PTT: Tell Me About Yourself

Professional Tip Tuesday
Every interview I have been in starts with: "Tell me about yourself." I counted, and I have been in 15+ interviews. It should be a piece of cake by now, but when it comes to that question I usually freeze up and just stammer through the basics.

The answer should be concise and packed with relevant information. It's easy to neglect this question when preparing for an interview - but as with everything, practice makes perfect. After you do your research, keep the tips below in mind and practice, practice, practice!

There are a couple of reasons why this question is so important.
     1. It is the interviewer's first real impression of you as a candidate.
     2. It allows you to summarizes how you are a good fit for the job.

So how can you nail these two points when you are answering this question?

Meet the generic interviewer: Mr. Word-Art

How to rock the first impression.
- Confidence is key.

• AVOID: Between being nervous and trying to stall, it's easy to start with, "Well... I am... Umm, I did.." You can definitely recover from this, but it's not the best start.
• INSTEAD, DO THIS: Start off strong. Presenting yourself with certainty will not only show the interviewer that you are comfortable - but you will also feel more comfortable moving on in the interview.

- Show off your uniqueness.

• AVOID: Giving the generic answer. It's far too easy to tell them the same general overview they can pick up from scanning your resume. 
• INSTEAD, DO THIS: Tell them something interesting that will make you standout. You can still tie in that general info if it makes sense or seems to fit - just don't make it the focus of your answer. "During my time at College X, I got involved with..."

How to prove you are a good fit.

- Highlight the right experiences. 

• AVOID: Uniqueness can be tricky. Telling them about a special certification or an interesting skill is great - but only if it's relevant to the position. Something that is unique about me is that I can wiggle my ears, but that probably isn't going to help me in an interview.
• INSTEAD, DO THIS: If you are applying for a sales position, talk about a time or an experience that makes you a great salesperson. More specifically, pick an example that compliments the company and/or the position. 

- Tie it all together with a nice, little bow. 

• AVOID: Sometimes people lose what they are saying as they are answering interview questions and trail off. It can be difficult to end strong after a monologue about yourself.
• INSTEAD, DO THIS: Connect the dots. The best way to end your answer is to tie it all together. Why does this experience make you a good fit for this company? HOw is everything you just said relevant to the employer? You can even say, "So with my experience with X, I am excited about the opportunity to be here today because of everything your company is doing with Y."

Answering "Tell me about yourself" confidently can give you a great footing for the rest of the interview. How do you make the most of this question? Comment below.