Even though a role you are hiring for is fairly independent and does not involve a lot of collaboration or group discussion, it’s important you hire candidates who have good teamwork skills. Team players are critical to any organization because they help keep projects moving along and contribute to employee morale. Whether they are working with others or independently, these people have the skills to navigate through their careers without too much conflict. Here are some ways to determine whether a candidate is a team player.

Good Communication Skills

Does the candidate appear confident? Can they hold a conversation with people they don’t know well? Team players find a way to connect with people — even if they have no background history on these individuals or have never met them before — and will have strong communication skills to convey whatever it is they want to convey without too much effort or hesitation.

Ask About Leadership History

An individual doesn’t need to have a management background to be a team player. Ask candidates if they have ever been a team leader on a project or if they have ever taken the initiative to lead a project without being asked. You want to look for signs of being comfortable in a leadership role and being successful within that role.

Ask Them to Solve a Problem

You can present a problem to the individual and give them the option of solving it on their own or requesting help from certain team members or departments if they think it’s necessary. Most team players will suggest working with other departments for more input while the more independent candidates will take the entire project on as their own. Neither way may be superior to the other, but it helps to know how the individual would go about solving the problem.

Your organization needs team players, even if the nature of the job is largely independent and basic job responsibilities can be completed without much input or discussion. Strong team players will have good communication and leadership skills, essential skills for reducing conflict and disharmony within any department.

If you need help finding quality candidates for a position, consider working with a reputable staffing firm. Morris Bixby Group can help you identify strong team players and fill open positions with ease.