Interview Question 101 - Tell Me About Yourself

'So, Tell Me About Yourself'
 
You walk into the interview, shake hands, sit down and the first thing that comes out of the interviewer's mouth is 'Tell me a little bit about yourself".
Ah. Ok.......What do they want to hear about? Do you tell them about how you like to hang glide? Do you talk about your family? Wait. What if talking about your children provides grounds for inadvertent discrimination? Do you stick to your work history? Will that make you seem boring?
 
This interview 'question’ often stumps a lot of applicants when they’re in the interview hot seat, as they don’t quite understand how to balance sharing personal versus professional information. Rest assured, recruiters and hiring managers don’t ask this question simply to see you squirm!

The motivation here is to gather a more balanced view of you as a person, outside of the work history on your resume. It’s also an excellent opportunity for you to develop a rapport with the interviewer and it gives you a chance to take a few deep breaths and relax into the interview process.
 
When you’re interviewing for a position, you need to keep in mind the core message that you want to deliver, when answering ALL questions - even ones that sounds friendly and chatty! The core message during an interview is “I’m the best match for this position, and I’m someone you want to hire as part of your team.” With that in mind, here are some quick dos and don’ts:
 
Dos and Don’ts
 
DO NOT – Go too far into personal territory.
Remember you’re in a job interview, not having a coffee with an old friend. Let's not talk about health issues, local drama, or focus on your family too much.
 
DO NOT – Load in so much information that no one else can get a word in.
If you want to develop a rapport with the interviewer, they need a chance to engage with you and your story. Your answers should be open ended, paint a picture of YOU, and give some insight into your personality.
 
DO NOT – Keep things purely professional.
You want to give the interviewer a little insight into you as a person. This is also an opportunity to provide context around any major career changes or gaps.
For example, you may have travelled overseas for 12 months and have a gap in your work history, or perhaps you have gone back to study to facilitate a major career change. Talk about it!
 
DO NOT – Over exaggerate or tell tall tales.
This one is self-explanatory. Recruiters and hiring managers perform reference checks, and if things that seem too good to be true - they check.
 
DO - Be upfront and honest about your abilities and achievements.
 
So, What CAN I Say?
 
If I were asked this question (and being self-employed I often am!) I would say:
 
“I’m a resume writer and career coach, so I work with people to empower them to succeed and develop confidence when job hunting. My background is in recruitment, and I cut my teeth working for a major recruiting agency in several locations all around Australia, recruiting for a range of industries. I loved engaging with applicants and sourcing the best possible employees for my clients, but I noticed very quickly that I spent a lot of time either culling through poorly written resumes that didn’t do the applicant justice or interviewing applicants that were so nervous that they struggled to represent themselves well. When I took maternity leave my family moved to Cairns, and unfortunately, there was no local branch of the company I worked for there. Thinking back to my time recruiting, I decided to start a resume writing business to demystify the recruitment process and help job seekers represent themselves in the best possible way. I started off with a laptop and 40 minute stretches of naptime, and haven't looked back. “
 
Now, trust me when I say that spiel never comes out the same way twice, but it doesn’t need to! I know the things I want to cover, and I can use them to paint a quick picture that tells more about me as a person than my resume alone can, and it takes me maybe 2 – 3 minutes to deliver. It also leaves a little room for the interviewer to ask me questions back.
 
BAM! We have a conversation, rather than a monologue.
 
Take The Next Step
 
I hope you’ve found this useful! If you need a little hands-on help to prepare for interviews, we’d love to help you book a session with by emailing [email protected] Alternatively, you can join our mailing list or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook,  where we post regular tips and tricks to help you successfully negotiate your job hunt.
 
Our whole job is your next job. With a bit of polish on your resume and interview skills, you’ll stand a cut above the rest.
 
Simply Careers is a small resume writing and career development service. We have close ties throughout the Mid North Coast, Cairns, and Canberra, and believe in creating flexible working opportunities for incredible writers. You might work with the owner Adriana, or one of our fabulous team members. Regardless, you’ll be in safe hands and connected with someone who wants to understand your needs, and equip you with the tools you need.