Interview Question:

Tell me a little about yourself...

Do you get lost in your words when an employer asks "Tell me about yourself..."? You may not know if you're saying the right thing, and it could make you extremely nervous.

This is a brief introduction where managers want to get a taste of who you are and how you would fit into their company. You will want to take advantage of this opportunity to explain just how unique you are but while also not saying too much.

Give more than a general "I go to school majoring in [such and such] and have two kids and would love to work for your company." Talk about your abilities, goals, achievements, how many employees you managed and anything highly relevant to the position you're applying to.

A good response for students or recent graduates:
"Well, I just graduated from [name of school] with a degree in [major], and my major opened my eyes to [field of work you're applying to] which I began to grow a deep passion for. All throughout school, I worked a lot while studying, so I definitely know how to manage my time and stress. Being out of school now, I would love an opportunity to learn more about this industry with a very distinct firm like yours."

A good response for experienced professionals:
"I have over [number of years] of experience in [field/industry] and have gained a lot of knowledge in [name some tasks or skills you're trained in]. I managed about [number of employees]. And so if hired within your company, I want to learn more about [Think of duties the job entails where you want to expand your knowledge in]."

Note: Keep it brief as you want employers to maintain interest in you.

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