Keep up to date on articles and news and subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
It’s easy to answer a difficult question
I enjoy getting readers’ letters and feedback on my columns. Here’s a recent one about the interview process.
I went on two interviews recently, and on both I was asked, “Tell me about yourself.” What is the best way to answer this question?All the questions you will face in an interview offer an opportunity to position yourself effectively. No request is more powerful than the deceptively simple “Tell me about yourself,” which many unprepared candidates flub.
This request or a variation — What are you looking for? Why are we getting together? Tell me about your career? — comes up in nearly every interview and is easy to prepare for.
Handled properly, you can set the stage for a great interview. Handled poorly, it can effectively end the interview.
So let’s get it right. As with many questions, it is important to understand what the interviewer is really asking for. Essentially, you are being asked why you are the right person for the job.
This is your opportunity to highlight your job specific skills, experiences, successes and goals and then tie them into the job. By explicitly making the connection, you will help the interviewer and move yourself up the candidate list. Never let the interviewer try to connect the dots, do that for them.
Your answer should be no longer than two minutes, otherwise it may become confused with a Shakespearean soliloquy. You should address the following:
# Key achievements
# Strengths, skills or talents exhibited in making achievements
# How your achievements and strengths relate to the position and how you can positively affect the organization
# End with a question for the interviewer.
For example: “I always wanted to be in commercial real estate and my education and experience has prepared me for this opportunity. I received a bachelor’s degree in real estate from state university.
“While in school, I was on dean’s list, became a whiz at Excel and graduated with a 3.4 grade point average. My education gave me a great foundation on which to build and offered insight and knowledge into the different factors that impact real estate.
I interned for the city real estate commission, and when I graduated from school, I went to work for a developer, helping him achieve a 10 percent higher growth rate than his peers. I learned how to conduct research, cold call, deliver customer service, manage projects and budgets and work in a team environment.
“I believe my education and experience have prepared me well for this opportunity. Is my background similar to what you are looking for?”
If changing careers: “I have been successful in IT consulting for a number of years. The business is changing, and instead of reinventing myself within the IT industry, I want to transition my experience to project management in the pharmaceutical industry. I ran my own consulting firm, where I managed multimillion-dollar projects and teams of more than 15 people and regularly completed my projects on time and under budget.
My success was predicated on my attention to detail, interpersonal skills and the customer service I delivered. Is this what you are looking for in project management?”
Unfortunately, in my role as an interviewer, I often receive these typical responses: “What do you want to know?” Or “I grew up in New Jersey, went to the University of Michigan and I am pretty open to any jobs.”
To prepare for “Tell me about yourself,” you should identify the three or four achievement-strength combinations that are the most relevant for the position. Then, tie it in to the job and company in a powerful way.
Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” He was right. Do not leave this question to chance. It is an easy way to get your interview off to a great start.
A word of caution: Don’t talk about your personal life — your kids, extracurricular activities, etc. — focus on your work experience and skills.
These tips and examples will help you effectively tell the interviewer about you.
Mark Schnurman, a veteran human resources executive and lawyer who lives in West Orange, has successfully recruited, trained and coached thousands of individuals. Contact him about career coaching or your resume at holbert
group@hotmail.com. Visit him on the web at www.markschnurman.com.