The best answer to “Tell me about yourself?”

Introduction

“So, tell me about yourself?” 

This is mostly where it begins from and that’s where we all start sweating! Is there any perfect answer to this? Well, no, there isn’t any, because everyone has a different life story & hence a different approach altogether.

How do we crack this enigma then?

Simple, just feel confident your story and share it like it’s your own; everything else is just a filter. A measured approach of what to share and how much to share, and if you know your audience, a.k.a. your interviewer, and have an idea about what they want to hear.

This is the only question that you can be aware of, and know that regardless of any job profile, you’ll be asked this question. So, why not stay prepared and not screw up in the interview! 

The question can be the same in every interview, but the answer cannot be. 

You need to understand and analyze the situation and job opportunity and craft your answer accordingly. So, to rescue you from the sweating and the panting situation in an interview; we’ve compiled 

The Most Effective Steps you should consider-

Step 1

First impression is the last because it is what lasts throughout the conversation. Unless you are lucky enough to come across people without prejudices. 

Begin by greeting the interviewer with a smile and a simple say hi or hello ‘first name’ or ‘sir/ ma’am, how are you… and then introduce yourself. But, if you’ve already greeted the interviewer, then avoid that and tell them your name.

Step 2

Then continue by telling them about your educational qualifications, where are you from, something about your family, etc. but remember to keep it short and relevant to the interview.

Step 3

Now, take a turn from the personal details and tell the interviewer about “why you are perfect for the position?” Here, you can start by talking about skillsets that are perfect for the position, i.e. ‘play your strengths’. 

But, only describing your skillsets… Is it going to be enough?

No! You need to describe your previous projects, internships, the roles you played before. And try to narrate it in a story manner. After all the other person is an audience before acting as a judge. You’d always want to keep them interested. 

This step effectively grabs the attention of the interviewer. For this part, you need to start practicing your story, and even write it down on a piece of paper!

Step 4

This is the point where you rope the interviewer into confidence, by defining your short and long-term goals. Don’t be too self-centered. In fact, they would appreciate it more if you could talk in terms of your vision for the role & the organization. 

Now you can go ahead and share your weaknesses, in a manner that gets balanced your strengths and how they make you an ideal candidate for the job. Use your past experience to validate your strengths.  

Step 5

Wrap up by talking about your hobbies in a short form and be thankful to the interviewer for giving you this opportunity.

These were the few insights that you can follow to answer- “tell me about yourself?” This strategy helps only if you practice and customize efficiently according to the job profile.

Last-minute things to remember while Answering- Tell me about yourself?

1. Do not chant your resume provide something valuable concisely.
2. Customize your answer according to the job profile and company. 
3. Talk about your skills, experience, strength, etc., in such a way that can depict you are the best candidate for the position.
4. Do not get too personal and talk about sensitive topics like religious views, politics, etc. 
5. Practice your answer before the interview but make sure it doesn’t seem like you’ve rehearsed it several times.
6. NEVER diss about your previous job or ex-bosses.
7. Lastly, be confident and deliver a positive answer.

Now what? Just follow these steps and ace the interview. And, to answer other aptitude or technical questions confidently, take help from your best friend- Code Studio! 

CodeStudio is India’s largest community of developers and Ninja Coders who step forward to helping you with complete insight on all interview questions, from aptitude tests to technical & HR rounds.

And yeah, It’s FREE… Has interview QnAs from 1,500+ leading tech companies and startups, and you can practice the codes directly on the in-browser coding interface. 

All the best for your interview preparations 🙂