Let’s look at 2 word-for-word templates that accomplish this. If you treat your interviewer as a real human being, and the interview as a conversation — not an interrogation — you’ll do wonderfully with this question. But the mostly asked and mind wracking question of personal interview is to “tell me about yourself”. 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. in international business. What does this particular job involve? Stick to the past-present-future format, and you’re all good! That’s always a great sign and worth mentioning. First of all I would like to thank you to introduce myself. This will keep your answer from getting too long. rule isn’t set in stone. The answer is based on experiences and achievements. You're introducing yourself to a CEO at the start of a job interview. Learn them by reading the offer carefully and researching the company. 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. 15 Answers. Every good answer to “tell me about yourself” should consist of: Keep in mind, though, that the W.A.P. +10 Best Answers for Why Should We Hire You? I am from Dhari, Amreli. What really got me into the field, though, is the internship I did at Company Z. 38 CGPA. In your response, do the following: 1. Grab a friend and do a quick mock interview. The reason I applied for this job is I saw ___ on the job description and I think I would be able to help you ___ and ___. Well, the thing is, each of these people expect a different answer. Since you guys do all 3, I thought I’d apply. I’ll explain…, Many experts have pointed out that if the interviewer wanted your career story, they could have looked at your resume or your LinkedIn, or asked a question like, “can you walk me through your background?”. If you’ve been working for 25 years but have only been a sales professional for 12 years, you could begin with how you got started in sales. Structured - Your answer should follow a simple, easy-to-follow format. Choose the one you like best. Also, describe a few personality traits (roughly three), which will allow you to segue into your academic areas of interest and extracurricular activities and why they are important to you. When they say “tell me about yourself,” it’s going to be tempting to give a long-winded answer. I’ve been at this healthcare startup space for 2 years with this company and I feel ready to take my career to the next level so that’s why I’m currently looking for a new opportunity.”. My name is Jane Doe, I’m 22 years old and I recently graduated from University X with a B.A. Moving forward, I hope to expand my experience across different industries. Here are 3 sample answers for: Sure, I’d be glad to. Tell the interviewer about your prospective major, if you have one, or what your main area of interest is and what you hope to study. 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. Check out our blog more industry-leading career articles! Because it tells them how you’ll communicate as an employee… when there’s a problem, when there’s a disagreement, or when you simply need to share your knowledge or opinion. This position seems like a great opportunity to advance those skills I just talked about, and continue building my career and challenging myself”. Talk about your experiences leading (no matter how small! Here’s how you WOULDN’T answer this interview question... Well, I’ve always been interested in tech. Here’s some good news, though: there’s a very easy way to answer the dreaded interview question. Practice at home with a timer! Here are techniques you can use to answer this common question. One of my key accomplishments during my academic career was speaking at a conference on the topic of energy-efficient window design, based on research I had done for one of my senior-level classes. Almost all the interviews start with the question, “Tell me about yourself“. After all, we talk about ourselves all the time. So, if you want to make sure you’re definitely ready for the interview, check out our complete list of 35+ common interview questions and answers to help you prepare even more. 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. I realized I needed to dedicate more time to the subject, so, I met with a teacher outside the class and set aside two extra hours per day for the subject. I have screened some of the best sample answers for question, ‘Tell me about yourself?’ Through these answers you will get an idea, how you should summarize your answer in your next interview. It’s such a simple phrase, but you have no idea what the interviewer wants to hear. It’s important to keep in mind who you’re talking to. I chose that field of study because I’ve always been interested in finance and money, and a couple of family members told me it leads to great career options, too.”. Thank you very much for giving a great opportunity to introduce my self behind you. The recruiter doesn’t care about your work experience as a real estate agent. You can show more personality as the interview goes on, but it’s risky to share too much personal info when answering, “tell me about yourself.”. Give a good answer, and the interviewer will enthusiastically bombard you with more questions. Tell details. Thank you for giving this wonderful opportunity to me to introduce myself to you. It acts as an introduction and depending on how you answer, it’s going to help the interviewer decide what to ask next. But when you think about it, it’s a really open-ended question. How to Describe Yourself in 3 Words with Sample Answers. 28 Common Second Round Interview Questions, 11 Final Interview Questions to Prepare For, How to Answer “Are You a Leader or Follower?” (Interview Question). I’m also proud of my ability to preserve and overcome any challenges as they come up. How to Answer the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Question. Or do you introduce yourself more as a person than a professional? In fact, below 90 seconds is ideal. Joe talks about his work experience as a business analyst, and covers some of his top achievements. I like to write them in bullet format. In my family, apart from my parents, I have a younger brother and younger sister. Describe yourself in 3 words, or one word are some of the other versions of this question. I’m an tech-focused project manager for up to 8 years now. That’s great to mention, too. I always loved playing around with code and learning new things. How to answer “tell me about yourself” with a simple formula, 4 essential tips to keep in mind when answering, 3 sample answers for experienced professionals, students, and prospective students. Good morning sir/Mam, first of all, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself. And we covered a lot above, but there’s something just as important as any of that. Here's how to answer "Tell me about yourself:" Introduce yourself by referencing the job’s needs. But random impressive facts aren’t enough. Rather, the question is a way for them to ease into the actual interview and get a general idea of what you’re all about. Do you start with your background? Resume, CV and Cover Letter Writing Expert, 35+ common interview questions and answers, Questions to Ask an Interviewer [+15 Examples], Strengths and Weaknesses for Job Interviews [2020 Best Answers]. To make matters worse, every job opening today gets an average of 250 applications, and out of that group, only 4–6 people get in front of an interviewer. 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! I was also part of the student government, and maintained a GPA of 3.6. “I graduated with a degree in Engineering two months ago. So the safest approach is to keep your answer work-related and share your career story, rather than personal details. 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. Do some practice on how to tell about yourself in the interview. This led to an internship that I just wrapped up, so I’m actively looking for a full-time position now.”. Looking for more job-search advice? You won’t be able to fit all of your great qualities and resume high points into 2 minutes, so you’ll have to spend some time thinking about how to present yourself in a way that starts the interview on the right note. https://careersidekick.com/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question-answer Don’t just say “so um, my name’s Mike and I’m a sales manager.” Your answer should consist of background (what did you study? I’ve worked hard in my education and now I’m ready to apply my knowledge into practice. Then glance at the paper AFTER to make sure you covered everything. If she looks interested then keep going (but not too long, I guess 2 min. After that, I first got into the industry working as an administrative assistant at Company X. You might be wondering, why does this matter? My name is Trushal Bhaliya & the meaning of my name is wish, desire. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You should be thinking about how this ties in with the company you’re talking to. CEO? When you talk about what you’re looking to do next in your career, try to mention whatever you see this company providing for your career (leadership, technical challenges, exposure to new areas, etc.). The core of your response should focus on the key elements in your background that will enable you to excel in the job for which you are interviewing. Particularly fintech, which is why I’m interested in your company..”. This year, I managed to maintain a 3.7 GPA, while working on a few different school projects. They may ask you to ‘ tell me about yourself ’. Pro tip: If you can see that the interviewer is getting distracted, you should take that as a sign that it might be time to wrap up. 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! 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. Since then, I started learning more about it and decided to major in IT at University X where I learned how to. The end of your interview answer is a big opportunity to customize your answer for the company and job you’re interviewing for. Throughout my career, I’ve noticed that I’ve always been good with numbers and handling data. Describe a time-sensitive situation. No one wants to hear your whole life story. If you start going on and on about how much you love coding in Assembly, you’ve practically lost them. Nothing comes out perfect the first time, and you don’t want to appear nervous and stumble when they ask. If you’re a student, for example, your entire answer could be about your academic career and personal interests. When you introduce yourself to the recruiter: Look them in the eye. Answer wrong, though, you’ll instantly be labeled as the “OK Candidate.”, Well, it’s actually pretty straightforward. Keep it relevant and brief (1-2 minutes max). It’s a wide-open question to which you should not give a wide open answer. Select the ones you are going to highlight during the interview. “I graduated with a Business degree in 2010, and was offered an account management position from a telecommunications company I had interned with. (Also includes common mistakes) For the past 5 years, I’ve been working as a business analyst at Company X and Y. I have some background in data analysis, with a degree from University XY. Before we move on to more tips and a HUGE mistake to avoid, here’s one more example interview answer for this question. Talk about how you learned and advanced in that area through each step of your career! They give insight into your real-life impact. 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. They’re expecting a more generic answer about you, your career, and reasons for applying at the company. But it all probably started when I was a kid, and at the age of 9 I first got my computer. Your communication and ability to stay on track with your answer is something they are watching closely. Your goal when answering, “tell me about yourself,” is to give a brief, concise walkthrough of your career story that will show off relevant pieces of experience. Need some inspiration? The right answer should be interesting and memorable, but not too clever or overly engineered. Since then, I’ve…”. This demonstrates an inability to manage behaviour. I left at the 1-year-mark to pursue a very similar position within an industry I’m much more excited about- healthcare. 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. See, the HR manager doesn’t know anything about coding or assembly. You need to be concise. I was born and raised in China, and I went to Canada when I was 16 years old. Mention any of your top achievements and relevant work experiences. That’s why I recommend choosing a starting point based on your experience (Step 1 above)… because if you have 25 years of experience and you start at the moment you graduated from college, your answer will be too long. As a final tip – make sure you go practice everything you plan on saying when the interviewer asks, “what can you tell me about yourself?”. 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. Tell Me About Yourself In the Interview. Keep it focused and short, ideally less than a minute, and no more than 2 minutes. Try to talk about experiences and qualifications that are relevant for this job you’ve applied for. And it should be one of the easiest questions to answer — because you can anticipate and prepare for it — but, just as commonly, it’s one of the most anxiety-provoking and confusing questions. 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. This will make the situation you were in easier to explain. Tell Me About Yourself - how to answer "Tell me about yourself" seems a straightforward enough request in a job interview. Were you promoted? The reason I applied for this job is I saw ___ on the job description and I think I would be able to help you ___ and ___. Tell the interview panel what you learned from the experience. Good Evening sir/madam. How you respond to the “Tell me about yourself” question can set the tone for the rest of the interview. So the first thing to decide is where you’ll begin the story…. To better answer the question, you first need to understand why they ask it in the first place. So there’s another approach for answering, “tell me about yourself,” that skips the career story and just cuts right to the chase: Why you’re awesome and why they should hire you! When employers ask, “tell me about yourself,” in an interview, they usually want to hear about you as a professional. 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. If you have 1-8 years of experience, start with the moment you graduated and walk them through your employment experience since then. How to give introduce yourself in an interview, how to give Self introduction in an Interviews, how to give personal introduction, how to introduce myself in interviews, sample answers self … The CTO? How to Answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question . Interviewers can ask "Tell me about yourself" in many ways. We’d recommend sticking to the tried-and-tested “Past-Present-Future” formula. So, all you have to do is practice your answer a bit! "My name is Sarah. A good answer should be. Study their job description in particular so you know what skills THEY care most about. Let’s say you’re a software engineer, and you’re being interviewed by the HR manager. Why you wanted to apply for their job, what you’re looking to do next, etc. You need to “tailor” your answer for, “tell me about yourself,” for their job description and their needs. All interviews start with the same question: The question sounds easy on paper, sure. You'll have an opportunity to introduce yourself on an in-depth basis during the interview. Since then, I’ve…”. (I explain more about why this is true here). Is there a lot of leadership? Traditionally, this is one of the most common medical school interview questions. Based on Experience & Achievements - Your answer should be super-specific. As a fresh graduate, take this opportunity to speak about your education, why you chose the course you studied and any internships or volunteer work you undertook. Mention the numbers in your answer. Your answer can also touch upon the reasons why you want to work at the facility where you’re interviewing and why you’re the best choice for the job. Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn’t memorize your answer. Tell me about a teaching lesson you were involved in that didn’t go well and what you learned from it. To help you decide how to describe yourself in an interview, consider these examples: I am passionate about my work. 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. CMO? Note: If you’re having a phone interview, you can use notes/bullet points to help guide you through your answer. I graduated from University X, where I made the Dean’s List, with a major in business administration and a minor in computer science. You could start your answer with this sample opening statement (see below), or wrap up your response with why you feel you’re a great fit. So, my name is John, and I’m a senior at School XYZ. Does the job involve a high level of technical skill? One of my key accomplishments in my last role for XYZ Company was helping them  ___, and I’m confident I can help your team get similar results here.”. 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. This exercise will help you face the interview question “Tell me about yourself” confidently. ), top achievements (how do you stand out from the other candidates), and interests (why are you applying for this job?). There, I personally managed 5+ teams of software projects, and made sure everything went smoothly in terms of business goals, deadlines, budget, and more. Tell the recruiter about your past achievement(s) and why you’re excited about this opportunity. There I provided clerical support with interdepartmental communication, helped in managing schedules, and maintained the digital filing system. For example, if you’re a manager, you could start with how you first became a manager. However it can be a difficult question to grapple with - there are so many possible answers and pieces of information that you could provide. No, the HR manager doesn’t want to know your entire life story. The hiring manager? And if you have 8-20+ years of experience, you can start with a mid-point in your career. I chose that field of study because I’ve always been interested in math and physics, and a couple of family members told me it leads to great career options. Business manager? You should always research the company before going into the interview. ... Why is it difficult to answer the question "Tell me something about yourself ?" With this answer, you have to make a good first impression. Copyright © 2020 Novorésumé ApS. 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. I loved working with customers and managing and growing my accounts, but the industry we were in just wasn’t very appealing to me. Be prepared. “So, tell me a little about yourself.” This common interview prompt inspires dread for many internship and first-time job seekers. Do you go through whatever’s on your resume? That first example showed you how to answer “tell me about yourself” for experienced job seekers (at least a few years of experience). They don’t care about which kindergarten you went to, how your first internship went, or what you studied in high school. You’re bound to hear “tell me about yourself” on just about every interview. In this article, I’m going to walk you through steps and examples of how to answer the “Tell me about yourself” interview question to impress employers and get more job offers. Did you build new skills or overcome challenges? When answering, try to keep it under 1-2 minutes, at most. 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 ___. For example, when I was working at Company X, I led a project for migrating all operations data to a new data warehousing system to cut down on costs. For example you might end your answer by saying: “…and that’s why I wanted to interview with your firm. Eventually, I ended up with an A in the subject. Tell Me About Yourself Interview question. 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: 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. A lot of my courses involved working with real companies to solve real problems. Learn more about how to answer investment banking interview questions in a separate post here. Now, I’m looking to leverage everything I’ve learned in uni and get some hands-on work experience. I started an ‘Ernest Hemingway Book Club’ which has up to 15 active members as of now. Then, use your smartphone’s voice recorder app to record a few practice answers and see how you sound. 1. The new solution was a much better fit for our business, which eventually led to savings of up to $200,000 annually. Make sure your handshake is firm but natural to signal trust. If you have work experience, both options we’ve covered are very good, and it really depends on what you feel most comfortable with. Did you accomplish something significant like solving a big problem for your last employer? Before we work on an answer, we need to take a step back and think about what are the goals of the interviewer beyond getting to know you, when he asks you to tell him about yourself. Now, as this is only the start of the interview, expect them to follow up and ask a bunch of other questions. As you tell your career story, explain key accomplishments you’ve achieved, work you’ve done, skills you’ve learned, and key career moves you’ve made. In my downtime, I enjoy reading about AI, tech, and robotics. Nobody can see you on the phone, so take advantage! Several kinds of questions are asked in the personal interview. If you take this answer beyond 2 minutes you are shooting yourself in the foot. When introducing yourself in an interview, the person you speak with may want to know more than a few short sentences and simple details about you. It’s such an open-ended question. The answer is structured right - past, present, future. There’s another way you can answer, though… and it has some benefits. Be sure to review our blog on how to prepare for your med school interviewfor the best strategies a… Failing to prepare (and by prepare I mean rehearse) for the “Tell me about yourself” question can quite literally mean you do not get the job. This second method we just covered is really best if you want to give a unique, concise answer and you have some relevant work experience to share in the interview! My strengths are hard working, easily adaptable to any kind of environment, and team worker. Finally, the best way to finish your story is to bring them up to speed on your current situation. The idea is to try to remember what you want to talk about without reading off the paper. 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