When an interviewer wants you to tell about yourself you need to be sure you answer this is a manner that’s favorable to you and in a way that will improve the likelihood of your being chosen for the position you have applied for.
In an interview, ‘tell me about yourself’ questions can be the difference between success and failure at the interview stage.
How should you tell about yourself in interviews?
What do you really want to know about you?
Where do you start? Elementary school? High school? College?
Make the wrong choice and you could be forfeiting the job to another candidate.
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Tell Me about Yourself: Examples of Answers with Tips
Let’s look at some examples of responses including the right way to answer and the wrong way to answer.
1. Right Answer – What part of my career would you prefer I discuss?
- Why is this the right answer?
It allows the interviewer to quickly decide what he’d like you to talk about, and it allows you to keep the focus on your employment history, and focus on what the interviewer really wants to hear about.
If the interviewer wants you to go back to your first job skip the details instead focusing on the high points of your career, and expand mostly on your current position or if you aren’t working your last place of employment.
- What could possibly be wrong in this answer?
It’s the wrong answer because the interview tell me about yourself question really means tell me what you can do for the company and tell me what you have to offer that the next candidate doesn’t.
Therefore, try to ‘read’ the interviewer mind. Does s/he want you to review your best qualities at that time in the interview.
Example of Wrong Answer – What would you like to know?
Why is this answer wrong?
When you make this statement, you are throwing the question back and it might annoy the interviewer as you are forcing them to reword their question.
2. Right Answer – I’ve been interested in building things from a young age, so it was no surprise that I became an architect. I’ve been working at XYZ firm for the last 10 years. I designed the high rise on the North Shore that was featured in Modern Design. I was also the architect that came up with a solution for the hospital addition that was unable to continue with construction because of an ancient burial ground. I was able to create a design that took the building up and around the area.
3. Wrong Answer – My name is Joe and I was born in a small town in North Dakota that’s home to 400 people. I attended elementary through high school in the only school there and in my spare time, I chased grasshoppers….
So the next time you are asked to tell about yourself in interviews answer in a way that will show the interviewer how you will benefit the company.
Practicing at home before your interview is an excellent way to be prepared to say the right things. Think of it as a dress rehearsal, so you can put on your best show and land the job.
Remember: A good answer will set the tone for the rest of the interview.
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