5 answers
Sylvia
Student
Columbia, South Carolina
1
Question
Asked
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proffesional?
When someone asks you to tell me about yourself, how should i answer?
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5 answers
Mandi Soleil
Partner Marketing Manager
2
Answers
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Updated
Mandi’s Answer
This can feel like a tricky question, and it's great one to ask! It's important to show a little flavor about who you are, but you want to convey that you are professionally-minded and are considerate of the context of the question (an interview!) and don't focus solely on your life story, personal interests outside of work, etc.
Here is one way you could go about it:
-- From my time in X educational program, Y job, Z volunteer opportunity, etc., I've learned that I am incredibly passionate about X topic that relates to this job. Some highlights of my interests/experience that relates to this role include A, B, and C. I'd love to have a challenging opportunity where I can use these skills each day. Since work is a large chunk of our time in life and I want to find a team, company culture, and position that will feel meaningful in my life. It's important for me to come away from this interview with an understanding of how this opportunity could support that goal.
-- Outside of my professional and educational experience, I really enjoy X & Y hobbies -- this is how I recharge myself after a busy day.
---- NOTE: It's great if you can find a way to share how those hobbies relate to the job you're applying to. For example, if you golf -- you could speak to how the stillness and presence you have on the green helps you to refine your focus for work tasks. Or if you enjoy video games, you could speak to how you are able to quickly react to change and notice fine details on the screen, that you collaborate well on online teams, or that you have learned creative problem-solving, etc.
-- My favorite way to conclude this answer is to say, "Since that's a very open-ended question, I want to check in -- did I address what you were looking to get out of my answer, or is there anything specific I can share more about?'
Another tip: When you get to the point where they ask if you have any questions, this is a good question to come back to -- you can say, 'If you recall, earlier I mentioned that I value having a team, culture, and role that feel meaningful in my life -- could you share more about the company's culture, and as a leader, how you create a positive environment for your team to find fulfillment at work?
Here is one way you could go about it:
-- From my time in X educational program, Y job, Z volunteer opportunity, etc., I've learned that I am incredibly passionate about X topic that relates to this job. Some highlights of my interests/experience that relates to this role include A, B, and C. I'd love to have a challenging opportunity where I can use these skills each day. Since work is a large chunk of our time in life and I want to find a team, company culture, and position that will feel meaningful in my life. It's important for me to come away from this interview with an understanding of how this opportunity could support that goal.
-- Outside of my professional and educational experience, I really enjoy X & Y hobbies -- this is how I recharge myself after a busy day.
---- NOTE: It's great if you can find a way to share how those hobbies relate to the job you're applying to. For example, if you golf -- you could speak to how the stillness and presence you have on the green helps you to refine your focus for work tasks. Or if you enjoy video games, you could speak to how you are able to quickly react to change and notice fine details on the screen, that you collaborate well on online teams, or that you have learned creative problem-solving, etc.
-- My favorite way to conclude this answer is to say, "Since that's a very open-ended question, I want to check in -- did I address what you were looking to get out of my answer, or is there anything specific I can share more about?'
Another tip: When you get to the point where they ask if you have any questions, this is a good question to come back to -- you can say, 'If you recall, earlier I mentioned that I value having a team, culture, and role that feel meaningful in my life -- could you share more about the company's culture, and as a leader, how you create a positive environment for your team to find fulfillment at work?
Allisson Santos
Software Engineer
21
Answers
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada
Updated
Allisson’s Answer
Hello Sylvia! That is a great question :)
Before thinking about how to answer this question, you should become confident that you KNOW YOURSELF. Knowing your strengths and flaws plus what you want for your future (both professionally and personally) and planning how to achieve these goals is essential. Once you get confident with all of this, answering the question will be a lot easier!
Now, what you need to do is come up with a structure that makes sense related to the context you are in: Is the question being asked by a friend or someone you are getting to know, you are in a job interview or you are already working and your boss (or a co-worker) asked this question to know you better?
Since you asked professional-wise, you should focus more on your skills, goals and achievements. Don't be afraid to mention your flaws as well — no one is perfect —, as long as you provide what you're doing (or will do) to correct that. This will show that you know yourself, you can plan in order to improve and that you are honest (this is really important!). An example would be: "Sometimes I lost grasp of time when I get too focused on something and end up getting late to meetings. So I've started to set up phone notifications in my calendar 10 minutes prior to them." or "I tend to forget some information a couple of days after a meeting, so I've started training my note taking skills.".
Selling yourself is a skill! Practice in the mirror and with your family and friends, they also know you (sometimes better than yourself haha).
I hope this helped you. Have a good one!
Allisson Santos
Before thinking about how to answer this question, you should become confident that you KNOW YOURSELF. Knowing your strengths and flaws plus what you want for your future (both professionally and personally) and planning how to achieve these goals is essential. Once you get confident with all of this, answering the question will be a lot easier!
Now, what you need to do is come up with a structure that makes sense related to the context you are in: Is the question being asked by a friend or someone you are getting to know, you are in a job interview or you are already working and your boss (or a co-worker) asked this question to know you better?
Since you asked professional-wise, you should focus more on your skills, goals and achievements. Don't be afraid to mention your flaws as well — no one is perfect —, as long as you provide what you're doing (or will do) to correct that. This will show that you know yourself, you can plan in order to improve and that you are honest (this is really important!). An example would be: "Sometimes I lost grasp of time when I get too focused on something and end up getting late to meetings. So I've started to set up phone notifications in my calendar 10 minutes prior to them." or "I tend to forget some information a couple of days after a meeting, so I've started training my note taking skills.".
Selling yourself is a skill! Practice in the mirror and with your family and friends, they also know you (sometimes better than yourself haha).
I hope this helped you. Have a good one!
Allisson Santos
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Sylvia
Chirayu Rupani
Data Analyst
295
Answers
Frisco, Texas
Updated
Chirayu’s Answer
When someone asks you to tell them about yourself, it's important to be brief, yet informative. Here are a few tips on how to respond:
-Start with your name and current job title or role.
-Provide a brief overview of your education and professional background.
-Highlight your relevant skills and experiences that make you a good fit for the role you are interviewing for or the context of the conversation.
-Share a bit about your personal interests or hobbies, as long as they are relevant to the conversation and appropriate to share.
-Close by expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity and how you can contribute to the organization or the conversation.
Hope this helps, good luck.
-Start with your name and current job title or role.
-Provide a brief overview of your education and professional background.
-Highlight your relevant skills and experiences that make you a good fit for the role you are interviewing for or the context of the conversation.
-Share a bit about your personal interests or hobbies, as long as they are relevant to the conversation and appropriate to share.
-Close by expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity and how you can contribute to the organization or the conversation.
Hope this helps, good luck.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Sylvia
Jaime Rutz
CFO
2
Answers
Mexico City, Mexico
Updated
Jaime’s Answer
All of the above great answers and advices, I would add: Learn about your skills, those strengths and opportunities you have, thus you can refer to them and talk about them. Know, understand and learn, what are the soft and hard skills of the area you want to work on and do a honest self assessment and find the examples to relate each of them, so that you can be simple and clear when talking with someone about it.
Thank you, Jaime!
Sylvia
Kimberly Garcia
Medical Assistant
5
Answers
Kent, Washington
Updated
Kimberly’s Answer
To me, when an employer asks this question, you have to focus on your professional experience as opposed to personal interests and hobbies. They want to learn more about how you can contribute to their company so tell them skills and experiences that are relevant to theirs. It's okay to add in personal interests but don't make it all about hobbies. If you can tie it around your professional skills, then great! If not, a one-liner can add a little bit of humor.
Thank you so much for the advice.
Sylvia