When it comes to job interview, one of the frequently asked questions we hear is, “Tell me about yourself”. In this article, we will look at some of the tips and tricks that will help you to answer this commonly asked question.
When it comes to job interview, one of the frequently asked questions we hear is, “Tell me about yourself”.
In this article, we will look at some of the tips and tricks that will help you to answer this commonly asked question, assist you to ace your interview, and come across as a strong candidate for the job.
During a job interview, the hiring managers may ask you this question in different ways.
Here are some of the examples:
How would you describe yourself?
Can you tell me something about yourself?
How would you introduce yourself in one line?
Can you tell about yourself in just two lines?
What can you tell me about yourself which is known to anyone?
Tell me about yourself which is not in your resume.
What are five words to describe yourself?
“Tell me about yourself.” It is one of the most common and tricky job interview questions. Despite that, many job seekers do not take the question very seriously, thinking it is just an icebreaker meant to put them at ease.
However, you should carefully consider your response, because “tell me about yourself” is more than a throwaway opener for most interviewers. When hiring managers pose this open-ended question, they are hoping candidates will offer insight about their career priorities and goals, which gives them a better sense of who each job candidate really is.
And not only that, the hiring managers also ask this question to assess how confident interviewees are, which in turn gives them a view of how new hires might present themselves to clients, customers, or colleagues if they get the job.
It is important for you to know how to answer, “Tell me about yourself,” as a job seeker. This question gives you a great opportunity to spotlight the experience and skills that make you the ideal candidate for the job. Moreover, it is a question that many interviewers begin their interview with, it is your way to start-off on the right foot.
There is no scientifically proven optimal length for answering this or any interview question. Some coaches and recruiters will tell you to keep it to 30 seconds or less, while others will say you should aim for a minute, or talk for no more than two minutes.
This is probably the most asked question in a job interview. Actually, it is not even a question. It is an invitation. When asking this question, the interviewer wants to see how you present yourself. It helps you to break the ice and gets you to talk about something you are comfortable with talking about.
Nevertheless, this is not an offer for you to narrate your resume.
This question, if asked, always occurs at the beginning of the interview. It is a way for the interviewer to determine if you are a good fit for the job. If the interviewer asks you this question, turn this opportunity to your advantage to establish a momentum.
It is your chance to distinguish yourself from other likely candidates.
Before you go for a job interview, consider what you want to say when you are describing yourself to the potential employer.
Make sure you go practice everything you plan to say when the interviewer asks, “what can you tell me about yourself?”
Nothing comes out perfect the first time, and you do not want to appear nervous and stumble when they ask.
Grab a piece of paper and write down the key points you want to talk about in your answer.
You may use your smartphone’s voice recorder application to record a few practice answers and see how you sound. Do not look at your notes as you give your answer and try to remember what you want to talk about without reading off the paper.
After you have finished your attempt then glance at the paper sheet to ensure you covered everything. Keep practicing until you can give a smooth answer without forgetting anything important.
If you are having a phone interview, you can use your notes or bullet points written on paper to help you through your answer. As nobody can see you on the phone, you may take advantage of it!
Avoid giving your complete personal or employment history. Instead, a quick synopsis of your background is a good way to prepare a response. Talk a little bit about your current role, including the scope and one key accomplishment, then give some background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s perfect and relevant to the job you have applied. Describe your 3 to 5 strengths like your experiences, skills, traits, etc. that you have, which are pertinent to this job.
Keep your answer to one or two minutes. Do not ramble on desultorily.
“I graduated with a Business Management Degree in 2019, and was offered an account management position at XYZ Company I had interned with. I loved working with customers and managing and growing my accounts, but the industry we were in just was not very appealing to me. After that, I stayed a full year and learned a lot about how to build and manage accounts successfully and I ended up becoming a top performer in my group before leaving. I left at the 1-year-mark to pursue a very similar position within an industry I am much more excited about healthcare. I’ve been at this healthcare startup space for 2 years with ABC Company and I feel ready to take my career to the next level so that’s why I’m currently looking for a new opportunity.”
Be concise. Don’t take up too much time with your response. You don’t have to regurgitate every single detail of your career that you believe makes you a great candidate for the job.
Make sure you are also reading the room, as you are talking. If the interviewers look bored or distracted, it might be time to wrap it up. If they perk up at one part of your answer, it might be worth expanding on that topic a bit more.
Think of it as a teaser that should pique the interviewer’s interest and give them a chance to ask follow-up questions about whatever intrigues them most.
Just give a few important details that will spark their interest in learning more about you, and you will get the interview off to a strong start.