Why working in a team matters for your future career

As employers review dozens of applicants for job openings, it can be hard to separate candidates with similar work experience and education. However, employers use other characteristics to differentiate candidates including soft skills and attributes you need to succeed in the workplace. One of the most critical is teamwork. Showcasing your ability to be a team player can help you stand out in a pile of resumes and interviews.

Check out how being part of a team can give you the edge as you embark on your career.

Idea generation

Inspiration and collaboration flow freely when people come together to discover a solution for a shared challenge. By bringing people with different backgrounds and experience levels together, you open the door for more imaginative and innovative discussion.

Brainstorming and idea exchanges are valuable to the team and organization as a whole. In an effective team environment, each member feels comfortable sharing his or her ideas. Establish that there is no such thing as a bad idea and you'll start to see how teamwork can lead to great achievements.

Learn your strengths

When working in a team, you can quickly determine what each person's roles will be and how they will best contribute to the team's overall goals. Similarly, repeatedly working in a team setting can help you hone your skills and put you in touch with your own individual strengths.

Employers seek self-awareness because it implies that you're in tune with your skillset and that you understand your weaknesses that you can continue to improve on. With more exposure in collaborative team environments, you'll begin to develop your work style.

Creative problem-solving

When faced with a new or complicated challenge, your coworkers and superiors will be impressed if you are able to think quickly and come together as a group to find a solution. Working in a team will help you learn how to depend on teammates while crafting creative ways to solve problems. When several people use their knowledge to complete a task, problems can be solved more efficiently than they would be with one person.

Soft skills are becoming increasingly important to employers. To find out how you can develop these skills while pursuing a career in your desired field, visit us at TheFutureIWantNow.com/YTI.