9 Summary

Although team-working has both advantages and disadvantages, the ability to work and get on with others is one of the soft skills most prized by employers.

This week, you have learned that a team has characteristics that distinguish it from a mere group.You’ve also seen that it is possible to categorise teams into four types: work, parallel, project and management.

Many job applicants worry about their lack of experience of teamwork. Sometimes they undervalue the resources already at their disposal. Where lack of team-working experience is a real problem, it can be remedied in surprising ways, for example by seeking unpaid voluntary work. It is valid to include in your application experience of unpaid team-working in the voluntary sector. For example, it is worth drawing attention to having worked in a parents association. Involvement in sports clubs, choirs and orchestras should also not be discounted.

You should now be able to:

• explain the difference between a group and a team
• understand different types of team
• start to identify some of the teams you have been part of
• identify some of the advantages and difficulties of working in a team
• consider how you can increase your experience of working in teams.

In Week 2, you will consider how roles develop within a team and how individuals fit into roles.

You can now go to Week 2 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .