In this article, you'll learn
• How to answer the popular interview question “tell me about yourself.”
• The best way to respond to "tell me about yourself" in an interview.
• How to introduce yourself in an interview with the tell me about yourself question.
The tell me about yourself interview question will potentially be the very first question you're asked in an interview. This is a way for the interviewer to get the ball rolling they want to find out what your personality is and if you will be a good fit for the position. So let's jump into how to answer this popular interview question.
1. Keep it professional
Now you might be tempted to share your personal life story here but this is not what the interviewer wants to know. They want to know your professional history and your greatest accomplishments as they relate to the position you are applying for. Think of this as a way to let the interviewer know of your qualifications and expertise from a professional standpoint. You may have time later in the interview to discuss your personal life, but leave this question to just your professional career highlights.
2. Captivate with a story
Develop a response in a story format that shows who you are and why you are the best fit for the position. Before you create your story for the interviewer, you need to know what they are looking for in the ideal candidate. So to find out, comb through the job posting and make note of common phrases or keywords that are repeated throughout the posting then grab significant elements from your work history and some of your accomplishments and line them up directly with the position. Take it one step further by researching the company to find out what their goals are, what their aspirations are, and some of the problems that they might be facing as a company.
3. Keep your story organized
All good stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. Start your story with where you are now in your career. This gives the interviewer fresh, up-to-the-minute information about where you are now. This will grab their attention quickly and pique their interest. Then move into how you got to where you are now. This could be because of some type of promotion or some type of advancement in your career. Talk briefly about your background including education and special skills you've developed along the way. Finally, leave the interviewer into why you are so passionate about the position the company or the industry and let them know how the position aligns with your future goals and aspirations. Giving your story a beginning a middle and an end will make it cohesive and clear to follow.
4. Include why you are unique
So out of all the other candidates that they are interviewing, why are you special? What makes you so different? An easy way to do this is to focus on your greatest strengths or some of the biggest problems you've solved as they relate to the position. Mentioning some of the major contributions you've made will paint a better picture for the interviewer and will give you more credibility.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice
One of the best things you can do is rehearse your answer to this popular question until it seems natural and not forced or scripted. An easy way to do this is to jot down three to five bullet point items of things you know you want to mention when this question comes up and then rehearse those items in a story format. Again this will make it so that you don't ramble.
Now if you know someone that might benefit from this, please feel free to share it with them.
