We all know that one of the most important questions you can expect in a job interview is ‘Tell me about yourself’. It’s a tricky question, because it’s open-ended and it’s often hard to know where to start.
What should you not do while answering “Tell me about Yourself”
The last thing you want to do is list off your personal details and start talking about your resume. That’s been read already. This is your chance to show the interviewer how your unique skills, qualities, and experiences have made you the perfect candidate.
How to correctly attempt this question ?
The key is to focus on what defines you as a person, and how that would be valuable to the company. Start by talking about your value systems and beliefs. What drives you? What motivates you? What do you find important in life? This could be anything from a love of learning and adventure, to a passion for problem-solving and helping people.
Once you’ve established your values and beliefs, explain how these show up in your work. Give examples of how you’ve used your skills and qualities to make a difference. Have you helped to solve a problem? Made a positive impact on a team? Shown leadership? These are all things that employers like to hear.
For example, you might say: ‘I’m a problem solver by nature, and I’m passionate about finding solutions to complex challenges. In all my past experiences with different organisations, I have seen this one quality strongly helping me. I recently implemented a new system for our team that improved efficiency by 25%. It was a difficult project, but I was able to break it down into manageable pieces and lead the team to success.’
By focusing on your values, beliefs, and achievements, you can create a powerful answer to the question ‘Tell me about yourself’. It’s an opportunity to show employers why you’re the perfect candidate for the job, and why you’d be an asset to the team. So, take the time to think about what makes you unique and use it to your advantage.
To sum up, it’s important to remember that the “Tell me about yourself” question isn’t an invitation to recite your resume. Instead, use it as an opportunity to showcase what makes you unique and how this can add value to the role. Describe your background, values, beliefs and passions, and provide examples that demonstrate them in action. Finish off with a short summary of your career goals and how you plan to achieve them. With this approach, you’ll give the interviewer a great impression of you and your potential as an employee.
Lets us know what you think in the comments.
