Please tell us about a time when you have added value to a team?

Honestly, I'm not comfortable "tooting my own horn". So, I will answer 'generically'.

I believe someone becomes more valuable to a team by learning as much as they can about all positions on the team, so that they are able to help, cover, back-up, take over (etc.) any of those positions.

For example, a person is hired as a "pre-closer". After training for the position, he/she is trained for the job of "funder" in order to back-up for the person who holds that job.

Later something happens that causes the funding position to become available, and the pre-closer takes that position - and trains the person who replaces him/her as pre-closer, since he/she knows how to do that job.

Down the road this funder is then promoted to closer and learns that position. He/she also trains the person who replaces him/her as funder.

Later, another funder that came in has made serious mistakes with company checking accounts, and the controller can't reconcile the books for ~3 mos. Because this one closer knows the funding job well, he/she is asked to go back to funding and try to resolve the reconcilliation issues... and gets a raise to do it.

In only 2-3 days the pre-closer - who became funder, who then became closer, then rec'd a raise to go back to funding in order to "fix" a problem - fixes the problem. He/she is then placed "in charge" of the funding dept.

During all this time, as well as afterwards, this person is given "first choice" of any position that becomes available in the division, trains all new pre-closers and funders, and is asked by his/her manager to let her know if SHE (the mgr) makes any mistakes in/on their files. This person also creates dept forms, job descriptions, training manuals, etc. in order to help make all positions more efficient.

When this person resigns from the company, he/she is not only given the current pay and unused vacation due, but also a bonus on his/her final check. He/she also receives a letter of recommendation from owner, who states that he/she is welcome to come back to the company at any time.

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I believe a person becomes valuable when they are able to perform many/most of the jobs within their division, dept, and/or team. When you can fill in for, back up for, take over for, etc. all positions on your team, you can be relied upon to assist with any project presented to the team.

Although it often makes you greatly sought after, therefore, extremely busy, I also believe it provides job security; you won't be as expendable when you can provide the services of several different positions.

If you're a supervisor and are told that you are to lay off 3 of your 8 employees due to slow business, who would you rather keep? The person/persons who can perform their own job as well as the three that will be left vacant? Or the person/persons who can only do their own job, leaving the work of the 3 being let go sitting around undone, piling up, etc.?

And I believe that when we are able to help one another, regardless of the kind of "team" we're on, it makes everyone on the team even more valuable to their company.