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» So, Why Don't You
Tell Me About Yourself?
"
So, why don't you tell me about yourself?" is the most
frequently asked interview question.
It's a question that most interviewees expect and the one
they have the most difficulty answering. Though one could
answer this open- ended question in a myriad of ways, the
key to answering this question or any other interview question
is to offer a response that supports your career objective.
This means that you shouldn't respond with comments about
your hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities.
Trust me, interviewers aren't interested. Interviewers use
the interview process as a vehicle to eliminate your candidacy.
Every question they ask is used to differentiate your skills,
experience, and personality with that of other candidates.
They want to determine if what you have to offer will mesh
with the organization's mission and goals.
If answered with care, your response to the question, "So,
why don't you tell me about yourself?" could compliment
the interviewers needs as well as support your agenda. This
is a question you should be prepared to answer as opposed
to attempting to "wing it".
Follow the four easy
steps outlined below to ensure your response will grab the
interviewer’s attention.
1. Provide a brief introduction. Introduce attributes that
are key to the open position.
Sample introduction: During my 10 years' of experience as
a sales manager, I have mastered the ability to coach, train,
and motivate sales teams into reaching corporate goals.
2. Provide a career summary of your most recent work history.
Your career summary is the "meat" of your response,
so it must support your job objective and it must be compelling.
Keep your response limited to your current experience. Don't
go back more than 10 years.
Sample career summary:
Most recently, at The Widget Corporation, I was challenged
with turning around a stagnant territory that ranked last
in sales in the North-eastern region.
Using strategies that have worked in the past, I developed
an aggressive sales campaign that focused on cultivating
new accounts and nurturing the existing client base. The
results were tremendous. Within six months my sales team
and I were able to revitalize the territory and boost sales
by 65%.
3. Tie your response to the needs of the hiring organization.
Don't assume that the interviewer will be able to connect
all the dots. It is your job as the interviewee to make sure
the interviewer understands how your experiences are transferable
to the position they are seeking to fill.
Sample tie-in: Because of my proven experience in leading
sales teams, Craig Brown suggested I contact you regarding
your need for a sales manager. Craig filled me in on the
challenges your sales department is facing.
4. Ask an insightful question. By asking a question you gain
control of the interview. Don't ask a question for the sake
of asking. Be sure that the question will engage the interviewer
in a conversation. Doing so will alleviate the stress you
may feel to perform.
Sample question: What strategies are currently underway to
increase sales and morale within the sales department? There
you have it - a response that meets the needs of the interviewer
AND supports your agenda.
When broken down into manageable pieces, the question, "So,
tell me about yourself?" isn't overwhelming. In fact,
answering the question effectively gives you the opportunity
to talk about your strengths, achievements, and qualifications
for the position. So take this golden opportunity and run
with it!
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