If you have ever been on a job interview the odds are you were asked this open-ended, break-the-ice question, which is often the first one asked.
Most professionals think they know how to respond to Tell Me About Yourself. Now, if you worked with a Job interview trainer i.e attended capacity building seminars among others, you probably should be jumping for joy.
The exercises used to prepare you also prepared you to knock this question out. However, you will be shocked at how many people don’t know how to respond to Tell Me About Yourself.
Many are caught off-guard when asked this question and get knocked out in the recruiters’ evaluation of them before the interview even starts.
After all, this question is one that requires a very natural response and you would expect one to simply take it on comfortably.
How do you respond to Tell Me About Yourself?
1: First off keep your reply as brief as possible, not less than 60 seconds but no more than 2 minutes. Remember this is generally the beginning of an interview so you have ample opportunity to present relevant information later on.
2. Write your answer out and rehearse it until it comes out sounding natural and unrehearsed.
3. Be aware of your body language. Keen interviewers judge you by eyeballing you as well as listening to what you have to say.
4: Your reply must offer the following personality traits that employers look for no matter what level job you’re applying for: intelligence, enthusiasm, confidence and professionalism.
5: Present yourself in a positive yet humble way and by all means avoid sounding negative, cocky or braggadocios.
6: If you ever heard a politician or professional interviewed, in person, on TV or the radio you will know that most reply with the same opening line, and you may want to adapt it in your response by saying, “That’s a very good question, where should I start,” and then go into your prepared spiel.
7: When you are done, politely throw the ball back into the interviewer’s court in a way that puts you on a more equal footing as the interview moves forward.
When you prepare for how to respond to Tell Me About Yourself, weave the following information (in any order) into your response.
1: A brief introduction of your experience and education.
2: Your key strengths as they relate to the position you’re interviewing for.
3. Relevant past accomplishments that demonstrate your understanding of what needs to be accomplished in the position you’re applying for and your track record of success in this area.
4. How you see yourself contributing in the position you’re applying for.
[related_posts]With all these, the days of unemployment will be numbered and soon turned to a myth.
Comments
comments
