New Grad Interview Success
Tip 3: Tell me about yourself...
by Chris Fogarty
Prepare your ‘tell me about yourself’ answer.
As this is often the first question in an interview, it is critical that you’ve got this answer down and practiced so that it doesn’t sound memorized. What you say in your answer will often influence the next questions during the interview.
Here are a few tips to get you on the road to success with this often difficult question:
1. Once this question (Tell me about yourself) has been presented to you, never respond with another immediate question back to the interviewer.
2. Use this opportunity to discuss your strengths and match them to employer requirements.
3. Your response should be under 30 seconds, making sure it connects with the needs of the position.
4. Always end with a question to the interviewer.
Remember, a savvy interviewer will know a lot about you by how you approach this question. For one, if you begin your response by throwing out another question the interviewer will know that you have not prepared. Likewise, if you begin by telling your life story they will also know you have not prepared. This tells them a lot about a person right from the start. So, prepare and practice and always focus your answer on how your strengths connect with the employers needs, because they really do not want to hear about where you were born.
For more great tips and advice on interview success, download FiredUP Interviewing – New Grad Edition and win the interview!
