Here’s some good news, though: there’s a very easy way to answer the dreaded interview question. When you introduce yourself to the recruiter: Look them in the eye. If you’re a recent graduate: Start with the fact that you just graduated, and explain why you chose this career path or field of area of study. Interview Skills > Interview Skills Lessons > Sample Self-Introduction for an Interview. Joe talks about his work experience as a business analyst, and covers some of his top achievements. If you start going on and on about how much you love coding in Assembly, you’ve practically lost them. Give a good answer, and the interviewer will enthusiastically bombard you with more questions. But the mostly asked and mind wracking question of personal interview is to “tell me about yourself”. Sample Response “I’m thrilled to be here today. Here is an example of how to begin your answer to “tell me about yourself” as a very experienced candidate: “I first started managing people twelve years ago, when I was promoted from Customer Service Associate to Customer Service Supervisor. For example, you might start your answer like this: “I graduated with my degree in Economics two months ago. Many hiring managers will start an interview with an open-ended question like " Tell me about yourself ." Candidates find it hard to select the area and limits which they have to cover while responding to this question. When employers ask, “tell me about yourself,” in an interview, they usually want to hear about you as a professional. Now that we’ve covered the basics on how to answer “tell me about yourself,” we’re going to cover several essential tips that can help you stand out even more. I always loved playing around with code and learning new things. You're introducing yourself to a CEO at the start of a job interview. I left at the 1-year-mark to pursue a very similar position within an industry I’m much more excited about- healthcare. Describe yourself in 3 words, or one word are some of the other versions of this question. Practice at home with a timer! https://careersidekick.com/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question-answer And if you have 8-20+ years of experience, you can start with a mid-point in your career. It acts as an introduction and depending on how you answer, it’s going to help the interviewer decide what to ask next. Grab a friend and do a quick mock interview. Your communication and ability to stay on track with your answer is something they are watching closely. I’m also proud of my ability to preserve and overcome any challenges as they come up. Do you go through whatever’s on your resume? I've changed the details. What really got me into the field, though, is the internship I did at Company Z. There’s another way you can answer, though… and it has some benefits. That’s always a great sign and worth mentioning. Good morning sir/Mam, first of all, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself. But it all probably started when I was a kid, and at the age of 9 I first got my computer. 1. Did you build new skills or overcome challenges? The right answer should be interesting and memorable, but not too clever or overly engineered. And I also launched a recycling program for the campus, through which we raised awareness and invited an outside guest lecturer to speak about the subject. But when you think about it, it’s a really open-ended question. How to Answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question . I love reading and writing, so I think both programs are going to be interesting and relevant to my interests. But it wasn’t until that high school where I first had my first class about it that really made me fall in love with the subject. While there, I learned a lot of theory in subjects like corporate communication, international economics, corporate governance, and more. In my downtime, I enjoy reading about AI, tech, and robotics. 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. Since then, I’ve…”. Good Evening sir/madam. The method I gave you above is the standard way most recruiters recommend answering “tell me about yourself.”  It’s how I coached job seekers to answer this question for years. Copyright © 2020 Novorésumé ApS. Finally, the best way to finish your story is to bring them up to speed on your current situation. We’d recommend sticking to the tried-and-tested “Past-Present-Future” formula. Note: If you’re having a phone interview, you can use notes/bullet points to help guide you through your answer. In my family, apart from my parents, I have a younger brother and younger sister. I tend to be teamwork-oriented and reliable, as I’ve never missed a deadline. Is it the HR? Mention any of your top achievements and relevant work experiences. Here's how to answer the "tell me about yourself" interview question that will blow the hiring manager away. My name is Jane Doe, I’m 22 years old and I recently graduated from University X with a B.A. Tell Me About Yourself Interview question. Or perhaps you are on a first interview phone screening and the recruiter says the classic “Please tell me about yourself.” The way you answer this question decides the first impression you make — it is important and it will stick. After that, I was working as a project manager for Company Y that provided cloud computing solutions for about 6 years. Your answer should be tailored to the job you’re applying for. One of my key accomplishments in my current role was helping my employer do ___, and I’m confident I can help your team get similar results here.”, “In my most recent position at XYZ Company, I specialized in doing ___. If you take this answer beyond 2 minutes you are shooting yourself in the foot. Is there a lot of leadership? They don’t care about which kindergarten you went to, how your first internship went, or what you studied in high school. A good answer should be. Meaning, structure you answer as follows: Keeping these tips in mind, here’s what a good answer to “tell me about yourself” would look like: “Sure, so, my name is Joe and I am 27 years old. Read this blog to discover why recruiters want you to describe yourself in 3 words, how to answer, and quick tips to ace this job interview question. "My name is Sarah. They’re both excellent ways to answer the question, so don’t stress over it! The recruiter doesn’t care about your work experience as a real estate agent. It’s such an open-ended question. Now, as this is only the start of the interview, expect them to follow up and ask a bunch of other questions. If you have work experience, both options we’ve covered are very good, and it really depends on what you feel most comfortable with. Now let’s look at an example for entry-level job seekers and job seekers with no experience. You might be wondering, why does this matter? My name is Trushal Bhaliya & the meaning of my name is wish, desire. Answer wrong, though, you’ll instantly be labeled as the “OK Candidate.”, Well, it’s actually pretty straightforward. Giving a good answer means that you will create a positive impression on the interview. I was born and raised in China, and I went to Canada when I was 16 years old. “So, tell me a little about yourself.” This common interview prompt inspires dread for many internship and first-time job seekers. That first example showed you how to answer “tell me about yourself” for experienced job seekers (at least a few years of experience). Mention the numbers in your answer. Structure your answer in a way that makes sense. That shows them why you’re excited about their job, which will help you get hired! All interviews start with the same question: The question sounds easy on paper, sure. Hint: the interviewer isn’t looking for your life story, or what you had for dinner last night. In other words, they want you to tell a story that ties together your present situation, past experiences, and future plans – topics that require slightly more advanced grammar: Traditionally, this is one of the most common medical school interview questions. This will keep your answer from getting too long. How you respond to the “Tell me about yourself” question can set the tone for the rest of the interview. Interviewers can ask "Tell me about yourself" in many ways. Tell Me About Yourself In the Interview. Get specific! Now, I’m looking to leverage everything I’ve learned in uni and get some hands-on work experience. CMO? Tell me about a teaching lesson you were involved in that didn’t go well and what you learned from it. (I explain more about why this is true here). What does this particular job involve? 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. Try to talk about experiences and qualifications that are relevant for this job you’ve applied for. Let’s look at 2 word-for-word templates that accomplish this. ), top achievements (how do you stand out from the other candidates), and interests (why are you applying for this job?). Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn’t memorize your answer. So, all you have to do is practice your answer a bit! How to Describe Yourself in 3 Words with Sample Answers. With this answer, you have to make a good first impression. I was also part of the student government, and maintained a GPA of 3.6. My strengths are hard working, easily adaptable to any kind of environment, and team worker. Almost all the interviews start with the question, “Tell me about yourself“. Instead, come up with a general idea of what you’re going to talk about, memorize the structure, and just wing the rest on the interview. in international business. Be prepared. A lot of my courses involved working with real companies to solve real problems. This year, I managed to maintain a 3.7 GPA, while working on a few different school projects. There I provided clerical support with interdepartmental communication, helped in managing schedules, and maintained the digital filing system. Choose the one you like best. The interviewer wants to see that you can tell your story from Point A (beginning) to Point B (the end) without getting sidetracked, distracted or scattered. It could lead to your answer getting too long, or it could cause you to leave out important professional information that the interviewer was looking to know! They’re expecting a more generic answer about you, your career, and reasons for applying at the company. Then, use your smartphone’s voice recorder app to record a few practice answers and see how you sound. 3 sample answers for experienced professionals, students, and prospective students 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. Eventually, I ended up with an A in the subject. 28 Common Second Round Interview Questions, 11 Final Interview Questions to Prepare For, How to Answer “Are You a Leader or Follower?” (Interview Question). 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