Interview Season has arrived. Now is the time for you to know how to answer – “Tell Me About Yourself” interview question. This is the most conventional interview question but one of the most dreadful too. You must rehearse the answer to this question way in advance so that you don’t put up a bad show. While there is no wrong way to tackle it, HR’s are looking to learn more about you then what’s on your resume.
It gives you a chance to talk about your career and where are you planning to go next. HR’s ask this question because a person may look great on paper but the way he or she answers the “tell me about yourself” question goes a long way in determining if the candidate is the right cultural fit.
Tell briefly Who You Are
Your first sentence should be an introduction to who you are professionally, Secondly you must be able to show off your strengths and gives a little sense of your personality too. This is not easy to do gracefully on the fly. It is recommended to prepare a bit in advance.
Showcase the professional aspects
Express the primary selling points of your resume. Highlight the special training and technical skills. Focus on the qualifications in the job description and how you meet and exceed the requirements. You can wrap up your answer by indicating why you are looking for a new challenge and why you feel this role is the best next step.
Mention “We” in your answer
While highlighting your achievements, you should include “we” in your answers. For example: Instead of saying I was responsible for the overall fest, you can say me and my team were responsible for the overall success of the fest.
Make eye contact
It displays confidence, honesty and your level of interest. Your prime objective must be to look into the interviewer eyes (NOT in a creep manner 🙂 ) “If they are looking around the room then wrap it up and go on to the next question.”
Don’t recite your resume
Remember it’s a chance given to you by the employer to express yourself in the best possible way you can. Managers ask this question because a person may look great on paper but the way he or she answers the “tell me about yourself” question goes a long way in determining if the candidate is right for the said job or not.
Final tip: You will have time later to walk through your resume in more detail and fill in any gaps. Don’t try to squeeze in too much information or your interviewer will start to tune out.
