How to Talk About Yourself During a Job Interview
Anticipate common interview questions., Review the job description., Get in the right frame of mind., Draft sample answers., Don’t give answers that will hurt you., Structure your answer properly., Practice off-beat answers., Do a mock interview.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Anticipate common interview questions.
You can avoid being tongue-tied in the interview by practicing answers to interview questions.
There are some common questions you can anticipate, such as the following: “Tell me about yourself.”This might be the most popular personal question to ask interviewees. “Why do you want this job?” “Where do you see yourself in five years?” “What are you most proud of in your life?” -
Step 2: Review the job description.
Interviewers don’t ask personal questions because they are fishing for personal information.
Instead, they want to know how you will help the company.
You need to review the job description carefully to see what skills and experience they need.For example, if the employer wants managerial experience, then be sure to mention your management experience when answering the question “Tell me about yourself.” , You might be uncomfortable promoting yourself in an interview.
Women, in particular, can tend to be afraid that people will think they are arrogant.
However, you should realize that you are promoting your accomplishments, not yourself.Focus on how you have added value to an employer or your team.
This shows you aren’t self-centered.
Instead you are promoting your value.
For example, you wouldn’t say, “I’m the greatest customer service rep at my company,” which is arrogant.
Instead, you can say, “My customer complaint rate was the lowest in my office and I helped lower the overall complaint rate by 30% when I was promoted to manager.” , Your answers should be honest.
However, your answers also need to relate to the job you are interviewing for, which is why you reviewed the job description.Identify four or five strengths you want to highlight, such as being good with communication or multi-tasking.
Write answers that convey these strengths.
For example, you can answer the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” with “I’d like to develop my management skills by supervising a larger team.
Right now, I supervise two subordinates.” You might answer the question “What are you most proud of in your life” by emphasizing your dedication.
You can say, “I stayed at my first job even after my direct supervisor quit in the middle of our busy season.
But I still managed to increase our sales by 20%.” , Some answers might make the interviewer question whether you are suitable for the job.
Try to keep the following out of your answers:
Anything that suggests you might leave the job.
For example, don’t tell someone you moved to the area because your spouse got a job.
This suggests you’ll leave as soon as your spouse gets a different one.A lack of interest in your career progression.
Never say, “I’ll do whatever you want.” Instead, the interviewer wants to see that you are passionate and actively pursuing goals.Any admission that you don’t have experience.
Instead, find something in your school or volunteer experience to tout in the interview.
A word-for-word repeat of your resume., If you’re asked, “Tell me about yourself,” you shouldn’t run through your entire life history in your answer.
Instead, structure your answers in the following manner:
Present: “I’m currently an administrative assistant at the University of Colorado, where I juggle the schedules for twelve faculty members in my department.” Remember to mention a crucial skill you rely on—in this example, multi-tasking.
Past: “Before that, I worked in various clerical positions in the private sector, including at a bank and two hospitals, which let me handle financial reporting.” Also remember to mention skills or experiences that are relevant to the job you are interviewing for.
Future: “I’d love a job that combines the academic experience with financial management, which is why I’m excited about this office manager position.” , If you are comfortable talking to people you don’t know, then you might want to give a slightly offbeat answer to questions about yourself.
These answers are not for everybody.
However, consider the following answers to the question “Tell me about yourself.”“I can summarize myself in three words.” For example, you can say, “Passionate.
Thoughtful.
Tireless.” Expect the interviewer to follow up and ask you to provide examples for every word you pick. “Let me show you instead of answering.” If you’re creative, you can draw a picture.
If you’re a people-person, you can pull out your cell phone and show your extensive contacts list. “Other people tell me I’m….” This answer shows you are aware of how others perceive you. , Ask a friend to interview you.
You’ll get to run through your practice answers until they sound natural.Remember that you want to sound conversational and not rehearsed.
Your friend will probably come up with questions you haven’t thought of.
That’s good.
You can then work on developing answers to these questions.
Take advantage of any mock interviews offered by your school.
Call up the Career Center and check. -
Step 3: Get in the right frame of mind.
-
Step 4: Draft sample answers.
-
Step 5: Don’t give answers that will hurt you.
-
Step 6: Structure your answer properly.
-
Step 7: Practice off-beat answers.
-
Step 8: Do a mock interview.
Detailed Guide
You can avoid being tongue-tied in the interview by practicing answers to interview questions.
There are some common questions you can anticipate, such as the following: “Tell me about yourself.”This might be the most popular personal question to ask interviewees. “Why do you want this job?” “Where do you see yourself in five years?” “What are you most proud of in your life?”
Interviewers don’t ask personal questions because they are fishing for personal information.
Instead, they want to know how you will help the company.
You need to review the job description carefully to see what skills and experience they need.For example, if the employer wants managerial experience, then be sure to mention your management experience when answering the question “Tell me about yourself.” , You might be uncomfortable promoting yourself in an interview.
Women, in particular, can tend to be afraid that people will think they are arrogant.
However, you should realize that you are promoting your accomplishments, not yourself.Focus on how you have added value to an employer or your team.
This shows you aren’t self-centered.
Instead you are promoting your value.
For example, you wouldn’t say, “I’m the greatest customer service rep at my company,” which is arrogant.
Instead, you can say, “My customer complaint rate was the lowest in my office and I helped lower the overall complaint rate by 30% when I was promoted to manager.” , Your answers should be honest.
However, your answers also need to relate to the job you are interviewing for, which is why you reviewed the job description.Identify four or five strengths you want to highlight, such as being good with communication or multi-tasking.
Write answers that convey these strengths.
For example, you can answer the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” with “I’d like to develop my management skills by supervising a larger team.
Right now, I supervise two subordinates.” You might answer the question “What are you most proud of in your life” by emphasizing your dedication.
You can say, “I stayed at my first job even after my direct supervisor quit in the middle of our busy season.
But I still managed to increase our sales by 20%.” , Some answers might make the interviewer question whether you are suitable for the job.
Try to keep the following out of your answers:
Anything that suggests you might leave the job.
For example, don’t tell someone you moved to the area because your spouse got a job.
This suggests you’ll leave as soon as your spouse gets a different one.A lack of interest in your career progression.
Never say, “I’ll do whatever you want.” Instead, the interviewer wants to see that you are passionate and actively pursuing goals.Any admission that you don’t have experience.
Instead, find something in your school or volunteer experience to tout in the interview.
A word-for-word repeat of your resume., If you’re asked, “Tell me about yourself,” you shouldn’t run through your entire life history in your answer.
Instead, structure your answers in the following manner:
Present: “I’m currently an administrative assistant at the University of Colorado, where I juggle the schedules for twelve faculty members in my department.” Remember to mention a crucial skill you rely on—in this example, multi-tasking.
Past: “Before that, I worked in various clerical positions in the private sector, including at a bank and two hospitals, which let me handle financial reporting.” Also remember to mention skills or experiences that are relevant to the job you are interviewing for.
Future: “I’d love a job that combines the academic experience with financial management, which is why I’m excited about this office manager position.” , If you are comfortable talking to people you don’t know, then you might want to give a slightly offbeat answer to questions about yourself.
These answers are not for everybody.
However, consider the following answers to the question “Tell me about yourself.”“I can summarize myself in three words.” For example, you can say, “Passionate.
Thoughtful.
Tireless.” Expect the interviewer to follow up and ask you to provide examples for every word you pick. “Let me show you instead of answering.” If you’re creative, you can draw a picture.
If you’re a people-person, you can pull out your cell phone and show your extensive contacts list. “Other people tell me I’m….” This answer shows you are aware of how others perceive you. , Ask a friend to interview you.
You’ll get to run through your practice answers until they sound natural.Remember that you want to sound conversational and not rehearsed.
Your friend will probably come up with questions you haven’t thought of.
That’s good.
You can then work on developing answers to these questions.
Take advantage of any mock interviews offered by your school.
Call up the Career Center and check.
About the Author
Deborah Ramos
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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