Employers use a variety of different questions to determine whether you may be a good fit for their company. It is common for job seekers to get asked “Tell me about yourself” because it is the first question that employers ask. Therefore, it is important to know what you want to say about your background and experiences. Read more.
Why Do Employers Ask This Iconic Question?
Self-assessment is a key part of the job search process. It can be beneficial to an employer to learn about the candidate’s skills, experience, and education. However, employers may take the wrong message from your response to “Tell me about yourself.”
It seems that asking people to tell you about themselves is a common first step in the interview process. Many agree to the interview because they are curious to find out more about the companies they are applying to and their job prospects. Some of the nooks the employer wants to get to know you better in the interview process are to learn about your hobbies and interests, how you like to spend your free time, and what you do in your spare time.
Formulate The Best Response To “Tell Me About Yourself”
There are a few things that all job seekers have in common. These would include writing their resume (or getting a michigan resume writing service to do it for them, if that is where they live), searching for jobs, and preparing for interviews. Therefore, answering the question, “Tell me about yourself?” is an important part of every job seeker’s repertoire. To answer this iconic question, consider the following:
- Mention your past successes and experiences. The interviewer will really want to know about your experiences that relate to the position you’re seeking. The interviewer wants to know about your past work history, your educational background, and what your goals are. Everyone has heard about the old “knock on wood” saying, but it’s a phrase that has no meaning. So, it’s important to have a collection of success stories to tell potential employers about your past. Showing that you’ve overcome adversity is a good way to show that you’re a responsible person, and it’s a good way to sell yourself on a potential employer’s radar. However, try not to mislead your potential employer about your professional background, as they may use reference checks, work history background checks (https://checkr.com/platform/screenings/employment-verification), skills tests, etc., to uncover the truth.
- Express how your current job is 100% related to the job that you are seeking right now. Of all the things you can answer on an application, you should consider how your current job relates to the job you’re applying for. This is because your current job will help you determine whether you’re the type of person the company is looking for.
- Focus on the details that show your strengths and abilities that you can quantify. In order to answer the question, “Tell me about yourself,” you have to talk about things that demonstrate your strengths and abilities. Think about this: what makes you different from all other people? What makes you unique? What are your talents? You have these qualities that set you apart. You have these talents that you can support with examples. Examples are awesome!
- Share about your personality. Most employers want to know about you in a few key areas when you’re applying for a job. It’s tough to meet all their needs with a short paragraph and a handful of bullet points. It is for this reason that some businesses prefer to conduct a personality and strengths assessment before hiring new employees. Most often, interviews also serve this purpose. So one way to excel in a job interview is to highlight your personality instead of your skills and experience. That way, you can demonstrate your attitude and personality and stand out from the pack.
- Follow a format for your response. When you are asked a direct question in an interview, you want to answer it clearly and concisely. This is important because it is a way to demonstrate that you are an authentic person that is capable of taking direction and initiative. However, it is also important to organize your answer following a formula that will make it readable. The two most common formulas are the Present, Past, Future (P, P, F) and the Past, Present, Future (P, P, P).
The job interview process can be a nerve-wracking affair. The hiring manager is trying to find the right person for a job, you’re trying to impress them, and you have to answer all the possible questions they have. This is a question they usually ask in the opening of the interview, and it’s your chance to shine. The truth is, the question is actually very simple and straightforward, and there is a formula for answering it that you should know.