Tell me about yourself
TRAPS: Beware, about 80% of all
interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many candidates, unprepared for
the question, skewer themselves by rambling, recapping their life story,
delving into ancient work history or personal matters.
BEST ANSWER: Start with the present and tell
why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to all
successful interviewing is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer
is looking for. In other words you must
sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single most important strategy in
job hunting.
So, before you answer this or any
question it's imperative that you try to uncover your interviewer's greatest
need, want, problem or goal. To do so, make you take these two steps:
1.
Do all the homework you can before the interview to
uncover this person's wants and needs
(not the generalized needs of the industry or company)
2.
As early as you can in the interview, ask for a more
complete description of what the position entails. You might say: “I have a number of
accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to make the best use of
our time together and talk directly to your needs. To help me do, that, could
you tell me more about the most important priorities of this position? All I know is what I (heard from the
recruiter, read in the classified ad, etc.)”
Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a second and possibly, third question, to
draw out his needs even more. Surprisingly, it's usually this second or third question that unearths what the interviewer is most looking for. You might ask simply, "And in addition to that?..." or, "Is there anything else you see as essential to success in this position?:
This process will not feel easy or natural at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions, but only if you uncover the employer's wants and needs will your answers make the most sense. Practice asking these key questions before giving your answers, the process will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other job candidates you're competing with.
After uncovering what the employer is looking for, describe why the needs of this job bear striking parallels to tasks you've succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples of your responsibilities and especially your achievements, all of which are geared to present yourself as a perfect match for the needs he has just described.
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