Tell me about yourself

How to respond to...

Nailing this question starts with realizing that your interviewer already knows your job history thanks to your resume.Identify what the organization specifically needs from this role. Go the organization’s website, click “About Us,” and educate yourself on their corporate culture and core values. The idea is to match who you are and your personal story with the company’s brand and primary need.

So, tell me about yourself

It seems easy because it feels like a free pass: no hypothetical scenario, no request for real-life examples, no technical challenge, not even the dreaded “What’s your biggest flaw?” Just…tell me anything.

It seems simple

So ... Tell me about yourself. Receiving such an open invitation invites more perils than opportunities, because you’re given no framework for your response — just a blank, clue-free canvas.

how to respond

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This is also not the time to reveal personal information about your life, like your family life, recent vacation, and puppetry obsession. That can come later

Performing a monologue based on your LinkedIn page is pointless

If you weren’t qualified, you wouldn’t be in the room.

• Should I tell my life story?
• Should I run through my job history?
• Should I share my hobbies and favorite movies?
• Should I talk about my last job or boss?

What your prospective employer most needs from you is a point (“I can best fill the needs of this role”), not a book report (“All about me”). But how do you get from the interviewer’s broad question to a specific and tailored proof of that point? It starts with not wasting your time — or theirs.

Next, go the organization’s website, click “About Us,” and educate yourself on their corporate culture and core values. Do they talk mostly about getting the job done and serving the customer or about supporting employees and promoting work/life balance?

In some cases, your skills can match a job description bullet even if your job role or title does not. “Help your profile rise to the top by articulating how your current skills are compatible to a job posting even if it goes by another name,” writes Tammy Johns, CEO of Strategy and Talent Corporation.

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Phrases like “required,” “must have,” and “highly desired” mean what they say, so highlight those in your planning. Pay particular attention to items under headers like “What We Are Looking For” and “What We Need.” Those are obviously direct hits.

identify a need

Now change the wording slightly to “I’m someone who…” or “At work, my approach is…” Pick a story from your professional life that illustrates you filling that particular need in another job, preferably one in which the setting of your story matches the setting of the business to which you’re applying.

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Fill the Need

Put these two pieces together — your “I’m someone who…” and your story — and practice saying them out loud, as if in response to a question. Because this is practice, you’ll be tempted to mumble the answer, but don’t take the lazy road. Practicing out loud is key because this is not a mental exercise; it is a physical one: you need your mind and mouth to work in concert to convey an idea.

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Practice

Review article: How to Respond to "So, Tell me about yourself" in a Job Intervew, by Joel Schwartzberg, Harvard Business Review, August 12, 2019.

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Source:

Confidence is not an innate, fixed characteristic. It’s an ability that can be acquired and improved over time.

Confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life's challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly. Being confident requires a realistic sense of one’s capabilities and feeling secure in that knowledge. Projecting confidence helps people gain credibility, make a strong first impression, deal with pressure, and tackle personal and professional challenges. It’s also an attractive trait, as confidence helps put others at ease.

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No one is immune to these bouts of insecurity at work, but they don’t have to hold you back. Outside of a social context, one can gain a sense of confidence from personal and professional accomplishments.

self-confidence

You have to build up self-confidence You have to study, learn, practice (may be repeating experiences that are difficult).

Do you want to get better at something? You got to train What is more valuable than confidence? Nothing! The most valuable asset you have, is believe in yourself! This comes from doing the things you know that will make you feel well -long term-.

Self-confidence

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Read Chapters 1 and 2 ofRicard, Matthieu. Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill. Translated by Jesse Browner. Little, Brown, and Company, 2007. ISBN: 9780316167253. Divide the group into two teams; one team is going to present Chapter 1, and the other one presents Chapter 2

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Homework