How Would Co-Workers Describe Your Personality?

In case you’re asked ‘how co-workers would describe your personality’ during a job interview, the recruiters want to understand your personality based on the views of people who you have worked with. Additionally, employers ask this question because they want o understand whether you’re a person who can bond well and work with a team to deliver goals.

In this regard, you need to reflect and describe what your co-workers say about you. It is important to be truthful when responding to this question and elaborate on your answer rather than just giving a list of traits, whether positive or otherwise. In this blog, we look at the reasons why recruiters ask this question, questions related to it, where to get information and sample answers.

Why Recruiters Ask ‘How would your co-workers describe your personality?’

The main aim of asking this question is:

• To countercheck what you say and what you’ve captured on your CV,
• To compare what you say and what the referees are saying
• The interviewer wants to learn how you see yourself from other people’s viewpoints
• To get information on how you can fit into the firm’s culture

Interview questions related to ‘How would your co-workers describe your personality?’

• What makes you outstanding in the eyes of your colleagues?
• What can your boss say about you?
• If I call your colleague, what will they say about you?
• What would your colleagues say about your personality?
• What is the best description of you from your colleagues?

How to answer these questions:

• What would your colleagues say about your personality?

To respond to this question well, you must get well-prepared before the interview. You can interact with your close friends and ask them how they can describe you. During the interview, if you’re asked this question, you should answer it with a short story or a good illustration. For instance, you can offer the following answer:

‘My co-workers will describe me as a hard-working person who does everything possible to ensure that we deliver the best quality work within the set timelines. Within my team, I like  offering support to members so that we accomplish the task within the set timelines.’

• What can your boss say about you?

In most cases, you may have your boss as a referee on your CV. The recruiters may ask you this question to learn whether you know how your boss may describe you. It is important to offer an answer based on how your boss knows you. Think about what you have done that made your boss really excited about your performance.

When answering this question, it is important to align your responses to the traits that you’ve explained in your CV. This is because employers want to evaluate whether what you write there is truthful or if you just drop adjectives here and there to please recruiters. For instance, if you have indicated that you’re dependable on your CV, a recruiter may ask you to elaborate on that. A good sample answer can be:

‘In case you ask my boss about my personality, I am sure she will describe me as a dependable person who utilizes company resources well to achieve results. There was this instance when my boss gave me $500 to buy sports kits for our girls’ volleyball team. I used $20 to buy the best quality kits and returned the remaining $30. This quality makes my boss view me as a dependable person.’

• What makes you outstanding in the eyes of your colleagues?

The recruiters ask you this question to learn whether you have the traits needed for this job. Before attending the interview, it is important to go through the job listing and discover what traits that the role requires. When answering this question, it is an important state and explains what may make your colleagues describe you as a unique person who possesses the unique attributes needed for the post. Examples of an answer you can offer:

‘Am sure if you ask my colleagues that question, they will describe me as an outstanding person who offers solutions to problems that we face at our IT department. Whenever we have IT challenges, I move faster and actively participate in resolving them so that the business continues with less interruption. Last year when I was on leave, we experienced an IT hitch, and my boss had to recall me to solve the problem. Within the shortest time upon arrival, I resolved the hitch, and the business continued smoothly.’

• What is the best description of you from your colleagues?

Employers ask you this question to evaluate how well you can interact with the team to achieve results. Therefore, before attending the interview session, it is advisable to ask your colleagues how they can describe you and why. You need to align the traits that your colleagues offer to those needed by the job you have applied for. Here is an example of an answer you can offer if you’re a digital marketer:

‘My colleagues will describe me as a person who writes compelling and creative articles that are optimized for visibility. This attribute of content creation has made our company to be known worldwide. We have also increased our sales as a result of the huge traffic to our site.’

• If I call your colleague, what will they say about you?

This question is meant to test your ability to fit in a team and work smoothly with others to meet set goals. Many jobs demand that employees work within teams to deliver high-quality results. When answering this question, it is important to evaluate what the job requires. This will enable you to offer a relevant answer. Examples of an answer:

In case you call my colleagues, they will describe me as a result-focused person who utilizes every opportunity to ensure that we meet set targets on time. I also ensure that I assist team members in our mission to achieve targets.

Common Job Interview Questions & Answers

Below you can find a list of common job interview topics. Each link will direct you to an article regarding the specific topics that discuss commonly asked interview questions. Furthermore, each article discusses why the interviewer asks these questions and how you answer them!

1. Accomplishments
2. Adaptability
3. Admission
4. Behavioral
5. Career Change
6. Career Goals
7. Communication
8. Competency
9. Conflict Resolution
10. Creative Thinking
11. Cultural Fit
12. Customer Service
13. Direct
14. Experience
15. Government
16. Graduate
17. Growth Potential
18. Honesty & Integrity
19. Illegal
20. Inappropriate
21. Job Satisfaction
22. Leadership
23. Management
24. Entry-Level & No experience
25. Performance-Based
26. Personal
27. Prioritization & Time Management
28. Problem-solving
29. Salary
30. Situational & Scenario-based
31. Stress Management
32. Teamwork
33. Telephone Interview
34. Tough
35. Uncomfortable
36. Work Ethic