“Tell me about yourself” — How to answer this exceptionally well?
Tell me about yourself- The most common interview question. Though it seems very easy to answer, many don’t hit the right string. This question allows you to market yourself to the interviewer. If you can position yourself well during this response, the direction of the rest of the interview can change drastically. Despite this, I have seen many people committing a lot of mistakes while answering this.
Most common mistakes are:
Repeating the CV : Don’t get me wrong! It is not a mistake to highlight your credentials and achievements that are in the CV. But you should be able to add more than what is present in your CV. You should where to stop and what else to add.
Too lengthy response : A few people will go on and on till the interviewer cuts them. Any response of about 5 minutes is very risky. The interviewer would lose the focus, may find it boring, and may cut you in the middle before you complete your response. You could make it 5 minutes if only there is a very very compelling story to tell and you think you should tell that in your response to this. Ideally, you should limit your answer to 3 minutes.
Too many details: A few people share many irrelevant details or use a lot of technical jargon. Too many details will just deviate from the interviewer. You should know exactly what to share and what not to. Remember this is not a friendly chat, this is an interview. And you should use technical jargon ONLY, IF and ONLY if it is a technical interview or you are very certain that the interviewer knows those terms.
As I said before, this is the opportunity for you to market yourself to the interviewer. You should make it interesting and make a compelling argument. You should give a glimpse of you and show how you can be the right candidate for the role.
Here is the format that I suggest you all use:
I am (your name). I would describe myself as (add your strengths or personality traits that you think will be beneficial for the role). During my graduation at (Your college name), ( quote a scenario or achievement that supports one of the strengths that you have quoted above). Then I have joined (company name) as (role). During my stint, (quote a scenario or achievement that supports the strengths that you have quoted above)
If you still have time or if you have researched well about the company then add these at the end
“I believe your company/your role requires (the values of the company or the crucial traits required for the role). My (quote your skills or traits that are in line with the values of the company or for the role) are in right fit and complement well to excel in this role”
Example:
“ I am XXX. I would describe myself as quick learner and versatile. I have joined XX after my graduation at XX. During my stint at XX, I was given training on CRM tool. But I was given project on entirely different technology. I took that as challenge and learnt the new technology with the help of peers, seniors and internet. I had started developing the code within a month and I was acclaimed for my quick turnaround time and giving quality output. (This supports the claim of quick learner). Besides being good at academics and excelling at work, I am also good at dancing, playing chess and playing badminton. I have given more than 100 dance performances till date and was runner-up in district chess competitions (Supporting the claim for being versatile).”
You can either stick with the above format or create your own format that works for your profile. Here are a few things that you should do while preparing your response.
Introspect:
You need to introspect a lot to understand your strengths and achievements that will be useful for the organization you join. Take a pen and paper, sit down peacefully, and keep writing about yourself. This is for yourself. You are not showing this to anyone. So be open. Keep writing about all the best things you have done until now. All the things that you believe you are good at. At times you may miss a few achievements when you just think about your work life or college life. Once you start writing the details, you will remember the things that you have done so far. Keep writing. This will take time. Write about every small detail. Once you complete this you will get a lot of clarity.
If you are stuck or not sure what to write, you can use these prompts.
Don’t hesitate to mention small achievements:
I know! We are constantly told to quantify our achievements make it big etc while writing our cv. But Do remember that the achievements need not always be big and quantifiable, as opposed to what we listen to constantly in our colleges. We often listen to make it quantifiable, use numbers, share big achievements!! I say, it is not necessary. If you think you have a different way of working than others which is making you more productive, mention it. If you think you are good at something mention it. These are the qualities that make you unique.
Align with company values:
Once you have made a list of all your traits and strengths, you need to figure out what are the 3 things that you want to mention in your response. To help you decide this, research about the values of the topmost companies you want to get into. Make a list of all those values and pick the ones that are most aligned with your personality. Rank them in the order of frequency. I will write a separate post on this topic, explaining this in detail.
Make it crisp and short:
Make sure to complete the answer in 2 to 3 minutes max. Don’t bombard with all the details and make it lengthy. Don’t give everything away. Keep something for the interview to ask you further.
Once you finish writing your response, make sure to practice it. Look at the mirror, have a stopwatch by your side, and practice. Practice until you are confident with your answer.
Follow the above tips and make a unique pitch that fits your profile perfectly. Keep visiting this blog for more interview tips, career advice, MBA preparation tips. Comment below if you have any queries.
Originally published at http://urinvictus.com.
