"Tell me about yourself" Interview Question

[jamsmith620]

How do you typically answer this question. I am interviewing later this week for a federal gov't administrative position and this question always makes me uncomfortable.

I'd appreciate any tips anyone can give me!

[Mulder and Scully]

this question always makes me uncomfortable.

LOL. It's an opportunity to summarize your qualifications, experience and why you would be the best person for the position.

Why do you think they ask this question?

[Jaytee]

When I get this open ended question, to me they are pulling the ball in my court and I will run with it.

I would then break out a copy of the job requirements and then go through them point by point. I would describe examples from my work (or personal if lacking work) experience which demonstrate that I can fulfil the job requirements as described.

Don't fall into the trap of talking about your personal life. Focus on demonstrating and convincing them why you are the right candidate for the job.

[JK400]

jamsmith i got a tip for you: don't listen to the guys who posted above me. This is exactly the point in the interview where you would start talking about your personal life. They already have your resume and cover letter, they want to know the person behind the skills. Remember that employers often have trouble finding people with the right soft skills, not the right technical ones.

At this point in the interview you should tell them about your friends, hobbies, dogs and so on. Be as detailed as possible without saying something that would cross the line of 'casual friend' territory. Be relentless with your descriptions. Hell get right down to what kind of doggie biscuits you're using, be aggressive damnit. They want to know "is this someone who I would want to go shoot hoops with on the weekend? is this someone who I would call over to watch the superbowl or nascar?". There's more to jobs than just technical skills.

[CatDog]

2 minute summary.

[C_C]

This is your opportunity to show personality *GASP* I'm actually in agreement with JK400 for once. Soft skills are VERY important, people want to work with someone they like and that can fit in. Don't get super personal, go over your experience and don't be afraid to be candid. I've done this before and it works very well for me. Smile and be cheerful and most of all project confidence, that you know what you're talking about.

[Syne]

Don't fall into the trap of talking about your personal life. Focus on demonstrating and convincing them why you are the right candidate for the job.

Eh, I somewhat disagree. People are people. If you give them something interesting to chew on, they'll like you as a person better - which never hurts. I've gotten jobs by spitballing interviews before simply because I come across very human and personable.

If you take every opportunity to sell yourself, people are going to think you're robotic and that leads to a lack of trust or a bad 'gut feeling'. I'd rather get a few laughs instead and let my resume speak for my credentials.

[eiad77]

jamsmith i got a tip for you: don't listen to the guys who posted above me. This is exactly the point in the interview where you would start talking about your personal life. They already have your resume and cover letter, they want to know the person behind the skills. Remember that employers often have trouble finding people with the right soft skills, not the right technical ones.

At this point in the interview you should tell them about your friends, hobbies, dogs and so on. Be as detailed as possible without saying something that would cross the line of 'casual friend' territory. Be relentless with your descriptions. Hell get right down to what kind of doggie biscuits you're using, be aggressive damnit. They want to know "is this someone who I would want to go shoot hoops with on the weekend? is this someone who I would call over to watch the superbowl or nascar?". There's more to jobs than just technical skills.

I honestly can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not, but I don't think this is very good advice. You might want to tell them a few things about yourself, but you definitely don't want to be as detailed as possible or aggressive.

To the OP: Have you had any government interviews before? They aren't structured quite the same as other interviews usually. I doubt you would get that question in a government interview because all the questions are supposed to specifically test whether you meet the posted job requirements. You should ask in this thread: http://forums.redflagdeals.com/has-anyone-taken-those-situational-tests-psc-canada-504654/ you will probably get a good idea about what government interviews are like.

[anon666]

You're not going to get this question for a fed govt interview; if you do, it will just be an ice-breaker that won't be scored. Questions are designed to assess merit criteria and are appropriately tailored to do so.

That said, the general rule of thumb in answering this ret@rded question is to keep it professional, not personal. Succinctly describe yourself professionally in relation to the sought after position.

[Coke355mL]

Ignore some of the yahoo answers from a couple of the earlier posters. This type of question is designed to see how well you can communicate by putting you on the spot. They're looking for how well you can structure your response by telling a short synopsis of yourself and telling it in a way that is easy to understand and using language appropriate for the level of audience (i.e. Senior Management). Some useful tips is to google how to build your "elevator pitch" and developing your "personal brand". Remember, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

Of course for government jobs, this question may not be weighed a lot or asked in the first place but it's always good to be prepared.

Practice your pitch.

[Jyeatbvg69]

jamsmith i got a tip for you: don't listen to the guys who posted above me. This is exactly the point in the interview where you would start talking about your personal life. They already have your resume and cover letter, they want to know the person behind the skills. Remember that employers often have trouble finding people with the right soft skills, not the right technical ones.

At this point in the interview you should tell them about your friends, hobbies, dogs and so on. Be as detailed as possible without saying something that would cross the line of 'casual friend' territory. Be relentless with your descriptions. Hell get right down to what kind of doggie biscuits you're using, be aggressive damnit. They want to know "is this someone who I would want to go shoot hoops with on the weekend? is this someone who I would call over to watch the superbowl or nascar?". There's more to jobs than just technical skills.

This..but not really this. Yes talk about your personal life, but talk about how it affects you in the workplace. Don't say ***** like "I have 3 dogs, love'em to death, their names are Air Bud, Oscar, and Flap." But say you have a passion for animals and this passion has made you into a leader who is compassionate but at the same time no-nonsense, etc. etc.

Another example, don't say "I love sports, LeBron James is my favorite basketball player, I ski twice a year in Whistler." Instead, say "When I was younger, athletics played a big role in my life. I always had a competitive edge but at the same time enjoyed working with coaches/teammates to plan a strategy. As captain of the rugby squad, I was forced to always stay on top of things, etc."

[Madchester]

build your "elevator pitch"

A hilariously bad elevator pitch from the interviews in last season's UK Apprentice.

Short and succinct is the key - like an actual elevator ride.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwAQkO2QLh4

[aaaaaa]

Ignore some of the yahoo answers from a couple of the earlier posters. This type of question is designed to see how well you can communicate by putting you on the spot. They're looking for how well you can structure your response by telling a short synopsis of yourself and telling it in a way that is easy to understand and using language appropriate for the level of audience (i.e. Senior Management). Some useful tips is to google how to build your "elevator pitch" and developing your "personal brand". Remember, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

Of course for government jobs, this question may not be weighed a lot or asked in the first place but it's always good to be prepared.

Practice your pitch.
"Personal brand" :cheesygri

My personal brand is that I think a lot of this corporate BS is, well, BS. :twisted:

Otoh, "This type of question is designed to see how well you can communicate by putting you on the spot." is exactly right. It doesn't matter as much what you respond with, it matters *how* you respond. I don't think that you'll necessarily lose points if you don't immediately launch into an elevator pitch about yourself and how your life experiences help you to be a better employee. But like Coke300mL says, keep whatever you say short, easy to understand, and using appropriate language. Also remember the context, you are not there to talk about your obscure hobbies, you're there for an interview. I would say that you *should* try to tell some things about your personality, interests, etc, but keep it focused on non-controversial topics. Don't explain how you are an avid hunter of endangered species, or how you have proof that the CIA planned 9/11. If you don't have any non-controversial aspects of your life, then just keep it focused on your professional work :)

I usually just make up answers for things like this on the spot, I kind of find it fun. A lot of people have a mental (or written, haha) list of answers prepared for all these standard questions which is fine, but you should always make sure your answers don't come across as too rehearsed or corny, because that can be a lot more obvious than you might think.

[jamsmith620]

Thank you all for your responses. I am perhaps more confused than I was to begin with based on the diverse answers, but thank you nonetheless!

I watched the video...........and its pretty clear what not to do!!! Not that I would have done that anyways!

I emailed this exact question to a group of my friends yesterday, and got the same type of diverse answers. Some said only talk about your biggest work strengths and what you can bring to the table. Some said No, don't talk about work stuff, tell them about your cat!

From the interviewer perspective, which I have been on many times, I actually wanted to hear something that would give me a clue of how you would fit into our office. I didn't want to hear that you can type or do accounting, that's all on your resume. I didn't want to hear that you were organized or dependable, because everyone who isn't those things just lies about it anyways!

I wanted to hear that you weren't the person who would take the last piece of printer paper and not refill it. I wanted to hear that you would not be a slacker even if everyone else was. I wanted to hear that you could get even the most miserable person in the office to crack a smile. I wanted something to show me that even if you weren't necessarily the most "qualified" person for the job, that I wasn't going to be saying 2 months down the road " I can't believe I hired him. He has less personality than my coffee cup".

However, when I have spoken to other supervisory people that I know, they say they are looking for something totally different than what I was looking for. To each his own.

Maybe there are no wrong answers, maybe just wrong interviewers.

Has anyone ever actually been on one of these interviews? Its an admin position with Transport Canada.

[aaaaaa]

However, when I have spoken to other supervisory people that I know, they say they are looking for something totally different than what I was looking for. To each his own.

I'd agree 100% with that. Unless they're working off a script with a very clear set of acceptable answers, questions that are open ended also have open ended interpretations of what a "good" answer is :)

[blexann]

How do you typically answer this question. I am interviewing later this week for a federal gov't administrative position and this question always makes me uncomfortable.

I'd appreciate any tips anyone can give me!

The fact that it makes you uncomfortable is not good but at least you are being proactive about it. I have a well prepared answer for this before the interview because it is asked so often. I always speak about my career. A quick overview of your qualifications - and this gives the interviewer a nice transition into the core part of the interview. I also throw in a few titbits about my personal life - but not too many and not too personal .. don't give out your spouses/gf/bf name etc.. Most importantly, have a well prepared and structured answer and you'll be fine.

[blexann]

search on youtube results in a pretty good example of how to answer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1bu5s3zGQs

[JK400]

Looks like the answer to your question has been right under your nose all along.


Thank you all for your responses. I am perhaps more confused than I was to begin with based on the diverse answers, but thank you nonetheless!

I watched the video...........and its pretty clear what not to do!!! Not that I would have done that anyways!

I emailed this exact question to a group of my friends yesterday, and got the same type of diverse answers. Some said only talk about your biggest work strengths and what you can bring to the table. Some said No, don't talk about work stuff, tell them about your cat!

From the interviewer perspective, which I have been on many times, I actually wanted to hear something that would give me a clue of how you would fit into our office. I didn't want to hear that you can type or do accounting, that's all on your resume. I didn't want to hear that you were organized or dependable, because everyone who isn't those things just lies about it anyways!

I wanted to hear that you weren't the person who would take the last piece of printer paper and not refill it. I wanted to hear that you would not be a slacker even if everyone else was. I wanted to hear that you could get even the most miserable person in the office to crack a smile. I wanted something to show me that even if you weren't necessarily the most "qualified" person for the job, that I wasn't going to be saying 2 months down the road " I can't believe I hired him. He has less personality than my coffee cup".

However, when I have spoken to other supervisory people that I know, they say they are looking for something totally different than what I was looking for. To each his own.

Maybe there are no wrong answers, maybe just wrong interviewers.

Has anyone ever actually been on one of these interviews? Its an admin position with Transport Canada.

[Coke355mL]

When I interview candidates, I don't really care so much about what they say but more interested in how they say it. Try to read your interviewer and attempt to figure out what he or she wants to hear.

What has worked for me in the past is sticking to the context of the meeting - you're there for an interview. They have your resume. They can read. What they can't read however, if 'your story'. Your resume is points about you but they want to hear the story behind those bullet points.

The most effective for me is when you can turn your response into an interactive discussion from there, rather than going back and forth with question and answer.

[C_C]

The most effective for me is when you can turn your response into an interactive discussion from there, rather than going back and forth with question and answer.


Yes! it should be a conversation not so much a question and answer session. If theres a good flow and it's conversational then you're usually doing a good job. Trust me, more often then not it's about turning up the charm, being cheerful and upbeat while expressing confidence and your abilities. Don't rehearse it, have in mind what you want to say and say it.

[blexann]

When I interview candidates, I don't really care so much about what they say but more interested in how they say it. Try to read your interviewer and attempt to figure out what he or she wants to hear.

What has worked for me in the past is sticking to the context of the meeting - you're there for an interview. They have your resume. They can read. What they can't read however, if 'your story'. Your resume is points about you but they want to hear the story behind those bullet points.

The most effective for me is when you can turn your response into an interactive discussion from there, rather than going back and forth with question and answer.

:arrowu:

[billymadison]

My advice, after going through several successful job interviews in my career, treat this question as an opportunity to summarize yourself (education/background and WHAT YOU DO in your current profession) -- in terms of length/time to talk, treat it like an elevator speech - you should keep it concise and to the point. Imagine you are in the elevator with this guy, and you have to make sure you answer this question in such a way that you can completely answer it by the time you get off the elevator.

[jamsmith620]

To update,

I went for this interview this morning. Easiest interview I've ever done. And........they didn't even ask this question. Or any time of question like this one. They explained afterwards that all the questions they ask are very precise so they can be scored. That type of question I presume is so open to interpretation that its impractical in this type of interview.

Interview went well, but they went on to say that there aren't really any positions open, and they don't expect there to be in the next year or so, but they are creating an "anticipatory pool". Yep, that's the government for you.

Thanks again for everyones comments........will put them to good use I'm sure. Unemployment sucks.

[Nyte]

Seems you've already had your interview, but I'll throw in a reply anyways. So here's my take on it:

I sometimes ask this question (or some variation) just to get the candidate talking; it's more of an ice breaker and I tend not to really care what is said unless something interesting comes up. This brings me to my next point, which is the candidates that have made use of this very well talked about what makes them amazing. For example, what types of projects they've done, interesting problems they've solved, etc. Obviously, you need to have something extra to sell yourself on to do this, but if you do, make use of it. You want to position yourself above the interviewer's expectations (which will depend a lot on your level).

Now on some of the other things that have been said:
Talking about your personal life - I would say this can be very hit or miss. If you happen to land on a common interest or topic, this can work out nicely, otherwise, you may just bore the other person to death.
Repeating what's on your resume - This is the safe and very common answer. Unless you have something interesting to add or highlight, it's pretty much a waste of time. Good if you just want to avoid the question I guess.
Talking about how you match all the job requirements - Same as the resume one.
The elevator pitch - This could work well, but something to keep in mind is that you aren't super constrained for time, if you're able to tell an interesting story that makes yourself look really good and keeps the interviewer entertained in the process, it'll definitely be in your favour. Just make sure the interviewer is okay with it if you want to spend a lot of time on it.

[RolandCouch]

LOL. It's an opportunity to summarize your qualifications, experience and why you would be the best person for the position.


You couldn't be more wrong.