Tell me about yourself.
It can feel daunting to give a succinct, thoughtful answer
to such a big interview question in just a couple of minutes.
Today, I'll show you how to prepare
a first-rate response using a simple illustrative technique.
Now, everyone's career trajectory and experiences
are unique.
So there's not one universal answer
to this interview question.
However, good answers have one thing in common,
they tell a good story, your story.
In this video, I'll use six hypothetical job applicants
in various industries to demonstrate powerful
tell me about yourself answers.
Be sure to stick around until the end of the video,
where I'll share an example response
for a tricky situation--
returning to work after a gap in your work history.
Before I move on, give us a like and subscribe below
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Let's begin with this excellent response from applicant number
one, a mid-career nurse, shifting from bedside care
to patient care coordination.
Growing up, I knew I wanted to be a nurse.
After getting my nursing degree, I joined a large hospital group
as an RN, But it was nothing like I imagined.
I realized there were many nursing roles other
than direct bedside treatment and that I
had a knack for collaborating across care teams
to make sure that there was a real comprehensive plan
for each patient.
This included collaborating with social workers, specialists,
home care aides, and others.
The patient advocate role is a natural fit,
combining my medical knowledge and my personal strengths.
This response utilizes an effective storytelling
strategy--
time past, present, and future motivations together.
Did you notice how the applicant wove
in their background, current situation, and future goals,
all in a few short sentences?
Using phrases like natural fit are a great way
to underscore the connections you're
making between your past experiences and the job
that you're applying for.
To learn how to form your answer to tell me about yourself,
check out this video here.
Applicant two, a new graduate with little work experience
interviewing for an entry-level job in digital advertising.
To answer, tell me about yourself,
this candidate might say, as a kid,
I was immersed in the fictional, fantastical worlds
I read about.
I pursued a degree in English because
of my lifelong love of stories.
Your position in advertising and consumer insights
is right up my alley.
As I understand it, my job would be
to help craft a narrative based on what audiences are drawn to
and what your clients are trying to sell.
Crafting a narrative is what I've always
been passionate about, and I'm eager to learn
everything I need to succeed in the digital advertising space.
Notice how this applicant connected a lifelong passion
to this specific job at hand?
Now, it's a bad idea to only talk about your personal life
when answering, tell me about yourself.
But quickly connecting a personal experience
to the job you're applying for is a great way
to show who you are in the context of work.
For other mistakes to avoid when answering,
tell me about yourself, be sure to check out
this video right here.
Moving on to applicant three.
Consider someone changing careers
from bartending to corporate human resources.
They might say.
I paid my way through college as a bartender,
and it was such a fun experience.
Not only was I able to earn enough working just
one to two nights a week and still commit fully
to a rigorous full schedule, customers
shared real vulnerabilities with me,
and I reciprocated by being compassionate and trustworthy.
I continued to bartend after college
but recently went back to school for human resources
certification and management.
Ultimately, the job of human resources
is to advocate for employees.
Listening compassionately when they feel vulnerable
and cultivating a positive workplace culture.
I never expected bartending to prepare me
for my future career, but it has, and I look forward
to putting those skills to use.
This applicant linked their personal qualities and passions
with past career decisions.
Then, they connected that decision to the job
that they're applying to now.
Past, present, and future motivations tell a story.
And when done effectively, the conclusion of that story
can be a job offer.
Applicant four, a restaurant manager interviewing
for a big internal promotion.
I've always loved restaurants.
In my family, going out to eat was rare.
So whenever my brothers or I had a birthday,
we begged to go to the local steakhouse.
I still remember how special the ambiance and the experience
made me feel.
Five years ago, I joined this restaurant chain as a server
and worked my way up.
I've had supportive bosses who always advocated for me
and promoted me based on my success in each role.
The area director position is a continuation
of my growth and a natural way for me to deepen my commitment
to our company's mission.
Pro-tip, notice in this example how the applicant mentioned
the support of previous bosses?
This is a great way to even some evidence of your success
without simply tooting your own horn.
It also shows that you speak highly of your past managers,
so you'd likely speak highly of your new manager as well.
Now, let's see what applicant five says in response
to tell me about yourself.
Imagine this individual is a retail manager pivoting
to a customer service position within a call center.
As an outgoing, friendly person, I've
engaged with customers on the retail floor for years.
I've worked for a few different companies,
consistently getting feedback that I'm good with customers
despite some stressful situations.
I'm drawn to your position in this call center
because I believe my interpersonal skills would
make me an asset.
I'm confident I can succeed and contribute
to the team's targets quickly.
Are you seeing a pattern in how good responses to tell me about
yourself make a connection between past experiences
and the job at hand?
Even if your experiences don't seem related, remember,
you got to where you are because you learn
valuable skills along the way.
Making connections for your interviewer will help
underscore why you're suited for the role.
As promised in the beginning of the video,
let's look at an example response
for a more specific situation.
A long gap in someone's work history.
Applicant six, a middle school teacher
returning to work after five years.
At heart, I'm a teacher.
Throughout college and grad school,
the only real question was what grade
level I would devote myself to.
For over 10 years, I taught sixth, seventh,
and eighth graders.
And though there were tough days,
there's a lot of moodiness at that age--
I absolutely loved it.
About four years ago, family obligations
required that I take a break.
Fortunately, those personal responsibilities have lessened,
and I can't wait to lead a classroom once again.
Pro tip, when you're returning to work
after a mid-career interruption, it's
perfectly OK to offer personal reason
without going into details.
When you do, it's important to also remove
any fears that those personal reasons remain,
and state how your work won't be further affected.
So to quickly recap, all six example answers
have the following in common.
They tell a professional story by describing
past, present and future motivations.
They make connections between past experiences
and the job at hand, using helpful phrases
like natural fit, in continuation of.
They feel genuine, while avoiding intimate details.
And overly scripted response doesn't
invite a personal connection with your interviewer.
But oversharing about your private life doesn't either.
Try to aim for somewhere in the middle.
Now, if you'd like to see more videos like this,
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For more career advice, check out this playlist right here.
And for more interview tips, be sure to check this video out.
Thank you so much for watching.
I hope that you found this information helpful
and that you're able to apply it to your next interview prep.
We'll see you next time.