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So, Why don't you tell me about yourself?
By: Linda Matias
"So, why don't you tell me about yourself?" is the most
frequently asked interview question. It's a question that
most interviewees expect and the one they have the most
difficulty answering. Though one could answer this open-
ended question in a myriad of ways, the key to answering
this question or any other interview question is to offer a
response that supports your career objective. This means
that you shouldn't respond with comments about your
hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities. Trust me,
interviewers aren't interested.
Interviewers use the interview process as a vehicle to
eliminate your candidacy. Every question they ask is used
to differentiate your skills, experience, and personality
with that of other candidates. They want to determine if
what you have to offer will mesh with the organization's
mission and goals.
If answered with care, your response to the question, "So,
why don't you tell me about yourself?" could compliment the
interviewer's needs as well as support your agenda. This is
a question you should be prepared to answer as opposed to
attempting to "wing it".
Follow the four easy steps outlined below to ensure your
response will grab the interviewer's attention.
1. Provide a brief introduction. Introduce attributes that
are key to the open position.
Sample introduction: During my 10 years of experience as
a sales manager, I have mastered the ability to coach,
train, and motivate sales teams into reaching corporate
goals.
2. Provide a career summary of your most recent work
history. Your career summary is the "meat" of your
response, so it must support your job objective and it must
be compelling. Keep your response limited to your current
experience. Don't go back more than 10 years.
Sample career summary: Most recently, at The Widget
Corporation, I was challenged with turning around a
stagnant territory that ranked last in sales in the
Northeastern region. Using strategies that have worked in
the past, I developed an aggressive sales campaign that
focused on cultivating new accounts and nurturing the
existing client base. The results were tremendous. Within
six months my sales team and I were able to revitalize the
territory and boost sales by 65%.
3. Tie your response to the needs of the hiring
organization. Don't assume that the interviewer will be
able to connect all the dots. It is your job as the
interviewee to make sure the interviewer understands how
your experiences are transferable to the position they are
seeking to fill.
Sample tie-in: Because of my proven experience in leading
sales teams, Craig Brown suggested I contact you regarding
your need for a sales manager. Craig filled me in on the
challenges your sales department is facing.
4. Ask an insightful question. By asking a question you
gain control of the interview. Don't ask a question for the
sake of asking. Be sure that the question will engage the
interviewer in a conversation. Doing so will alleviate the
stress you may feel to perform.
Sample question: What strategies are currently underway to
increase sales and morale within the sales department?
There you have it - a response that meets the needs of the
interviewer AND supports your agenda.
When broken down into manageable pieces, the question,
"So, tell me about yourself?" isn't overwhelming. In fact,
answering the question effectively gives you the
opportunity to talk about your strengths, achievements, and
qualifications for the position. So take this golden
opportunity and run with it!
Linda Matias
President
CareerStrides
About the Author
President of the National Resume
Writers' Association. Certified in all three areas of the job search - Certified
Interview Coach ™ (CIC) Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC) and Nationally
Certified Resume Writer (NCRW).
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