HOW TO ANSWER THE MOST TRICKY INTERVIEW QUESTION: “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF”
An interview is way more than just some common questions asked it is a chance to win the interviewer by your knowledge and confidence, it is a time for you to show your inner charisma. Remember the importance of the first impression, wear your best suit and polish your shoes. Be well aware of the company and its target product, its sales, and production. Don’t get too scared before an interview takes it as an interactive conversation, be yourself don’t try to fake your hobbies or your likes in front of the interviewer. Its better when you stay simple and confident. One of the most widely asked question by the recruiters is “Tell me about yourself.” This question is not as easy to answer at it may look like, it is one of the trickiest questions of all. To answer this question, first of all, you need to know yourself very well. It’s one of the most-frequently-asked job interview questions, interviews make their first impression about you by the answer you give to this question, another of the most frequently asked questions is “What are your strengths?” and “What are your weaknesses?” Even so, many job seekers don’t take the question seriously, thinking it’s just an icebreaker which is a wrong conception, every question asked in an interview holds a value and every good answer increases your chance to get the job. Every job seeker should carefully consider their response because it’s more than a throwaway opener for most interviewers. When hiring managers pose this question, they’re hoping candidates will give them some insight as to why they think they’re a good fit for the job. They’re also using it to learn about applicants’ priority, which gives them a better sense whether the candidate is suitable for the job or not. And that’s not all: Interviewers also ask this question to judge how articulate and confident interviewees are, which in turn gives them a view of how new hires might present themselves to customers, clients,and colleagues if they get the job.As a job seeker, your answer will give you a great opportunity to spotlight the skills and experience that make you the ideal candidate for the job. Here are some tips for you to ace this question: What you shouldn’t say Many job candidates make the mistake of answering this question by talking about their personal life like their family, kids or hobbies. Some even launch into their life story, starting with their hometown and continuing on through their college graduation, sure this is an important part for you but for the hiring manager it’s just a waste of their time, they expect you to talk about “yourself” your hobbies, talents, experiences etc. Alternately, others share descriptions of the problems in their current job or their past workplaces, explaining that they applied for this position but their commute is horrible, their boss is a jerk or their employer won’t allow them to work a flexible schedule. This will definitely give the hiring manager a negative impression about you, bitching about your workplace and your boss in front of another manager will never win you a job. And some job seekers simply summarize their resume, going point-by-point through their work experience and education history, they already have your resume for that you don’t need to narrate everything again. All three of these responses can quickly send your new-job dreams down the tubes. If you answer with either of the first two, hiring managers to see a red flag — an indication that you’re not that serious about the position or simply trying to escape a bad situation at your current job. And if you go with the third approach, you’re throwing away an opportunity. The interviewer read your resume before inviting you in for the interview, and they don’t need you to walk them through it. They’d rather hear you highlight what makes you an ideal fit for the job. How to craft a great answer? The best answers to this question succinctly and clearly explain how qualified you are for this particular job and — just as important — why you want this job. So before you start crafting your answer, spend some time reviewing the job description in the recruitment ad for the position and researching the company, check their website to get more information on the company. That way you’ll have a good understanding of what the hiring manager is looking for as far as qualifications, experience and fit for the workplace culture. Next, prepare a short script that highlights your skills, strengths,and expertise and sees how it makes you especially qualified for the position. Follow that with the reasons you’re applying for the job, focusing on career-related motivations such as the desire to build your experience and take on added responsibilities. Conclude with a short statement explaining why working for this specific company appeals to you. A sample answer for you Here’s an example of an excellent response to “Tell me about yourself” for a job seeker applying for a senior administrative assistant position with a clean-energy company. “I’ve been working as an administrative assistant for three years. At my current job in the finance department of a midsize company, I handle scheduling, meeting and travel planning for four executives and 20 staff members. I also help prepare correspondence, presentations,and reports. “I’m known for being a detail-oriented, well-organized team player. I never miss deadlines, I’m a good communicator and I can juggle multiple tasks at once. In my performance reviews, my supervisor always notes that he appreciates my professionalism and enthusiasm for the job. “With this experience under my belt, I’m looking for an opportunity to take the next step in my career. I’m hoping to do so in an organization like yours that works to improve the environment, which is something I’m passionate about.” Now that’s how you ace your interview with just one answer, here the employee is very straightforward telling us all about this current job and how hes a hardworking, passionate and responsible employee who works for the betterment of his company. A final word of advice Now no matter how you answer this question, don’t take up too much time thinking about your response, be prepared with your response in advance so that it is easier for you to give a quick answer. You don’t have to tell the hiring manager every single thing that makes you a great fit for the position, make a small list of the things that make you a perfect fit for the company and how you want to expand your career opportunities. Just give a few important details that will spark their interest in learning more and you’ll get the interview off to a great start. And even if you didn’t ace this interview don’t worry about it not the last interview of your life you will get more interview always learn from your mistakes. Make things right in the next interview, always go prepared its not a cake walk, you need to practice on your answers and the way you behave in front of the interviewer.