'Tell Me About Yourself'

Your answer should be relevant to the job for which you are being
interviews. Do not start going into your personal life. Keep your self-
introduction PROFESSIONAL.
A person is defined in three ways: (1) who he is right now, (2) what he
has done in the past, and (3) what he will become in the future.
So, here is how you answer: (1) I am a [the job title for which you are
applying or something very close.] (2) I have [how many years of
experience] in [what field, what subject]. (3) I want to be [a job title
that is a couple or a few levels above the current position for which you
are applying in 5 to 10 years.]
Close your answer with an affirmative question: "Is there anything else
you want to know?"
Here are more suggestions for answering this very common interview
question.

• You should be very straight forward and honest in replying to

this question. The interviewer wants to check if what you have
mentioned in your resume is correct or not.

• I would answer the question based on who is interviewing me? If

it's a sales manager/Technical Manager/Human resources manager?
Depending on the person's field I'll have to mend the answer to
please him...I feel that everyone's goals are different...so
anlayse that and then answer.

• Answer this question with your 30 second "elevator speach" about

yourself. The standard format for this speech is... "I am a
(BLANK), who does (WHAT)." In my case... I am a PROJECT MANAGER,
who PROVIDES QUALITY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS, Blah, Blah, Blah. (you
get the idea).

• The Answer can Start like this: "I have 10 years' sales rep
experience, working in a variety of industries, from retail to
advertising. For the past two years I have been working in the
food industry. In addition to my successful sales techniques, I
have a great record for forming long-standing relationships with
customers. I'm a team player who thrives on challenge."

• Let me share what my recruiting office tells its candidates as

they head out for that crucial face-to-face interview. When asked
to "tell me about yourself," say, "I will gladly answer that
 question, but may I first ask you a question? (They ALWAYS say
yes) So that I may better focus my answer, what are the issues
you want me to address should you hire me? Once they share with
you what they need to have you do, then proceed to address how
your training, education, skills, and experience can best resolve
these issues. By answering in this fashion, you have proven that
you know how to focus ... and that you have what's needed to fix
the issues they need to have fixed. It's always a winner ... and
beats the heck out of, "Well, let's see, I was born on a small
farm in Idaho ..."

• I am a self-starter dedicated, hard-working person who works well

with other, punctual, detail oriented a team player, great
organizational and interpersonal skills.

Answer
Tell Me About Yourself
It's one of the most frequently asked questions in an interview: Tell me
about yourself. Your response to this request will set the tone for the
rest of the interview. For some, this is the most challenging question to
answer, as they wonder what the interviewer really wants to know and
what information they should include.
Eleanor dreaded this question. When it was the first one asked at her
interview, she fumbled her way through a vague answer, not focusing
on what she could bring to the job.
"I'm happily married and originally from Denver," she began. "My
husband was transferred here three months ago, and I've been getting
us settled in our new home. I'm now ready to go back to work. I've
worked in a variety of jobs, usually customer service-related. I'm
looking for a company that offers growth opportunities."
The interview went downhill after that. She had started with personal
information and gave the interviewer reason to doubt whether she was
an employee who would stay for very long.
* She's married, and when her husband gets transferred that means
she has to leave; she did it once and can do it again.
* She has some work experience with customers but didn't emphasize
what she did.
* She is looking to grow. What about the job she is applying for? Will
she stay content for long?
The secret to successfully responding to this free-form request is to
focus, script and practice. You cannot afford to wing this answer, as it
will affect the rest of the interview. Begin to think about what you want
the interviewer to know about you.
Focus
List five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences,
traits, skills, etc.). What do you want the interviewer to know about you
when you leave?
Eleanor is strong in communications and connecting with people. She
has a strong background and proven success with customer
relationships. Her real strength is her follow-through. She prides herself
on her reputation for meeting deadlines.
Scripting
Prepare a script that includes the information you want to convey.
Begin by talking about past experiences and proven success:
"I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years.
My most recent experience has been handling incoming calls in the
high tech industry. One reason I particularly enjoy this business, and
the challenges that go along with it, is the opportunity to connect with
people. In my last job, I formed some significant customer relationships
resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales in a matter of months."
Next, mention your strengths and abilities:
"My real strength is my attention to detail. I pride myself on my
reputation for following through and meeting deadlines. When I commit
to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time."
Conclude with a statement about your current situation:
"What I am looking for now is a company that values customer
relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on
customer retention and sales."
Practice
Practice with your script until you feel confident about what you want
to emphasize in your statement. Your script should help you stay on
track, but you shouldn't memorize it -- you don't want to sound stiff
and rehearsed. It should sound natural and conversational.
Even if you are not asked this type of question to begin the interview,
this preparation will help you focus on what you have to offer. You will
also find that you can use the information in this exercise to assist you
in answering other questions. The more you can talk about your
product -- you -- the better chance you will have at selling it.

Answer
When taking business courses and asked this very same question, I
answered, "What would you like to know?" My instructor told me I was
a very good person to interview. This makes the interviewer feel like
you are not hiding anything.

Answer
I suggest you go into the interview with a few "talking points" about
yourself, in other words things you want the interviewer to know about
you. Then you try to hit those points in response to any questions you
are asked, such as "tell us about yourself." Also be sure to have copies
of your resume with you and offer them. In general, interviews go
better when you spend them listening and don't talk. If the interviewer
is just telling you about the job, you might have a good shot at it.

Answer
This is the chance for you to run down a 30-60 second sales pitch for
yourself. The employer doesn't want to know that you like gardening or
have four dogs. Here's where you start usually with your education and
highlight selling points about your skills, experience and goals.
A sample presentation might go something like, "Well, I graduated
from Columbia with a degree in accounting, which I put to use in my
first job with The Smith Company. After gaining a thorough
understanding of business accounting there, I began to specialize in
cost reduction with The Jones Company. During my time there, I was
able to restructure the materials spending budget and reduce
purchasing costs by 23% in one year. I find that my understanding of
accounting principles and my determination to continually improve
processes and myself has help me establich an excellent foundation for
future growth with a progressive company."
I know it sounds like BS, but with personal touches, it actually works.

Answer
Usually if you get questions like these my suggestion is to tell them
what they want to hear. Make your life up if you have to, they won't
know the difference. But be sure to use things that you have some
knowledge about. Don't tell them you play golf and when they ask you
a question about par you're stumped. If you are a lazy teen who plays
videogames all day, and like to party, tell them you like to travel or try
new things to show that you are outgoing and whatnot. I mean, you do
have to travel to get to the party from your house right? I mean go
with the flow. They love it. I'm a 19 year old high school grad that is in
that phase of my life right now, so the best is if you have to fake it.

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