“Tell me about yourself” is one of the most common interview questions. It’s also one of the hardest to answer well. Let’s dive into some ways to structure your response to make a memorable and professional first impression.
Focus on Your Strengths and Achievements
Think of your answer to this question as an elevator pitch. The goal is to quickly sell the interviewer on your ability to hit the ground running on Day One. Before your interview, brainstorm your top 2-3 strengths and the top 2-3 professional accomplishments of which you are most proud. Package them together, and you’ll have your basic answer.
Tailor Your Response to the Company and Role
Just like your resume, you also need to customize your “tell me about yourself” answer to the specific company and role. Analyze the job description to determine what’s most important. Then customize your answer to show how you meet the top qualities needed for the role. Note that you should never lie or exaggerate. Instead, simply revisit your basic answer to determine where to focus.
Stay Professional
It’s fine to quickly mention your dog or your kids at the very end, as these things can humanize you. But the interviewer doesn’t want or need to know that you love camping or going to the opera. They want to know if you can do the job. So focus your answer on your professional background and goals.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Remember, this is an elevator pitch, not an autobiography. Two minutes is the absolute maximum for this answer. If you can get everything in within one minute or so, that’s even better.
Be Ready for Follow-up Questions
Your interviewer will likely pick something out of your answer to start a line of follow-up questioning. Be ready to explain how you learned a particular skill or the circumstances surrounding one of your professional achievements. To answer those questions, consider the STAR method of storytelling:
• Situation: Where were you?
• Task: What were you doing?
• Action: What happened, and which specific action(s) did you take?
• Result: What were the short-term and long-term results of your action(s)?
“Tell me about yourself” can be nerve-wracking. But the tips above are designed to prepare you to answer that question and the ones that are likely to follow.
Ready for your next role?
Cardinal Staffing has been matching candidates across Ohio and Michigan with just the right light industrial, administrative, and professional positions for nearly 30 years. With deep roots in these areas, we’re experts on the local job markets. If you’re ready to take the next steps in your career, contact us to learn more or start searching for your next position today!
