Tell me about yourself

How to answer TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF posted by https://www.market-connections.net

Interview Coaching October 21, 2019

How to answer TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

How to answer "Tell me about yourself"

The Interviewer may or may not have read your resume thoroughly. But this first question is really NOT about your resume or your career path or your accomplishments, etc. Rather, this is an opportunity you are given to SET THE TONE of the interview. The Interviewer is noting your vibe as much as he/she is noting your words. In other words, you may be nervous, confident, mean, nice, professional, unprofessional, demanding, courteous, comfortable in your skin, uncomfortable in your skin, fearful, trusting, curious, careless, etc. As you project your essence through your demeanor you will set the tone for the interview. It’s an icebreaker.

Answering "Tell me about yourself" - Recruiter's Advice

 My own experience as a Recruiter

I have interviewed more than a few thousand job seekers. My icebreaker questions would vary often. For example:

• Tell me about yourself.
• What brings you here today?
• What do you want to do next?

 
While interviewing candidates I might ask any or a combination of the above-listed questions or other similar questions, mostly with the same purpose. I needed to hear how this person presents him/herself when they know they only have a chance to use a few words. How do they even “conduct” themselves when answering my initial question?
 
From there on, I would have a slightly better idea about the person’s vibe. I always knew that an open-ended question from the start will very easily set the tone. Moreover, it is a compelling way to set competitors apart from one another who are applying for the same job. My point is that more often than not, the vibe was almost as important as the quality of the answer itself. In other words, the answer could be genius but if it came with a really bad attitude, it was not that genius anymore.
 
The truth is that interviewers often decide whether or not they want to continue interviewing someone, based on the answer to this casual icebreaker: “Tell me about yourself”
 
There are almost as many ways to answer this question as there are people. But much is at stake and you want decisions to be made in your favor. There are right and wrong ways to answer these tricky questions. It is a good investment of your time to learn about the right and wrong way of answering this question so that you can open more doors for yourself.​

Be receptive 

• Stand out from the crowd. It can be difficult in these situations to say much about yourself, but you should really play your cards right and learn to take advantage of this opportunity. This is an excellent opportunity to show what makes you stand out from the rest. You can actually outshine your competition right here.

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• Show your ability to guide this topic. Show that you are able to pick the right moment to say what you want to say. Show that you were able to prepare ahead of time and that you are not caught off guard. If you give an answer that leaves room for follow-up questions, you’ve done a good job. But if your answer is so detailed that leaves nothing for the interviewer to ask, you haven’t done yourself any favors.

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• Prepare your elevator pitch. People hardly ever ask you to talk about your five-year plan. Real-life conversations are random and often casual. So, it will be easy to be impressive if you know how to sound articulate in these unstructured conversations. You will certainly leave a good impression behind if your elevator pitch comes so authentically that it doesn’t even sound like a pitch. 

Answering the Question
 

• Do not get personal. What the employer/recruiter wants to know is whether or not you are qualified to do this job, and whether or not you will mesh well with the company’s mission and culture. Please be professional. Do not talk about your personal background, your family, your children, etc. Explain to them not only how well you could do the job but also how you will fit within their company.

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• Be prepared. Write it down before-hand. This should not be a spontaneous answer. You have about a minute to make a point. Practicing on paper allows you to make sure you have covered every point without going off on tangents or becoming redundant.

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• Practice your elevator pitch. Practice builds your confidence and makes your answers fluid. With enough practice, you will learn to sound natural and not rehearsed. Ask a friend for feedback.

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• Be realistic. Remember, the person asking you this question is just another human being, after all. Please do not deliver your pitch in a robotic way. Don’t be monotonous. You must have heard the saying “Personality wins”! Right?

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• A customized approach works best. Your resume is not one-size-fits-all. Your interview shouldn’t either. Before you go to the interview, read the job advertisement first. Pay attention to the employer’s list of priorities. Depending on the position, you may emphasize your accounting competencies or your expertise in client relations or training others. Spending a little time to research the company will help you fine-tune your pitch.

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• Talk about your achievements. It’s now or never. Tell the interviewer what your prior managers or colleagues have said about you. If you have any praise from people who report to you, people you have trained, clients, especially competitors, or even vendors, this is the time to mention it. By doing this, you will also show that you work well with others and that you know how to build professional relations at work.

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• Learn to tell your workstory. You are more than your resume. Share your bragworthy victories. Create interest and engage your interviewer to want to hear more...

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• Leave room for curiosity. Your answer should serve as an introduction, not a speech. Remember, the vibe is what really matters. Please do not give your entire story. As recruiters, we find it overwhelming when we have to retain an entire career history or life story, with one question. We have to be able to carry the conversation….. So, please don’t take that opportunity away from us. I remember a job seeker in particular who simply wouldn't stop talking without taking a breath, just for that first question! He gave me SO MUCH information while answering the "Tell me about yourself" question, that in response I just had to say: “Thank you very much. Now I know everything I needed to know from the day you joined the workforce as an Intern, until today. I know exactly why you joined each company, why you left every position, how much you were paid, what didn’t work, the reasons behind your decisions along the way, and more. I honestly don’t have any other questions. You really said it all. Thank you very much. We will call you.”​

• Additional  ideas. For a list of what not to say in an interview and additonal ideas on how to answer "Tell me about yourself",  I suggest you also review "Tell Me Something About Yourself," The Easy Way. 

Be prepared as you walk into your next job interview. Present yourself well, so they know what sets you apart from others. Outlining your competencies while explaining why they fit well with the requirements of the job, will help you stand out from the rest much easier every time.