Career Talk: Learn - Grow - Thrive

How To Answer The Interview Question Tell Me About Yourself


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How To Answer The Interview Question Tell Me About Yourself 

We’ve all been asked this interview question. It feels super loaded which is why I don’t even ask this question. 

 Tell me about yourself … I immediately think coffee addict, dog mom, wine lover. None of the stuff you should talk about during an interview is what comes to mind. That being said, we have to be with this particular question a little bit more strategic.  

What the interviewer is looking for is to know mostly about your background. 90% of this question should be answered about your background. Think about it as your elevator pitch. I have seen people go on and on and on when answering this type of question. 

Here is the equation: 

  • 1 sentence about our background 
  • 1 background diving a little bit deeper
  • 1 sentence about what we passionate about in our field 
  • 1-2 super quick tidbits  
  • My example was in tiers.

    • 1 - 50k foot view 
    • 2 - 10k foot view 
    • My passion
    • Personal tid bit 
    • Couple reminders: 

      1. we are keeping it buttoned up
      2. must be less than 2 mins 
      3. think about it as your elevator pitch
      4. offer enough information for them to get a great overview 
      5. providing a foundation for the interviewer to ask questions and dive deeper 
      6. personal tid bits 
      7. What we are not doing: 

        1. rambling on
        2. not 50/50 personal and professional 
        3. we are not taking over the conversation 
        4.  

          To connect:  

          Instagram: 

          @stephdennis13 

          Facebook:

          www.facebook.com/stephdennis13 

          You’re awesome!! 

          Go be your amazing self today!!! 

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          Career Talk: Learn - Grow - ThriveBy Stephanie Dennis

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