How to improve your collaboration skills for job search success

When you apply for a new job, it’s easy to look at the role in isolation. The job description tells you the day-to-day tasks you’ll carry out and the experience that the employer wants the new jobholder to have, but do you know how the role fits into the broader organisation? Every job interacts with and relies on other people within – and often outside – the company. That’s why employers are so interested in candidates who have collaboration skills.

Collaboration skills help you to work with others. That might be with team members, other departments, or even other companies. Collaboration skills are a group of abilities that include communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence, openness, adaptability, active listening, and conflict resolution.

Collaboration is one of the employment skills that companies want to see in their employees in 2024. Here’s why.

Why are collaboration skills important and in demand?

Imagine the pieces of an engine laid out before you. Each part has the potential to be useful but until those parts are joined together, the engine’s purpose can’t be fulfilled. That’s exactly how a business works. Each employee has the potential to be useful but only if they collaborate with their colleagues and leaders.

Collaboration skills:

• build better teams by valuing what each member brings to the table
• drive innovation by remaining open to employee contributions
• create an inclusive environment, where everyone has a voice

Collaboration skills are in demand as a growing number of people work on a remote and hybrid basis. With many employees working online, at a variety of workplaces, and across a range of working patterns, collaboration skills have never been more important.

How can you improve your collaboration skills?

Here are four ways to develop and improve your collaboration skills.

  Assess your current collaboration skills

Start by evaluating your existing collaboration skills. For instance, that might be your communication style and how well you adapt to new situations. How do you carry out a collaboration skills self-assessment? You could:

• use an online self-assessment tool like this one from St. Cloud State University
• take a personality test like 16 personalities
• ask for feedback from colleagues or mentors

The results of this self-assessment should indicate your collaboration strengths and weaknesses.

  Develop your communication skills

Communication is key to successful collaboration. To develop your communication skills, you could practice active listening, learn how to give and receive feedback effectively, and work on your nonverbal communication skills.

  Collaborate with others

Seek out opportunities to use your collaboration skills. You could participate in group projects, volunteer for team activities, or join a professional organization to gain experience of working with others.

  Learn to use collaboration tools

Collaboration isn’t simply about talking and in-person activities. There are also plenty of collaboration tools. Research which tools you’re likely to encounter, learn how to use them effectively, and improve your confidence with these tools through use and familiarity.

Example collaboration tools:

• project management tools like Asana and Trello
• messaging platforms like Slack or Discord
• cloud-based document storage and editing like Google Docs
• video conferencing like Zoom and Skype

How can you showcase your collaboration skills during a job search?

Once you’ve assessed and developed your collaboration skills, the next step is to demonstrate those skills to employers during your job search. Here’s how.

  In your CV

Start with the job description. What collaboration skills does it mention that are a match with your skills? That might be team projects you’ve contributed to, communication skills, or your ability to give and receive feedback. Include these skills in your CV, using the same keywords and phrases as appear in the job description.

It might also be useful to include examples of how you’ve used your collaboration skills in previous jobs.

  At interview

There are plenty of ways you can demonstrate your collaboration skills in a job interview.

• Prepare examples of how you’ve collaborated with others in past roles or projects. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your collaboration skills.
• Show your enthusiasm and interest in working with others by asking questions about the team culture, the expectations for collaboration, and the collaboration tools used by teams within the company.
• Demonstrate your communication skills by listening actively, speaking clearly, and using appropriate body language. Show respect and appreciation for the interviewer and their opinions.
• If the interview involves a group exercise, engage with the other candidates, share your ideas, and offer constructive feedback.

Wrapping it up

Collaboration skills are essential for anyone who wants to succeed in today’s competitive job market. This group of skills is in demand by employers and important for the effective operation of any business. Collaboration isn’t only about working with others, but also about learning from them, growing with them, and achieving shared goals. By assessing your own collaboration skills, you can build on your weaknesses, and showcase your strengths in your CV and at interview.