What they are really asking

This looks like a question about personality, but it's really about fit. The interviewer already knows how much of this job is solo work and how much is teamwork. They want to see whether your honest answer matches, and whether you can work the other way when you need to.

The weak answer is "Both," with nothing after it. It sounds like you're avoiding the question. The risky answer is a strong preference that clashes with the role, like "I work best alone" for a job that's all meetings. A good answer gives a real preference, shows you can switch, and ties it to the job in front of you.

A shape that works

Preference, reason, flexibility, link. Say which one you lean toward and why, in one or two sentences. Then give a moment when you worked the other way and did it well. Finish with a line that connects to how this job is done. If you've read the job description, you already know the balance they need.

Model answers

Listen to how each answer is built, then make it yours.

Answer 1: a translator in Tokyo
Answer 2: an event planner in Sydney
Answer 3: a software developer in Toronto

Check yourself

1What is the interviewer really checking with this question?
2Why does Answer 3's "mix" work when "both" alone does not?

Practice · 3 min

Read a job description you're interested in and estimate how much of it is solo work and how much is teamwork. Then record a one-minute answer: your honest preference, one time you worked the other way, and a line that links to that job. Listen back and check that your first sentence gives a clear preference.

Your recording stays on this device. Nothing is uploaded.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.