guard once it’s showtime. If the interviewer asks the question and your mind immediately blanks, it’s okay to pause and think for a second. I promise it doesn’t look as weird as you think it does. Also, it’s not as long of a pause as it feels.

Take a second, breathe, and formulate your response. If you did your research (especially reading this giant article) you’ll know what to do and say.

– You’ve Got This!

Remember your worth! You can do it. It’s just an interview and a chance to tell them about yourself. It will only last a few minutes. Then you’ll be back to your life (hopefully with a new job). You will make it through, I promise.

If the interview doesn’t work out, that’s okay. There are always job opportunities out there. Keep going.