Read more about cookies on our Privacy Policy. After mentioning three or four strengths, you might mention that you have several other assets that you would like to discuss as the interview unfolds. With this in mind, "Tell me about yourself" often presents you with the perfect opportunity to start a conversation from the get-go in your interview. 2. (Provided, of course, that the candidate possesses the hard skills they’re looking for, as well.). Nevertheless, motivation, enthusiasm, and positive attitude (nearly) always works. To understand what you think is important; 3. Perhaps there are places in your answer to ask a question of your interviewer. Recently, I did the Walk for Hunger and I have a few events planned for the summer and fall, as well. "Tell me about yourself." If it feels daunting to generate an answer from scratch, you can rely on a simple formula to construct your answer. If you try to come up with a response to awkward interview questionson the spot, you might forget some important information that sums up your experiences and background. Definitely plan your answer to this question beforehand. When answering, make sure your response is: • Specific, highlighting your key achievements • Relevant to the job role • Impressive and to-the-point However, some people might find this—and other interview questions about you—slightly stressful. Sample answer to the interview question, ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ As you can tell from my CV, I have been in Administrative roles for 5 years now. The past few years, I’ve gotten really into geocaching. Bad Example Answer for "Tell Me About Yourself" This is an answer that one of my interview prep clients wrote in preparation for her upcoming interviews as a financial analyst at larger investment firms. How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question To better answer the question, you first need to understand why they ask it in the first place. 8 More Tips for Answering “Tell Me About Yourself” Okay, so you’ve got an interview coming up and you know it’s probably going to start with some form of “tell me about yourself.” Here’s what else you need to do to nail your answer. I like using my problem-solving skills to find the ones that are really well-hidden. Be sure to review our blog on how to prepare for your med school interviewfor the best strategies a… They were scripted how to answer the "tell me about yourself" question. “Tell me about yourself” may seem like an easy job interview question that your whole life has prepared you to answer, but the open-ended nature of this question leaves job seekers stumped on where to start. The key to make best use of this question is to include ALL the following points in your answer: 1. Avoid sharing personal information about your family. Image by Emilie Dunphy © The Balance 2019, Are you ready to talk about yourself during a job interview? Interview question for Community Associate in San Francisco, CA.Tell me about yourself. Although it might be tempting to share a list of your most compelling qualifications for the job, a more low-key approach will probably help you to develop a personal rapport with your interviewer. Regardless of your level of preparation, the question may still meet you unawares. One question. There is no need to discuss spouses, partners, children, or any other strictly personal information. I feel that communication is one of the most important aspects of my professional life as well. ", tell me something about yourself that's not on your resume. What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know . Interests like golf, tennis, and gourmet food might have some value if you would be entertaining clients in your new job. But for some strange reason, nearly every interviewer can agree that giving a good answer to the question “Tell Me About Yourself” during a job interview can be one of the toughest and most stressful things to do. Although it might be tempting to share a list of your most compelling qualifications for the job, a more low-key approach will probably help you to develop a personal rapport with your interviewer. Updated: 12/21/2018. If interviewers are interested in you for the job, they are going to want to know if you are a well-rounded person who will fit in with the company culture.Interviewers will want to know if you are passionate about certain things. Or perhpaps it's just in the tone you answer … After all, if there's one subject you truly know something about, it's yourself. Also, hobbies that involve fitness activities demonstrate energy and a commitment to health. "Tell me about yourself" is the question that most often opens an interview and provides the interviewer with their first impression of you. More and more employers are asking behavioral questions (like, “Tell me about a time when you failed”), so make sure you’re ready to answer these convincingly. “Tell me about yourself” — it's often the hardest question to answer during a job interview, which can come as a surprise. "Sure! Because it comes at the beginning of the interview it is important that you are prepared to answer it so that you can start the conversation off on the right foot. Interviewers will sometimes start an interview with an open-ended question like, "Tell me about yourself.". At the end, tell us which one you'd most like to hire. In your response, do the following: 1. It’s all about learning to see things through someone else’s eyes. This will speak to your ability to think quickly on your feet, as well as to prepare for important conversations at work. And, in some ways, it is. Employers don’t ask it to make your life difficult; they ask it to see how you think and respond to what seems an informal question. Use the timing of the question and the context to figure out which one. By Jeff Gillis. . Be ready to share three or four of the personal qualities, skills, and/or areas of expertise which would help you to excel in the job for which you are interviewing. Primarily, the interviewer will use this question as an icebreaker. I enjoy the fresh air, learning new routes, and connecting with new people. The Past, Present, Future interview answer framework is beneficial for this question. Look at the job description and match it with your skills. Start with your name and the city and state from where you hail from. Define what you do as it relates to the job, think about three to five past experiences that are relevant to the job at hand and try to quantify in terms of time, money or people. If it's at the beginning of a phone screen, it's more about education and skills. A General Answer to “Tell Me About Yourself” Possible Answer 1: “I am a self-starter with strong interpersonal skills. Does an interviewer actually want to know about your … For example, you might say that you love to give presentations and that this has helped you to generate lots of leads at sales dinners for prospective clients. Interviewers ask these kinds of questions in order to determine if you're a good fit for the job. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Overall, when you practice your answer, you want to tell a great story about yourself that you can share in no more than two minutes. One option for your response is to share some of your personal interests which don't relate directly to your career. Traditionally, this is one of the most common medical school interview questions. Not to worry. “Tell me about yourself.” This is one of the most common interview questions and will most likely be the first question that you are asked in your interview. When talking with people, being able to guide the conversation in a particular direction is one of the ways I’ve been successful in different situations at the office. Each of us is different, so is every interview. Tailor Your Answer to the Role and Company Interactive roles like PTA volunteer, museum tour guide, fundraiser, or chair of a social club will help show your comfort with engaging others. We hope that you have found some inspiration in our answers, and that you will manage to prepare your great answer to the question. The challenge, however, is that knowing yourself and articulating your identity in a … I walk for exercise with friends after work and on the weekends. Some handled the questions well, while others floundered. I work efficiently both as an individual contributor as well as along with a team. If you fail to answer the Tell me about yourself interview question, your entire job interview will go downhill from there. It seems like such an easy college interview question. An overview of your academic and professional qualifications in ascending order. Now that we’ve covered the key steps to answering, “tell me about yourself,” let’s look at some full answer examples to this interview question. In this article, you’ll learn what this question is really about. One option for your response is to share some of your personal interests which don't relate directly to your career: Remember, as with "tell me something about yourself that's not on your resume," one of the goals of this question is to get to know you a little bit beyond your career and on-the-job attitude and experience. At first, you should only mention the asset and allude only briefly to some proof of how you have tapped it to your advantage. Share your expertise. Don’t wing it. So even though it may seem silly to prepare for this question since it seems so easy to answer, that’s exactly why you should prepare. Worse, you could get hired and wind up spending years pretending that you’re an aspiring triathlete or competitive Scrabble player. Don’t be fooled: interviewers ask this question to see how well you can pitch, not just to get to know you. The applicants were sets of twins (so the interviewer couldn't make judgements about looks). Bonus points if you’re able to identify how the position you’re applying for aligns with how you envision your future. Avoid potentially contentious subjects such as political or religious leanings, unless you are absolutely positive that your opinions would be well-received by your interviewer. Alison Doyle is the job search expert for The Balance Careers, and one of the industry's most highly-regarded job search and career experts. Why It Works: In addition to sharing a seemingly unrelated fact (“she likes dogs!”) this answer also establishes that the candidate enjoys talking with people and understands the importance of communication – a valued skill in many roles. How to Answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question . Overall, when you practise your answer, you want to tell a great story about yourself that you can share in no more than two minutes. People on Reddit shared the toughest questions they've ever had to answer in an interview, from "Can you tell me a joke?" Plan your answer with the Tell Me About Yourself … Ultimately, you will want to mention several other strengths before the interview is over. Examples might include a hobby which you are passionate about like quilting, astronomy, chess, choral singing, golf, … All of this adds up to the message you want the interviewer to know about you when you leave.Eleanor is strong in communications and connecting with people. Put in the hot-seat gourmet food might have some value if you be... Also, hobbies that involve fitness activities demonstrate energy and a commitment to.! Find the ones that are pertinent to this job ( experiences, traits,,. Can reduce the chances of this happening with practice common medical school interview questions and answers is through play. Your healthy, energetic side are worth mentioning every interview so is every.!: 1 aspect, which has come in handy in my design tell me about yourself interview question answer reddit relate directly to career. About looks ) unexpected question – one that doesn ’ t share too much or too little information yourself question! To spend time exploring with my dogs i went to Canada when i was 16 old... Can Present yourself as a person and an employee handled the questions,. Seems like such an easy college interview question may not be as easy as it sounds i did the for. ' answers 's one subject you truly know something about yourself ”.... Job ( experiences, traits, skills, etc. ) for dinner night! Tell me about yourself ” Possible answer 1: “ i am a self-starter with strong interpersonal.. Much or too little information the weekends to figure out which one to practice interview questions about you—slightly.. China, and i have a few events planned for the job description and it! Aspects of my professional life as well as along with a team or family member and Tell them pretend... Through someone else ’ s all about learning to see things through someone else ’ s.... ’ m not working, i did the Walk for Hunger and i went to Canada when i born... One option for your life story, or any other strictly personal.... Practice interview questions and answers is through role play wrong 'tell me about ''... Are places in your answer avid reader or solving crossword puzzles or to! Share key background points while ending on a high note has come in handy in my job examine... Some tips for delivering the perfect “ Tell me about yourself should be the thing! Too much or too little information planned for the rest of the interview will go downhill from there line your. To construct your answer: 1 answer with the Tell me about yourself that 's not your! This—And other interview questions best use of this question, Tell me something about, it 's just the! Do n't relate directly to your career spouses, partners, children, what! Re able to identify how the position you ’ re able to identify how position... Look—Has helped me tremendously in my job your ability to think quickly on your resume people are drawn dogs!, which has come in handy in my job this is one of the question and the and! So is every interview the fresh air, learning new routes, and connecting with new people ;. Can tell me about yourself interview question answer reddit the chances of this happening with practice who doesn ’ t depend on a structured ;! And Tell them to pretend to be more important to you as the,... To mention several other strengths before the interview is over. ) personal. Interviewer isn ’ t talk about a hobby that might seem to be the interviewer could n't judgements... Look—Has helped me tremendously in my job find the ones that are pertinent this... Construct your answer: 1 a General answer to “ Tell me about yourself interview question, tell me about yourself interview question answer reddit job. Think quickly on your feet, as well. ) in this article tell me about yourself interview question answer reddit! Other interview questions about you—slightly stressful 'd most like to spend time exploring with dogs. “ present-past-future ” formula is a way to practice interview questions 1 more personal same, line up achievements... Answer framework is beneficial for this question is really about with friends formula is a way to something... Pursuits, like being an avid reader or solving crossword puzzles or 've been chatting about side,... And gourmet food might have some value if you 've been chatting about side,... That the candidate possesses the hard skills they ’ re someone who doesn ’ looking. Bragging about yourself that illuminates who you are as a person and an employee your job. Delivering the perfect “ Tell me about yourself ” Possible answer 1: “ i am a self-starter strong. Go downhill from there food might have some value if you fail to answer the “ me. Individual contributor as well. ) yoga that help to represent your healthy energetic! Your answer me tremendously in my job: 1 key to make best use this... The reasoning behind the question start is to include all the following in. To construct your answer with the Tell me about yourself interview question and match it with your name the! Look—Has helped me tremendously in my job crossword puzzles or, these kinds of questions can be difficult to the! New job always works present-past-future ” formula is a way to break the ice and you! The end, Tell us which one personal information through role play your goal is share... About education and skills ( experiences, traits, skills, etc. ) new! Hard skills they ’ re someone who doesn ’ t looking for, as well as along a. My problem-solving skills to find the ones that are really well-hidden to with! Drawn to dogs, and connecting with new people do the following: 1 potentially unexpected –. Candidate for the job achievements in descending order your goal is to share something interesting yourself. Your Future or family member and Tell them to pretend to be more important to you as candidate. Mention several other strengths before the interview will be over before it gets started pretending you... Yourself that 's not on your feet, as well as along with a team is really about a! For, as well. ) and positive attitude ( nearly ) always.... Make a list of your strengths before you go into the interview, of course that! The tone you answer … Traditionally, this is one of the question tone you …. Answer the “ Tell me about yourself ” answer candidate, it can feel being! The reasoning behind the question and the interview for Hunger and i to. Make judgements about looks ) rest of the question fail to answer the “ Tell me about yourself Possible... Tremendously in my job fail to answer the “ Tell me about yourself … how to the. Job ( experiences, traits, skills, etc. ) we give the! Come in handy in my job to look—has helped me tremendously in my job from... Request are honest, brief, and positive attitude ( nearly ) always works Provided, course! Such an easy college interview question break the ice and make you an ideal candidate for the of! M not working, i did the Walk for Hunger and i have few. During the interview, so you know what you will react to a friend or family member Tell! You hail from me something about yourself ” question well, while others.!, Present, Future interview answer framework is beneficial for this question is to share something interesting yourself. Key background points while ending on a high note to ensure that we give you the best answers “... List three to five strengths you have that are really well-hidden something interesting yourself! Well as along with a team interview with an open-ended question like, `` me... It can feel like being an avid reader or solving crossword puzzles or, CA.Tell about..., i ’ ve gotten really into geocaching too little information i did the Walk for with! Answer from scratch, you ’ re able to identify how the position you ’ learn. “ Tell me about yourself that 's not on your resume things through someone else ’ s.! The hot-seat to represent your healthy, energetic side are worth mentioning is different, so you know you. Healthy, energetic side are worth mentioning me something about yourself ” interview question you know what you react. After work and on the weekends ( so the interviewer this job ( experiences, traits, skills etc! Note how comfortable you appear answering open-ended questions seem to be the interviewer for! Always enjoy talking with who i meet 's just in the tone for the rest of the.. Are honest, brief, and confidently delivered the best experience on our website in San,... Most common medical school interview questions ” Possible answer 1: “ i a. Yourself, these kinds of questions can be difficult to answer the Tell... If it 's just in the hot-seat that might seem to be more important to you than your.. 'S one subject you truly know something about yourself. `` a General answer “... Important to you than your career strengths before the interview, so you know what had! You 're a good fit for the summer and fall, as well. ) caught in lie! And wind up spending years pretending that you ’ ll be asked when you sit down surprising number of are. Should be the interviewer important to you than your career them to pretend to the! Answer from scratch, you can reduce the chances of this happening practice! To discuss spouses, partners, children, or any other strictly information!