1How to answer “Tell Me About Yourself”
One of the most often asked HR interview questions is “Tell Me About You.” Take a deep breath, unwind, and think about your own professional and academic experiences as you get ready to confront interviewers and their challenging inquiries. Pick the ones you want to emphasize in the interview. You can answer the interview question “Tell me about yourself” with confidence if you put this drill to use.
There are numerous ways to phrase the question, “Tell me about yourself.” This question can also be phrased as “Describe yourself in three words” or “In one word,” for example. List all of your notable achievements in both your academic and professional careers.
To read a thorough article on self-introduction, go here.
2Why do interviewers ask this question?
You must first understand why they are asking the question in order to provide a more appropriate response.
You should be aware that the interviewer isn’t curious about your life story or your dinner the previous night. Actually, the inquiry is only a technique for them to learn more about you before the actual interview.
It’s an introductory question, and the interviewer will decide what to ask next based on your response. Now is your moment to leave a lasting impression.
The interviewer will be happy to enquire further if you give a thoughtful response. You will be tagged as the “OK Candidate,” nonetheless, if you choose the wrong answer. What therefore qualifies as a “good answer”?
3An Easy Formula to answer for “Tell Me About Yourself” Question
It’s actually quite simple, though.
Trying to get a job in accounting? Your prior career as a real estate agent is not relevant to the recruiter. Your response must be tailored to the job for which you are applying.
Based on Experience & Accomplishments – Be quite detailed in your response. Don’t just mention “Mike, sales manager,” please. Include details about your school background, career highlights, and motivations for applying for the position in your response.
Structured – You should respond in a straightforward, concise manner. It is advisable to go with the tried-and-true “Past-Present-Future” method. In other words, structure your response as follows:
Past – What are your qualifications and relevant job history? How did you get to where you are now?
Present – What position do you have right now? What do you do? What are your greatest successes?
Future – What plans do you have for the foreseeable future? What attracts you to this position?
Sample Answer
I’m Karen, and I’m 35 years old, so, yeah.
For the past five years, I’ve worked as a business analyst for Companies X and Y.
I graduated from University XY, and I have some data analysis experience. But what really piqued my interest in the industry was my internship at Company Z. I’ve come to the realization that throughout my career, I’ve been skilled at handling data and numbers.
For instance, I oversaw a project at Company X where the goal was to lower costs by moving all operations data to a new data warehousing system. We eventually managed to save up to $200,000 yearly due to the new solution’s greater fit for our business.
Going forward, I wanted to increase the breadth of my business experience. Your business appeals to me because it focuses specifically on fintech.
4Here’s how to go about it :
The answer is precise. Karen doesn’t get off course as he talks about his career as a business analyst and his earlier data-related triumphs.
The answer is provided based on experiences and achievements. Karen talks about his work as a business analyst and focuses on some of his best successes.
The structure of the answer’s past, present, and future is correct.
5Four Important Tips on Answering “Tell Me About Yourself” Question
Keep it precise and professional
Try to confine your response to not more than 1-2 minutes as the HR manager is not interested in learning about your entire life.
They couldn’t care less where you attended kindergarten, how your first internship went, or what you majored in during high school.
Stick to your key selling points that are applicable to the position.
Tip: If you notice that the interviewer is becoming disengaged, it may be time to end the session.
Your answer shouldn’t like as follows
I’ve always had a fascination with technology.
However, it all probably began when I was a young child because I got my first computer at the age of 9. I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with code and picking up new skills. But it wasn’t until I took my first lesson about it in high school that I truly fell in love with the topic.
Since then, I have continued to learn more about it and have chosen to major in IT at University X, where I acquired the necessary knowledge.
Practice, but avoid memorization
In almost every interview, the question “tell me about yourself” will be asked.
So all you need to do is practice giving your response! Do a fast fake interview with a friend.
However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t memorize your response.
Yes, it could seem safer, but if you forget something during the interview, your entire response may be ruined.
Instead, prepare a broad notion for what you’ll discuss, memorize the outline, then wing the rest of the interview.
Know your Interviewer.
It’s very important to remember who you are speaking to.
Is it the HR? The CTO? CMO? CEO? Business manager? The hiring manager?
You may be wondering why this is important. The fact is, each of these folks has a different expectation for the response.
Say the HR manager is interviewing you for the position of software developer. You’ve all but lost them if you start babbling on and on about how much you adore writing Assembly code.
The HR manager has no experience with assembly or code.
They anticipate a more general response about your background, professional goals, and motivations for applying to the organization.
On the other hand, if the CTO or the hiring manager is interviewing you, you are free to nerd out as much as you like.
Remember W.A.P
Every effective response to the question, “Tell me about yourself,” should include the following:
Work- It should account for around 80% of your response. Here, concentrate on your prior experience and achievements.
Academic – You should then discuss your academic history in 10 to 15 percent of your response (university, academic achievements, etc.).
Personal – The final 5–10% of your resume should be about you as a person while still being pertinent to the employer.
However, keep in mind that the W.A.P Rule is not unchangeable.
For instance, if you’re a student, your entire response can be around your scholastic endeavors and hobbies.
5Sample Answers for Experienced Professionals
Sample 1
Yes, I would be happy to. For the past eight years, I have managed projects with a tech focus.
I earned my degree in business administration with a major in management and a minor in computer science from University X, where I made the Dean’s List. After that, I started out in the field by working at Company X as an administrative assistant. I assisted in managing schedules, the digital filing system, and interdepartmental communication there by providing clerical support. After that, I spent the next six years managing projects for Company Y, a provider of cloud computing products. There, I personally oversaw five or more teams working on software projects and ensured that all business objectives, dates, budgets, and other factors were met.
I like to read about robots, technology, and AI when I have free time. I figured I’d apply since you guys handle all 3.
Sample 2
Sure. I’m Manisha Singh. Regarding my educational history, I graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in 2006. After that, I switched careers and started writing because the English language remained my first love.
After beginning to write for a news magazine, I moved on to more serious writing. I began putting together resumes, essays, and statements of purpose for individuals hoping to pursue further education abroad. I added blog writing as a supplement, where I received exposure to online information. Working in all these areas has given me a broad range of expertise in the field of content creation and editing, and with that knowledge in hand, I am wanting to join your company to advance my career.
6Sample Answers for Freshers
Sample 1
My name is Jane Doe, I’m 22 years old, and I just earned a B.A. in international business from University X. I gained a lot of theoretical knowledge about corporate communication, international economics, corporate governance, and other topics while I was there. I had a GPA of 3.6 and was active in the student government.
I worked really hard to get my degree, and now I’m prepared to employ what I’ve learned. Despite the fact that I have no professional experience, I have been exposed to the business world extensively. Students in many of my classes collaborated with real businesses to solve real problems. I’m currently attempting to leverage all I learned in school to get some real-world employment experience.
Sample 2
I’m Shakeel. Hello. I’m a Delhi native. I graduated with honors in English from X University. With an 89% on my CBSE Boards, I graduated from X School’s twelfth grade.
My mother is a lawyer, my father is an engineer, and my brother is getting a master’s degree in computer science. I enjoy playing chess, and I’ve competed for my school in a number of district and state-level tournaments.
Additionally, as a member of the Rotary Club, I have taught impoverished students in a variety of schools and visited several nursing homes. I now have a new perspective on life as a result of becoming a member of the Rotary Club, and I value who and where I am.”
7Sample Answer For Software Engineer Role
I was born and raised in Chennai, attended a convent school, and it wasn’t until I was in the ninth grade that I really became interested in the internet and technology. I pursued my interest by attending Women’s College, Chennai, to earn my bachelor’s degree in computer application.
The classes in my curriculum that I found most fascinating were Computer Networks and Design of Algorithms. These courses stoked my desire to learn more about computer-related topics.I also started getting ready for my Master of Computer Application course concurrently. In addition to my coursework, I took part in a number of art and culture-related activities hosted by my college. In terms of my line of work, I am currently a qualified computer programmer and use a variety of languages, including C, Java, PHP, JavaScript, C++, Python, Shell, Ruby, Objective-C, and C#. A huge passion of mine outside of job and school is playing the guitar, which is a fantastic stress reliever for me.
8Sample Answer for Software Tester Role
First of all, I want to thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity. Sapna Sharma is my name. My mother is a stay-at-home mom and my father, Mr. Shyam Sharma, is a teacher. My two other siblings are still enrolled in school.
I received my engineering degree from Annamalai University in 2014, and I have been employed as a software tester ever since. I worked really hard on various testing-related projects during my undergraduate studies, and I even received credentials for them.
I now want to advance my career by working as a software tester for your reputable company, where I also hope to get a chance to supervise people in my line of work.
9Key Takeaways
To summarize, here are the key suggestions for responding to the question, “Tell me about yourself”.
- Create a logical structure for your response. If you follow the past-present-future structure, everything will be OK.
- Keep it short and to the point (1-2 minutes max).
- Mention any of your greatest successes and related professional experiences.
Expect them to follow up and ask a tonne of extra questions given that this is just the beginning of the interview. All the best!