Tell me something about yourself please

Effectively Answering “Tell Me Something About Yourself”

Preparing for an interview? You shouldn’t underestimate the basic interview question i.e. “Tell me something about yourself” or “Tell me about yourself”. This interview question seems very easy to answer but in reality, it is most difficult to answer for many professionals. This is an open-ended interview question that has many ways to answer.

As they say, first impression is your last impression and your first impression decided based on how well you answer “Tell me something about yourself”. So, how do you answer this question? Do you start reading your resume that is already shared with the recruiters? Should you be sharing your personal life experiences? What level of information should you be sharing? How would be frame or structure the answer to “tell me about yourself”?

You might have a long list of questions but don’t worry! You are not alone in this. Many experienced professionals struggle to answer this question effectively.

In this article, we will see how can we structure our answer to “tell me about yourself” question? and answer it effectively to leave a strong first impression on the interviewers. But before, let’s understand what exactly the recruiters want to know when they ask, “Tell me something about yourself”?

What recruiters want to know by asking “Tell me something about yourself”?

Most of the people sitting in your interview are probably going to work with you. Therefore, they need to know if you are the right fit for the work they have and whether or not they can count on you. Hence, you will require to connect with them on a personal level.

An interviewer expects the following things when he or she asks “Tell me about yourself”;

Answer to this question leaves the first impression on the recruiters and the next questions depend on how well you answer this. However, there are few things that you shouldn’t be doing while answering “tell me about yourself”;

Do’s and Don’ts for answering “Tell me about yourself”

The following are some of the key Do’s and Don’ts that you should follow while structuring your answer. This will summarize the content you should be considering while drafting your answer to this question.

To DO’s

The Don’ts

How to structure your answer to “Tell me something about yourself”?

Your answer to this question should be precise, specific to the job description, and interesting. I would recommend to follow the Present – Past – Future approach for structuring your “tell me about yourself” answer. This is how it is done;

Don’t forget to mention your technical and interpersonal skill sets, educational qualifications, and certifications related to the job or position you are applying for. Structure your “tell me something about yourself” answer by following present-past-future formula and write it down. Now, read it out and modify it until you feel it satisfying.

Let’s see a “Tell me something about yourself” answer’s example;

Example answer to “Tell me something about yourself” question for a Business Analyst

This is how Ross Geller who is working in Microsoft as a senior business analyst will answer “Tell me something about yourself” in google.

“Well – My name is Rose Geller and I am 32 years old.

I have been working as a senior business analyst with Microsoft for more than 5 years now. During this time, I have worked on multiple projects and successfully meet the business expectation.

Before joining Microsoft, I was working as a business analyst with company X that was providing cloud-based HealthCare solutions for payers and providers. I was also leading a team of 5 professionals and was able to meet the deadline.

I am graduated from the ABC university and specialized in Computer Science. I also have CBAP certification that helped me to enhance my skillsets and deliver the best in the company I am working in. I have strong communication and client relationship building skills. I’m a healthcare domain SME and have a basic understanding of SDLC – Waterfall and Agile, SQL, Cloud computing.

Now, I am looking forward to expanding my experience across different industries. Particularly Google, which is why I am interested in your company.”

That was a satisfactory answer. Let’s go through some key tips that you will find helpful while answering “tell me about yourself”.

Important tips to answer “tell me about yourself”

1. Know your audience

It is very important to know the audience i.e. who is your interviewer? It is a project manager, HR, Director, etc. It is required because your answer will depend on the audience. You might not want to answer the same thing that you will answer the project manager or lead. E.g. Your HR will not be interested in technical skillsets and they might not be able to get it as well.

2. Keep it short and interesting

As I explained earlier in this article, your answer should be a quick story that explains your professional experience and skills relevant to the company you are interviewed for. Don’t stretch and don’t make it too short, however, you shouldn’t be taking more than 2-3 minutes to finish your story. You should know when to stop with an interesting line.

3. Read the Job Description

Your answer to “tell me about yourself” will be crafted based on the company’s requirements. Therefore, you should be knowing the complete job description before you appear for an interview. Every company or recruitment agency provides the job description while sharing the vacancy. You should customize your answer according to the job description.

4. Practice, Practice, and Practice

Practice multiple times until you feel satisfied. You can try practicing in front of the mirror. However, you shouldn’t memorize a complete resume. This will make your interview boring and the recruiters can easily catch you. Therefore, give some time in practicing your answer to “tell me something about yourself”.

Don’t forget to keep it professional and avoid personal information. These were the key tips for an interesting answer “tell me something about yourself” question and make a strong impression on the interviewers.

This will work great if you have the experience but what if you are a fresher or just graduated from a college? Well, you can refer the following “Tell me something about yourself example for fresher candidate”.

“Tell me something about yourself” answer sample for the fresher’s

This is how Rachel Green who just got out of college will answer this question in Intel company.

“Well – My name is Rachel Green and I am 21 years old.

I recently graduated from ABC University with a major in business administration. During my time in college, I learned about corporate communication, economics, corporate governance, international commerce, and more. I was a student of a year in the year 2018 and also activity involved in community work.

I am a hard worker and self-learner that has helped me to achieve a GPA of 3.8. Even though I have don’t have real-life experience, but I have worked part-time in X company for 6 months that helped me to get exposure to the business environment. A lot of my courses involved working with real companies to solve real problems.

Now, I am ready to apply my knowledge and skillset into practice and it would be a great opportunity to get started as an associate analyst with a company like Intel.”

Sounds great right?

Conclusion

Tell me something about yourself – this question might sound very simple but most of the professionals struggle in answering.

This is the first question you will face in any interview and if you can manage to answer effectively, then you simply won the interview. Your personality and chances of getting hired are dependent on this question.

You can smartly structure the answer to “tell me about yourself” by using the “present-past-future” formula as explained in this article. Don’t forget the DO’s and Don’ts and important tips that are shared in this post.

Once you have your answer ready, practice until you feel confident. Now, you have “tell me something about yourself sample answers” for fresher candidates as well as experienced professionals.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and it helped in your interview preparation. Please consider share with your friends on social media if you linked it. You can also subscribe to the BABeginners mailing list to get the latest article to your inbox as soon as it is published.

Tell Me Something Interesting About Yourself! Interview Question & Answer

Tell Me Something Interesting About Yourself! Interview Question And Answer!

In this article, we are going to teach you how to answer the very difficult interview question, “tell me something interesting about yourself?”. Now, this is a very tricky interview question to answer, and most candidates do not have a clue what to say! However, if you have a job interview coming up soon for any role or organization, stay tuned because we will give you the perfect scripted response!

WE WILL COVER THE FOLLOWING 4 THINGS DURING THIS JOB INTERVIEW TRAINING PRESENTATION:

#1. We will explain why the interviewer is asking you the tough interview question, “tell me something interesting about yourself”. If you understand why the question is being asked, it allows you to give a brilliant answer that is guaranteed to impress the hiring manager.

#2. We will give you a list of things you can say that are interesting about a person. You can then choose which interesting thing is most applicable to you and your experience.

#3. We will tell you how to answer the interview question, “tell me something interesting about yourself”. There is a secret to answering this interview question correctly and we will tell you what that secret is below.

#4. We will give you three example scripted answers to the interview question, “tell me something interesting about yourself” to help you pass your job interview!

WHY IS THE INTERVIEWER IS ASKING YOU THE QUESTION, “TTELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF”

They are asking you this interview question because they want to employ someone who is innovative, creative, has drive and passion, and who is going to make a difference to their company. They want to hire someone who has standout skills and qualities, and this interview question assesses whether or not you have them.

7 THINGS YOU CAN SAY THAT ARE INTERESTING ABOUT A PERSON

#1. Is to say you have carried out VOLUNTARY WORK.

This is a good thing to say in response to this interview question because it shows you are a compassionate and caring person who puts the needs of others before themselves.

#2. Is to say that you have WON AN AWARD.

It might be a sporting award or trophy, or even an award at work for being the strongest performing employee for a particular month. If you have won awards in the past, it tells the interviewer you are a high achiever who is likely to excel in the role.

#3. Is to say you have LEARNED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFICULT.

Maybe you have learned how to play a musical instrument, learned how to be good at a particular sport or pastime, or learned a useful skill that has enhanced your life in some way. If you have learned how to do something that is difficult it demonstrates the ability to concentrate and apply yourself.

#5. Is to say you have done some CHARITY WORK OR FUNDRAISING.

People who do good work for charity are generally compassionate people who care about other people. They are also not afraid to work hard and take on difficult challenges in order to aid other people who are perhaps not as fortunate as themselves.

#6. Is to say you have ACHIEVED AN IMPORTANT LIFE GOAL.

Examples of life goals include saving up to buy a house, climbing a mountain you always wanted to climb, losing weight, or even running a marathon. If you set yourself life goals, and you achieve them, it shows you to be a disciplined and persistent person.

#7. Is to say you have A PASSION, HOBBY, OR A PASTIME.

People who have hobbies or pastimes are generally more relaxed and less likely to suffer from depression. Also, any type of activity that gets you out and about makes you feel better, and if your pastime is done with other people, it usually means you have good teamwork, relationship-building, and communication skills.

THE SECRET TO ANSWERING THE INTERVIEW QUESTION, “TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF.”

The secret is to make sure you structure your answer using the following 3 steps:

STEP 1. Tell the interviewer what your interesting thing is.

STEP 2. Explain what this says about you in terms of your strengths and qualities.

STEP 3. Tell the interviewer how this will benefit their organization if they hire you.

TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF (ANSWER #1)

TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF (ANSWER #2)

“A couple of years ago, I really wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I couldn’t afford lessons at the time so I studied online using YouTube tutorials. I set myself a goal of being able to play 20 songs within twelve months. To achieve that goal, I decided to dedicate one hour of practice every day, and I actually reached my goal of playing 20 songs within 8 months. I am a determined person who can sit down, concentrate, and work methodically towards a goal. In the workplace, this means I can be relied on to finish a task on time and to a very high standard”

TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF (ANSWER #3)

“In my last role, I won an award for being the best performing member of our team in terms of sales generated for the company. I found different ways to help the company drive sales through new online marketing techniques that I’d read about. I felt really proud to have won the award but I was more pleased for the company because it meant we had a record year of sales. I’m a very driven and enthusiastic person, and when I have a goal to work towards, I am at my best. I believe these transferrable qualities could be of real benefit to your company because I am the type of person who always wants to achieve great things and improve.”

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Interview Question: «Tell Me About Something Not on Your Resume»

Brooke Pelczynski / The Balance

When you’re interviewing for a new job, interviewers want to go beyond what you have shared with them on your resume.

One way for an interviewer to gain this perspective is to ask you an open-ended question such as, “Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your resume.”

If you get this question, it’s an opportunity to choose the most compelling information to share that is not obvious from your resume. It is often asked as a follow-up to one of the most common interview questions, «Tell me about yourself.»

What the Interviewer Wants to Know

Your resume states the facts, but the interviewer wants to know about the person behind the work history. This will help your interviewer determine whether you’re a good match for the job and the organization.

To uncover this information, interviewers ask different questions to get an in-depth view of your qualifications for the job, as well as of your personality.

Ultimately, they want to know that you’re not only able to carry out the duties of the job, but that you’ll fit in well with the team and the corporate culture.

How to Answer Interview Questions About What’s Not on Your Resume

For the applicant, questions that dig further into your background provide an opportunity to share more about the personal qualities and attributes that would enable you to be a successful employee if you were to be hired.

Watch Now: Tips for Answering «Tell Me Something Not on Your Resume»

There are several different ways you can answer the question.

Option 1: Share a strength that isn’t on your resume. Before every interview, itemize the core strengths that you want to convey during your interview. This type of question can provide an opening to emphasize an asset that is not transparent from your resume.

For example, public speaking might be an important requirement in the job for which you’re being considered. You may not have had the opportunity to speak in front of groups during your work history. However, you could respond that you were on the debate team in college, excelled at presentations as part of group projects in school, gave a talk at a volunteer dinner, or won a marketing competition as an undergraduate. Or perhaps you want to emphasize your commitment, willingness to go the extra mile, and creative problem-solving skills.

Option 2: Share an intangible strength. Your resume should already list the accomplishments and the skills you used to generate these achievements. However, subjective assets like personal qualities are harder to incorporate into a resume, like your work ethic or loyalty.

Option 3: Explain why you want the job. Employers are often just as concerned about your motivation for taking on a particular type of work as they are about your knowledge and skills. So this kind of question provides an opportunity to explain why the job is so appealing to you.

You can emphasize why you were inspired to apply for the job. You can also explain that you are willing to invest a great deal of energy if hired.

For example, if you are applying for a fundraising position with a medical research facility, you could mention that you developed a commitment to medical research because your mom or dad was a physician and had shared stories about how difficult it was for their patients with debilitating diseases.

Option 4: Share something personal. Finally, you can take this opportunity to share a hobby or interest that might positively reflect upon your character or make you a memorable candidate. This approach will make the most sense if you have already been able to convey your job-specific assets and motivations sufficiently.

For example, if you are applying for a job that requires a great deal of intellectual firepower, then you might share your passion for chess, or if physical risk-taking is required, you might mention your interest in rock climbing.

Examples of the Best Answers

Example Answer #1

Why It Works: Presumably, this accomplishment didn’t make it on to the candidate’s resume. This is an impressive answer—the end result saved the company money (something every employer desires) and also shows that the candidate is a self-starter, strong negotiator, and clever.

Example Answer #2

For me, this isn’t just another administrative assistant job. I love that by working at an animal shelter, I’ll be doing my part to care for animals who need help the most. Ever since I was little, my family has adopted and fostered cats and dogs. I currently have two dogs, both of whom I’ve adopted from local shelters.

Why It Works: This shows the candidate’s passion for the position, and demonstrates that the candidate is interested in this particular job (not any role that comes along).

Example Answer #3

You can see from my resume that my sales team exceeded its annual goal by 15%. One of the keys to that success was my willingness to go out on more sales calls with staff to help close deals with major clients. It meant more late evenings catching up on my administrative tasks, but it was well worth it.

Why It Works: This answer reveals a personal quality—the candidate’s work ethic—that might be hinted at on the resume, but likely isn’t stated as clearly.

Example Answer #4

I attribute my sales record to my competitive nature. I’m always looking for new challenges. Last year, I competed in my first triathlon and I’ve been hooked ever since. In my free time, you can usually find me training. I also value the peace and focus that I’ve gained through my efforts to continuously improve.

Why It Works: This answer gets personal, but handily shows how the candidate’s interests link to positive work traits.

Tips for Giving the Best Response

Keep it relevant to the job. You can get personal, but don’t over-share and don’t stray too far from skills and traits that show how you’re suitable for the role.

Be sincere and authentic. Part of the reason interviewers ask this question is to get a sense of your personality and how you’ll fit in on the job. So give them an honest answer that shows who you are.

Share your strengths. As mentioned above, one of the best strategies for answering this question is to share either an intangible strength or one that isn’t mentioned on your resume.

What Not to Say

This question may be open-ended, but that doesn’t mean any answer is a good one. Here are some things to avoid in your response:

Rambling or talking for too long: Take a second before you begin speaking to gather your thoughts. You don’t want to monologue for several paragraphs in your response. Keep your response clear and organized as much as possible. Storytelling can be a valuable interview tool, but it should be seamless—and speedy. Don’t tell your interviewer that you’re about to tell them something. Get right to the point and respect their time by being concise.

Reciting your resume: Your interviewer has your resume and is interested in hearing something a bit different. You can give an overview of your career, but make sure it goes beyond the facts in your resume by highlighting why this path interested you. And make sure to focus on the high points. Don’t dwell on the early stages of your career, which might not be relevant to the position you’re seeking now.

Over-sharing: It’s fine to talk about hobbies and passions, but keep in mind the interviewer is really most interested in your job performance. Stay away from overly personal responses or sharing interests or hobbies that reflect poorly on you as a candidate.

Anything negative: Stay upbeat during the job interview. Avoid saying anything less than positive about former bosses, co-workers, or employers. Otherwise, hiring managers will assume that you’ll give them (and their employer) the same treatment. No one wants to hire someone who’ll talk about them behind their back later on.

Your prospective manager may assume that you’ll talk about them the same way – or that you’re the problem.

Unprofessional behavior: While this question offers you the opportunity to connect more deeply, it’s not an invitation to drop your guard or behave unprofessionally. Keep your language, demeanor, and stories safe for work.

Possible Follow-up Questions

Key Takeaways

Be strategic: Highlight qualities that’ll boost your candidacy.

Keep company culture in mind: One of the goals in your response is demonstrating that you’re a good fit for the company culture.

Avoid unprofessional answers: Do not over-share or ramble. Even though this question has the potential to get personal, it’s still a job interview.

tell+me+something+about+yourself

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См. также в других словарях:

tell — [ tel ] (past tense and past participle told [ tould ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 give information ▸ 2 order/advise to do something ▸ 3 recognize something ▸ 4 have clear effect ▸ 5 fail to keep secret ▸ 6 count something ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) transitive to give… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

keep something to yourself — phrase to not tell anyone else about something I want you to keep this to yourself! Thesaurus: to keep something secretsynonym Main entry: keep * * * ˌkeep sth to yourˈself derived to no … Useful english dictionary

keep something to yourself — to not tell anyone else about something I want you to keep this to yourself! … English dictionary

tell */*/*/ — UK [tel] / US verb Word forms tell : present tense I/you/we/they tell he/she/it tells present participle telling past tense told UK [təʊld] / US [toʊld] past participle told Get it right: tell: Unlike the verb say, the verb tell is usually used… … English dictionary

tell — W1S1 [tel] v past tense and past participle told [təuld US tould] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(communicate something)¦ 2¦(show something)¦ 3¦(what somebody should do)¦ 4¦(know)¦ 5¦(recognize difference)¦ 6 tell yourself something 7¦(warn)¦ 8¦(tell somebody about… … Dictionary of contemporary English

tell — /tel/ verb past tense and past participle told /tUld/ 1 SAY/INFORMATION (T) to give someone facts or information about something: tell sb (that): She wrote to tell me she couldn t come. | Don t tell me you ve forgotten my birthday again. | Police … Longman dictionary of contemporary English

tell — [[t]te̱l[/t]] ♦ tells, telling, told 1) VERB If you tell someone something, you give them information. [V n that] In the evening I returned to tell Phyllis our relationship was over. [V n wh] I called Andie to tell her how spectacular the stuff … English dictionary

something — some|thing [ sʌmθıŋ ] pronoun *** 1. ) used for referring to a thing, idea, fact, etc. when you do not know or say exactly what it is: I could smell something burning. Carl said something about an operation. Whenever she sees something that she… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

something */*/*/ — UK [ˈsʌmθɪŋ] / US pronoun 1) used for referring to a thing without saying exactly what it is used for referring to a thing, idea, fact etc when you do not know or say exactly what it is I could smell something burning. Carl said something about… … English dictionary

tell me about it — phrase used for saying that you already know about something unpleasant that someone has just described because you have experienced it yourself ‘I’m so overworked.’ ‘Tell me about it!’ Thesaurus: ways of saying that you know, understand or… … Useful english dictionary

tell yourself (that) — phrase to make yourself consider something in order to understand it correctly or to persuade yourself that it is true I kept telling myself that it would all be over soon. Thesaurus: to think carefully or a lot about thingssynonym Main entry:… … Useful english dictionary

tell me something about yourself

Смотреть что такое «tell me something about yourself» в других словарях:

tell — [ tel ] (past tense and past participle told [ tould ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 give information ▸ 2 order/advise to do something ▸ 3 recognize something ▸ 4 have clear effect ▸ 5 fail to keep secret ▸ 6 count something ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) transitive to give… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

keep something to yourself — phrase to not tell anyone else about something I want you to keep this to yourself! Thesaurus: to keep something secretsynonym Main entry: keep * * * ˌkeep sth to yourˈself derived to no … Useful english dictionary

keep something to yourself — to not tell anyone else about something I want you to keep this to yourself! … English dictionary

tell */*/*/ — UK [tel] / US verb Word forms tell : present tense I/you/we/they tell he/she/it tells present participle telling past tense told UK [təʊld] / US [toʊld] past participle told Get it right: tell: Unlike the verb say, the verb tell is usually used… … English dictionary

tell — W1S1 [tel] v past tense and past participle told [təuld US tould] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(communicate something)¦ 2¦(show something)¦ 3¦(what somebody should do)¦ 4¦(know)¦ 5¦(recognize difference)¦ 6 tell yourself something 7¦(warn)¦ 8¦(tell somebody about… … Dictionary of contemporary English

tell — /tel/ verb past tense and past participle told /tUld/ 1 SAY/INFORMATION (T) to give someone facts or information about something: tell sb (that): She wrote to tell me she couldn t come. | Don t tell me you ve forgotten my birthday again. | Police … Longman dictionary of contemporary English

tell — [[t]te̱l[/t]] ♦ tells, telling, told 1) VERB If you tell someone something, you give them information. [V n that] In the evening I returned to tell Phyllis our relationship was over. [V n wh] I called Andie to tell her how spectacular the stuff … English dictionary

something — some|thing [ sʌmθıŋ ] pronoun *** 1. ) used for referring to a thing, idea, fact, etc. when you do not know or say exactly what it is: I could smell something burning. Carl said something about an operation. Whenever she sees something that she… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

something */*/*/ — UK [ˈsʌmθɪŋ] / US pronoun 1) used for referring to a thing without saying exactly what it is used for referring to a thing, idea, fact etc when you do not know or say exactly what it is I could smell something burning. Carl said something about… … English dictionary

tell me about it — phrase used for saying that you already know about something unpleasant that someone has just described because you have experienced it yourself ‘I’m so overworked.’ ‘Tell me about it!’ Thesaurus: ways of saying that you know, understand or… … Useful english dictionary

tell yourself (that) — phrase to make yourself consider something in order to understand it correctly or to persuade yourself that it is true I kept telling myself that it would all be over soon. Thesaurus: to think carefully or a lot about thingssynonym Main entry:… … Useful english dictionary