One word for team player

A team player is a person who keeps their eye on achieving team goals and will prioritize meeting group goals over personal ambition.

For example, in basketball, a team player would be the player who passes the ball to a stronger shooter to take the shot. They could have taken the glory for themselves but decided to do what was best for the team’s overall success.

Team players are desirable in modern workplaces because we are increasingly working in teams to get projects completed. Employers want to find workers who have a team spirit and are not just in it for themselves.

15 Examples of Team Players

1. Michael Collins, who stayed aboard Apollo 11 to man the command module while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon.
2. Tour de France team cyclists who do the tour knowing that it’s all about supporting the team leader to win, not themselves.
3. The mentor who gives support and advice to their protege and celebrates their successes without ever asking for anything else in return.
4. The footballer who passes the ball to a stronger kicker rather than taking a shot at goal himself.
5. A restaurant employee who switches shifts with a colleague who has fallen ill.
6. A supermarket employee who sees something that needs to be done and does it, even though it’s not technically their responsibility, because it is helpful and constructive to do the task anyway.
7. A staff member who sees their colleague struggling so they give them tips rather than just watching them struggle.
8. The boss who sees their staff are overworked and exhausted so she stops what she’s doing and starts helping the staff members in their tasks.
9. A student who compromises on their ideas in a group project so other students’ ideas can also be included.
10. A team member who takes on the less prestigious team role because they recognize another team member really wants to do it.
11. The friend who brings extra cutlery to a group picnic because they assume some people will forget.
12. The baseball player who cheers on every one of their friends as they walk up to the pitch to get the team excited.
13. The team member who finished their share of the work but stayed behind in the office to help slower team members finish.
14. The husband who left behind his job to move cities so his wife could follow her dreams.
15. A friend who agrees to delay their preferred activity until next week so their friend could enjoy their preferred activity this week.

Team Player Resume Statements

If you are asked to show how you are a team player in a resume, make sure you provide examples, evidence, and anecdotes attesting to your success in teams.

Demonstrate your teamwork skills through stories.

For example, here is a cover letter paragraph about a team player applying for an entry-level job after they completed their degree:

“Throughout my college degree, I excelled at group work. Frequently, I would find myself taking a support role for peers. I most enjoyed environments where I would work with my team in open-plan spaces such as libraries and cafes. In these environments, we could shoot each other questions or discuss bottlenecks in real time to help propel each other forward.”

In another example, we see a person applying for a leadership role. Here, they highlight how their leadership style emphasizes team over self:

“In previous leadership roles, I have noticed that my teams excel when I find ways to give each team member agency and space to take control over aspects of projects. By giving members of my teams leadership over their own projects, I find I can inspire and motivate them. Their sense of purpose helps every team member to do their absolute best.” 

Job Postings Calling for Team Players

Here are some examples of job posting sentences that ask for team players:

1. “You’re a strong communicator, able to generate transparently so everyone knows how you’re working toward our big picture goals with the support of your teammates.”
2. “You’re a team player who knows when it’s necessary to loop in senior staff and ask for assistance; you’re humble enough to ask for support when you need it.”
3. “You’re enthusiastic, people person, and a team player that can also work independently.”
4. “Our employees are motivated team players that are always willing to take on a challenge and build on their own skills to get the job done right.”
5. “You’re a team player with a positive attitude and an eagerness to help the team succeed.”
6. “You work effectively with team members to ensure the selling floor, cash point, fitting rooms and stockroom are clean and well maintained.”
7. “You collaborate with peers and leadership, sharing ideas and jumping in to support the needs of the team.”
8. “The ideal candidate will be able to integrate them effectively into our close-knit and optimistic team.”
9. “Seeking a hardworking individual who can work both independently and in cooperation with key internal stakeholders.”
10. “You must be a dependable and inclusive team member who can meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.”
11. “In this job, you will lead your own projects while reporting to the managerial team on a daily basis.”
12. “We seek two managers who can effectively work together to lead a team of 15 hardworking juniors. The managers need to be able to bring out the best in all team members to create a positive and inclusive team environment.”

Good Jobs for Team Players

Most jobs require people to work in teams. If you fancy yourself as a skilled team player, one of the following may be valuable:

• Sportsperson – Of course, not all of us are fortunate enough to be sportspeople. But if you want to be a professional sportsperson, you’ll want to be a team player! You need to know your role and strengths, but also the strengths of others, so you can work together as a cohesive sports team and defeat your opponents.
• Project Manager – Project managers need to oversee projects, delegate tasks, and ensure efficiency within teams.
• Event Organizer – Event organizers have to work with multiple internal and external stakeholders and attempt to get them to work as a cohesive team to organize an event.
• Editor – An editor in a media company needs to work with teams of writers and researchers. They don’t get the byline, but they still have to support their journalists and help them to reach their deadlines.
• Online Curriculum Designer – A curriculum designer needs to work with teachers, web developers, and clients to create lessons (usually online!) to meet curriculum goals but also ensure they integrate well into an online platform. This involves organizing and supporting teams.
• App Developer – An app developer often works in a team that involves developers, graphics designers, and stakeholders. Not everyone will get their way, but all team members need to keep a focus on the goal of creating a great app.

Conclusion

Team players are desirable in today’s economy. We’re regularly working in teams – both in-person and remotely – to get projects completed. From high-end white collar jobs to  everyday work environments like restaurants and retail stores, all team members need to chip in and help each other out. You can’t act selfishly as an employee because you’ve got a greater goal to achieve, and often that goal is only met when everyone works together and helps one another out.

“Team player” is a phrase that’s good to include on your resume but bad because it’s overused. It’s time to explore some better synonyms for the phrase that would be more impressive to your future employers. This article has all the best alternatives for you.

What Can I Say Instead Of “Team Player” On My Resume?

There are plenty of better ways to say “team player” on your resume. Perhaps you’d be inclined to try one of these:

• Thrive in a team environment
• Excellent communication skills
• Embrace teamwork
• Enjoy working closely with others
• Team-oriented personality
• Dedicated team member
• Team leader
• Always part of a team
• Able to work well in a team
• Work well both individually and as part of a group

The preferred version is “thrive in a team environment.” It’s a great way to show that you are capable of being strong in a team. The more you “thrive,” the better results you’ll often get when given a task to complete in a team environment.

Thrive In A Team Environment

“Thrive in a team environment” is the best way to show that you are a “team player.” It works well because if we “thrive,” it means we are in our element and that nothing will ever bring us down while we’re acting as part of a team.

It also shows that we rarely tread on anyone else’s toes. Instead, we’re happy to let everyone in the team be an equal contributor to the overall project.

Here are a few examples:

• I thrive in a team environment, and I’m more than happy to work closely with my peers.
• I have always thrived in a team environment, as you will see from some of my previous employers.
• I truly thrive in a team environment. I can’t think of anything more fun than group projects!

Excellent Communication Skills

“Excellent communication skills” is a great way to show that you work well on a team. Having communication skills allows us to talk, learn, and listen whenever we’re put in a group with other people who want to offer their help.

The better our communication skills are, the more likely an employer will want to hire us. That’s why this is one of the best synonyms for being a team player on this list!

Check out some of these examples to see it in action:

• I have been told that my excellent communication skills have made working with me a joy to behold
• My excellent communication skills make it easy for me to get my point across in a group.
• I love being part of a team, and my excellent communication skills help me to get involved.

Embrace Teamwork

“Embrace teamwork” is a great way to show that we care a lot about the team environment. If we “embrace” it, it means we work hard and accept that it’s something that we need to do.

This trait usually shows future employers that we’ll accept whatever team projects might come our way. It shows that we almost “thrive” on the energy they give us and that we work really well in team situations.

Here are a few examples of how it looks:

• I embrace teamwork whenever I’m presented with it.
• I’m happy to embrace teamwork, as you’ll see from my record and all the things I did in my previous company.
• I embrace teamwork more often than individual work. I love to be part of a team.

Enjoy Working Closely With Others

This phrase works well when we want to show that we like to work with others. “Working closely” is a great way to show that we get stuck in with the team environment and that we’re more than willing to offer our support whenever the team needs it.

It typically also shows that we’re able to take a backseat in the team and let other people shine. Some of the best team projects are those completed by everyone involved rather than just one leader taking charge, after all.

Check out a few of these examples to see how it works:

• I enjoy working closely with others, and I’ll be happy to share my recent team projects with you.
• I enjoy working closely with others and find it’s where I have the most fun at work.
• I enjoy working closely with others rather than working on my own most of the time.

Team-Oriented Personality

“Team-oriented personality” is another great way to show that we thrive when we’re on a team. If our personalities come out when we are put on a team, it’s a good way to show that we love being a part of one and that we work better in these environments.

Some of these examples will help you to understand it:

• I have a team-oriented personality, which is why I climbed the ranks so quickly.
• I have a team-oriented personality, and I love to be part of collective projects whenever they’re presented to me.
• My team-oriented personality makes me the ideal candidate for this position.

Dedicated Team Member

“Dedicated team member” shows that we are dedicated to the role we apply for. If we are dedicated, it means we work hard, and we work to make sure that we’ll always be a sufficient and successful members of the team.

There are many ways we can use this phrase, as you’ll see in the following examples:

• I’m a dedicated team member at my current place of employment.
• I have always been a dedicated team member, and I will always make sure to be the most hard-working individual on the team.
• Being a dedicated team member comes with its perks, as I will now list for you.

Team Leader

“Team leader” is a way to show that we have taken charge of a team. Sometimes, it’s good to be more specific in this way (especially when going for a management role). Being a “leader” is better than being a “player” in many cases.

However, if you’re going to use this one, you need to make sure you aren’t alienating yourself. You still need to prove that you can work as part of a team rather than simply leading them.

Check out a few of these examples to see how it might look:

• I have been the team leader of my current unit for a few months, and I couldn’t be happier working on the team with them.
• I am a team leader, but I will always allow other people to raise their concerns about the project if they have any.
• I’m a true team leader. You won’t find anyone who can take charge and allow others to dictate the flow like I can.

Always Part Of A Team

“Always part of a team” works well when we want to show that our previous jobs were very team-dominant. If we always complete projects in a team format, it can work well to show our future employers that we know how to handle ourselves in these cases.

However, you do need to be careful with this one. If you’re “always” on a team, it means you aren’t often able to work independently. You need to be able to prove this fact with some other information as well.

Check out some of these examples to see how it works:

• I have always been part of a team, which is why I think I’m the ideal candidate for this role.
• I am always part of a team, and I know how to handle myself with imposing figures trying to lead the charge.
• I’m always part of a team in my current workplace, and I’ll happily share some of the things I’ve learned from there with the new team.

Able To Work Well In A Team

“Able to work well in a team” is a simple way to show that we can be good on a team. It works well to replace “team player” because it’s a longer phrase that directly attributes qualities and skills. We often want to prove this point with hands-on examples.

Some of these examples should make it more clear how it works:

• I’m able to work well in a team, which I will show you based on the previous places I’ve worked.
• I’m able to work well in a team, and I’m more than happy to head all of the team projects that you might present to me.
• I’m able to work well in a team, which I believe sets me apart from most of the candidates you might have seen before me.

Work Well Both Individually And As Part Of A Group

This phrase works well when we want to show that we’re team players but also capable of being independent. Since not all projects will require teamwork, it can be good to highlight that we are happy to work alone or with a group (depending on the task).

Some of these examples will help you make more sense of it:

• I work well both individually and as part of a group. You do not have to worry about any projects that I’m in charge of!
• I work well both individually and as part of a group, which I have proved time and again at my previous place of employment.
• I work well both individually and as part of a group. You’ll find that I’m excellent at leading the group or taking a back foot if needed.

You may also like:
10 Words For Working Together Towards A Common Goal
10 Better Ways To Say “Easy To Work With” On Your Resume
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