In these tough economic times organisations are being forced to become smaller and leaner to survive.  Consequently not only are employees increasingly being asked to take on roles and responsibilities that stretch them away from their comfort zone but also they must be able to work well with their colleagues.  As Jim Albert, MD of Modis, and IT Recruitment business, explains: "Organisations are trying to accomplish the same work with fewer people, so everyone has to be a bit broader.  There are fewer narrow, defined niche roles today".  Or as Mark Bull, CEO of global recruitment business Randstad, says the emphasis on teams in the workplace is very similar to the world of competitive sport.  Although the public know the names of individual sporting stars such as athletes or F1 drivers, none of them achieves their success alone.  Behind each one is a team.  "In business and industry, the team is critical and it is vital to get recruitment decisions right....."

So how does a candidate demonstrate that they have team skills and how do employers set about evaluating these skills during the recruitment process?  Many recruiters now use a matrix of questions designed to get candidates to give specific examples which demonstrate what they have contributed in a team environment.  So when you are putting your CV together make sure that you have examples of you adding to a team performance, either in the workplace or outside, and that you can clearly explain what your role, the difference you made and how the outcome of the team's performance was impacted by your presence. 

Another key element of the modern workplace is the increasing diversity of the workforce.  Employers recognise that whilst some of the greatest sources of innovation come from this diversity, there is an increasing need for diverse employees to be able to form a cultural match, creating a coherent team that can maximise opportunities and drive the business forward.  So any examples that you can add to your CV and discuss at interview, demonstrating your ability to work effectively in a team with people from diverse backgrounds is going to make you stand out !