10 Good Answers to ' Can you tell me about yourself? '
Mon 21 May 2012
, LEAPredactie, Scott Ginsberg
Next time you’re faced with the most feared interview question, be prepared with one of these 10 memorable answers we found in an article by Scott Ginsberg for The Ladders. Ginsberg, aka "The Nametag Guy," author, award-winning blogger and creator of NametagTV.com is the only person in the world who wears a nametag 24-7. He writes great posts on personal branding. If you have a job interview coming up consider his great list of 10 memorable answers to the vague and terrifying question “Tell me about yourself.”
Next time you’re faced with the dreaded, “Tell me about yourself” question, try these from Ginsberg’s list:
1. “I can summarize who I am in three words.” Grabs their attention immediately. Demonstrates your ability to be concise, creative and compelling.
2. “The quotation I live my life by is…” Proves that personal development is an essential part of your growth plan. Also shows your ability to motivate yourself.
3. “My personal philosophy is…” Companies hire athletes – not shortstops. This line indicates your position as a thinker, not just an employee.
4. “People who know me best say that I’m…” This response offers insight into your own level of self-awareness.
5. “Well, I googled myself this morning, and here’s what I found…” Tech-savvy, fun, cool people would say this. Unexpected and memorable.
6. “My passion is…” People don’t care what you do – people care who you are. And what you’re passionate about is who you are. Plus, passion unearths enthusiasm.
7. “When I was seven years old, I always wanted to be…” An answer like this shows that you’ve been preparing for this job your whole life, not just the night before.
8. “If Hollywood made a move about my life, it would be called…” Engaging, interesting and entertaining.
9. “Can I show you, instead of tell you?” Then, pull something out of your pocket that represents who you are. Who could resist this answer? Who could forget this answer?
10. “The compliment people give me most frequently is…” Almost like a testimonial, this response also indicates self-awareness and openness to feedback.
Keep in mind that these examples are just the opener, warns Ginsberg.
The secret is thinking how you will follow up each answer with relevant, interesting and concise explanations that make the already bored interviewer look up from his stale coffee and think, “Wow! That’s the best answer I’ve heard all day!”
Ultimately it’s about answering quickly, it’s about speaking creatively and it’s about breaking people’s patterns.You’re hireable because of your answers. When people ask you to tell them about yourself, make them glad they asked.
Read the full article at: http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/10-good-ways-to-tell-me-about-yourself
More info about Scott Ginsberg at scott@hellomynameisscott.com.
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