There is no applicant who comes in an interview that has not yet faced the question “Tell me about yourself.” For some, this question is the most challenging to answer because they don’t understand what the interviewer really wants to know.Focus your answer on the job and the interviewer. Why? What an interviewer would like to hear from you is your professional experience and how it relates to the job. The interviewer is not interested in where you were born or how exciting your childhood was (unless there was something about your personal experience that affects your candidacy).
How Do I Answer?
In answering this question, you should start with a brief summary of your career. If you have been working in software development, say something like, “I have been working in software development for five years now, with extensive experience in mobile app development.”
After a brief summary of your career, describe your greatest accomplishment and how it would affect the job.
The last part of your answer should include what you want to do next in your career and how it is relevant to the potential employer.
This is a brief guide on how you should answer this question, but this shouldn’t be construed the be-all and end-all. Any answer you give should be calibrated to the specific circumstances.
Other Tips:
People are different, and each interviewer has a unique personality. Industries are also different; they have skills they value more than other industries. A great way for you to do better on your next interview is by knowing your industry and interviewer. Understand what skills they are looking for and whom you are speaking to.
A human resources director is different from an IT department head; if you know who the interviewer will be, you can also frame your answer accordingly.
The Worst Answer
The worst answer you could possibly give when an interviewer asks the question is to say, “What do you want to know?” Doing so will eliminate any chance of being hired. When coming to an interview, it is expected that you will be prepared, and if you respond to an interviewer by asking what he or she wants to know, then you just showed that you are unprepared, and you can’t blame the interviewer for thinking that you are likely to come in for work with the same mindset.
This question should not be an obstacle for you to ace your interview; instead, this should be a tool you can use to present yourself as the best candidate for the job. Prepare for your interview, and don’t let this question prevent you from achieving success in your job search.
