Tell Me About Yourself [How to Answer This Interview Question]

Tell Me About Yourself [How to Answer This Interview Question] You know what they sayYou never get a second chance to make a first impression.And even though its a bit of a clich its true.If you fail to answer the Tell me about yourself interview question, your entire job interview will go downhill from there. And thats not an encouraging thought.Not to worry.In this article, youll learn what this question is really about. Well show you a tried-and-tested formula for structuring your answer. Also, well explain to you how to make your answer relevant to the position youre pursuing. And youll get to see lots of examples to inspire you.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowLooking for advice on other interview questions? Heres a selection of guides you might find interesting:What makes you unique?Why should we hire you?Describe what you do in your current positionWhy did you leave your last job?What is your greatest strength?What is your greatest weakness?Why do you want this job?Where do you see yourself in 5 years?What is your management style?Do you have any questions for me?What motivates you?What are your salary expectations and requirements?What are you passionate about?How to explain gaps in employment1Learn Why Recruiters Ask This QuestionTheres a reason behind each and every question the interviewer asks you. And unless you know what the reason is, youre likely to fail your answer miserably.So:Why do they ask Tell us about yourself?Well, there are four main reasons:To smoothly start the interview without stressing you out.To set the tone and direction for the entire interview.To get a sample o f your soft skills in a real-life situation.To get to know you professionally.Starting with the last point on the listRecruiters only know you from what you put on your resume (and maybe from a brief conversation on the phone), so they want to get to know you better. Mind you thoughprofessionally, not personally.Now, the way you talk and behave will give them a glimpse into your soft skills: Are you confident and calm while youre speaking? Do you maintain eye contact? Are you a good communicator? Can you establish rapport?Your answer could also determine what questions come next. If you win the recruiter over right off the bat, your entire job interview can go pretty smoothly.PlusOf all the questions the recruiters can ask, this one seems most relaxed (and yet meaningful) to begin an otherwise stressful conversation.Want to find out what questions recruiters like to ask and what they want to test by asking them? Check out this guide: Top 10+ Interview Questions to Ask at a Candidate at an Interview2Memorize This Simple Bulletproof FormulaYou already know theyre not looking for fun facts about yourself.SoHeres a simple formula for answering Tell me about yourself:Start with an important strength the hiring manager is looking for.Say how that skill or quality helped your employer(s) in the past.Make sure you give metrics to show your real-life impact.Explain how this new opportunity will help you grow your talents to your and the company's mutual benefit.Tell Me About Yourself ExamplesHeres a great tell me about yourself sample answer for experienced IT professionals that incorporates all the elements listed in the formula above:RIGHTQ: Tell us a bit about yourself.A: (1) I really enjoy providing robust software solutions. (2) Ive led a software engineering team of 10 programmers at Xyzzy Solutions for three years. (3) Our proudest moment was receiving the 2018 Bossie award. (2) Before that I worked for two years as a software engineer at SurgeWallop. (3) I slas hed security breaches 70% by winning full employee buy-in for our Principle of Least Privilege drive. (4) Its been a great run, but Im chafing at the bit to sink my teeth in with a high-performing DevOps team like the one at Brass LAMP Dev.WRONGIve always been really interested in computers. I guess for the past nine years now Ive been a programmer, but my passion for tech started way back when I was a kid. Ive always loved monkeying around with code, but it wasnt until I moved to Arizona that I tried to make a living off it. I got really into it and I cant imagine doing anything else.NowIn and of itself the wrong example may not look that bad at all. In fact, it looks like what most candidates would normally say.The problem is youll never be the only candidate, and the strength of your answer will always be relative to the other candidates answers. Plus, if it sounds like what most candidates say, no one will even remember it.Ouch.Pro Tip: Dont ramble. Rehearse and time your answer . Have a solid ending. The worst something about you answers take too long and trail off into silence.Mind you thoughKnowing the formula isnt enough to give a good answer.The formula will only help you if you know how to make your answer relevant to the position youre after.In the following section well show you how to get everything right.If you want to introduce yourself in a different context than a job interview, jump straight to this article: How to Introduce Yourself Professionally Casually [Examples]When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.3Make Your Answer RelevantHeres the thing:Interviews happen after your resume has gone through a selection process.It means theyve liked what you put there.Congratulations.NowIf you followed our advice on how to write a resume, you already know that relevance is key. If not, well, youve just learned it.Now its time to make sure that what youre planning to say is relevant too. The first step involves revisiting the job offer.Take a look at the example below:On the basis of the highlighted fragments of the job offer, we can say the employer is looking for two main skills:Handling multiple clients.Triaging calls and emails.Your tell me about yourself answer could look something like this:Tell Us About Yourself ExamplesRIGHTQ: Tell me something about you.A: Well, I thrive in the excitement of a fast-paced office. As a receptionist at Drake Caswell, I loved interacting with our 200 regular clients and managing training and travel schedules for 25 employees. Before that at Mindon Well Drilling, I really enjoyed being the contact point for hundreds of client calls and visits every week. In fact, I saved 20 management hours a month by triaging calls and emails. Those were great opportunitie s, but Im at the point where this position at Maven Consulting Solutions would really let my talents shine.WRONGWell, Ive been a receptionist for the past seven years and I love it. You know, interacting with all the people and taking calls and just working with people in general. Im a people person. I love the back and forth and energy. Even on my days off I love hanging out with friends and being around family. Im also a hard worker and Im very dependable.The difference?The first of these examples addresses the employer's actual needs. The second is just a cute story that tells the recruiter nothing about the actual value you can bring to the company.Pro Tip: If youre applying for a job that wasnt advertised with an offer, you can check out LinkedIn profiles of the companys employees. Also, explore the companys website and/or social media profiles to understand its culture and identify the skills it looks for.To sum upIts not just the formula thats helpful in preparing your answer . You must see to it that what youre saying is relevant to the position youre pursuing.Not sure how to talk about your achievements in the most impactful way? Check out our guide on How to Describe Your Achievements Effectively4Practice a Lot and Follow Good ExamplesFinallyYou have to remember that its not just what you say that counts but also how you say it.The only way to deliver your answer just the way you want is to rehearse it.Use the good tell me about yourself examples below to get inspired and then practice as much as you can. Deliver your introduction in front of the mirror, record yourself, practice with a friend.The goal is to be able to say exactly what you want, just the way you want.Remember, the way you deliver your answer will give the recruiter a glimpse into your communication skills and interpersonal skills.And heres a bunch of sample answers to get you inspired.Notice three things all of those interview tell me about yourself answers have in common:They kick of f with a key fact that fits the job.The hit present, past, and future.They list achievements that are relevant to the position.Tell Me About Yourself Best AnswersExamplesQ: Tell me something about yourself.A: I thrive in a fast-paced office where I can work on ratcheting up efficiency. At Castle Rock Mineral we often had over 100 customers a day come through the doors. I was able to cut scheduling errors by 25% and resolve complaints 50% faster than the previous assistant. Before that at TD Dental, I helped raise patient satisfaction scores 20% by streamlining our intake flow. Im ready to grow into a position where my efficiency can make a difference to a larger team. Thats why Im so excited about this role.That self-introduction in an interview for experienced candidates shows you have what the job needs.Q: Tell me about yourself.A: Im a prolific web developer. At ExamTeam5, I regularly completed full-stack development for websites in 7 or 8 weeks. I cut delivery times at VerifEye Solutions by 30%. I enjoyed both positions, but HF7 Technologies is well-known for its aggressive work schedule. I think my productivity would really be valued here.Q: Please introduce yourself.A: I love using my talents to bring more business to a worthy product. I worked as marketing manager at Ninequist Interactive for three years. During that time, my team and I presided over a period of 40% revenue growth. Before that at Spintegrity, I was able to increase conversions for email campaigns by 25%. Im ready for a bigger challenge, and I would thrive in a fast-growing tech firm like Sequoia5 Global.Thats a great answer for tell me about yourself in an interview for experienced applicants.Q: Tell us something about you.A: I really enjoy working as an OR nurse. For three years at Chrontos Medical, I received consistent commendations for my performance in the peri-operative setting. Before that at Barstow General, I was first-choice for the team of 15 surgeons. Ive enjoyed every step along the way. Mass General was my first choice when I moved East because of your reputation for high-level health care in a safe, compassionate environment.That tell about yourself answer for experienced candidates proves your nursing skills beyond question.Q: Lets start with a brief self-introduction.A: When Ive got a product I believe in, I excel at selling it. Ive loved working as a sales associate at Peterboro-Munchen for the past two years. The job gave me an opportunity to increase revenue by over $100,000 a year for some of the best pumps and hoses on the market. Before that at Belsden Group, I consistently outsold the other ten reps by 10% to 15%. Again, great product. Those were both great positions and I learned a lot, but now I really want to show what I can do. Youve got the most respected, highest value security systems in the world, and a big market to sell them in. Im very excited at the chance to use my skills to put your revenue through the roof.Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.Here's what it may look like:See more cover letter templates and start writing.Key TakeawayHeres all you need to remember about how to answer tell me about yourself:Recruiters want to get to know you professionally, not personally.The way you deliver your answer counts as much as what you have to say.Introduce yourself by referencing the jobs needs. Learn them by reading the offer carefully and researching the company.Tell the recruiter about your past achievement(s) and why youre excited about this opportunity.Mention the numbers in your answer. They give insight into your real-life impact.Review tell me about yourself sample answers. Theyll help you give the perfect answer.Practice your answer to feel confident enough to deliver it flawlessly under stress.Got more questions about how to answer tell me about yourself interview questions? Need more how to introduce yourself in an interview sample answers? Want additional job interview questions and answers samples? Leave a comment. Well be happy to reply!

The New Candidate - Simple First Resume Template

The New Candidate - Simple First Resume Template The New Candidate Simple First Resume Template Entry-level candidates and folks new to the workforce face the Catch 22: they need a strong resume to get hired, but they can’t craft such without actually holding any jobs. While this free resume template is no magic bullet, it does help you maximize your chances of getting called for an interview even if you have little-to-no work experience. Best suited for functional resumes, this template allows you to add a bit more personal details and shift the focus towards your skills and education, rather than formal employment history. Use the big header area to add a career objective statement or a personal statement if you are applying to less formal jobs. It has enough room to write more about your education, internships and/or volunteering experience. Finally, if you have no clue where to start, read some resume examples first. You will find several tailored specifically to entry-level employees.But before you deep dive into reading, be sure to download this template! It’s free and can be yours in just one click. This way you won’t be starting with a blank page! File size: 159 KB Format: .docx Downloaded 2,589 times License: Free, personal use only. Please read the license terms for resources. Download previous article Powerful Words to Use in Your Resume next article Why Good Cover Letters Never Include These Words and Phrases you might also likeThe Freelancers Resume Creative Resume Template for Independent Workers

Give Your Job Search a Boost This Summer By Networking

Give Your Job Search a Boost This Summer By Networking As you anticipate the lazy, hazy days of summer, that usual discipline and focus with which you approach your job search may begin to wax and wane.   But despite the mellower mood, resist the urge to play hooky from your job search this season. Take a prolonged vacation from it, and you’ll miss out on what could be one of the most productive times of the year to take the next step in your career. Just because business slows down and people go on vacation doesn’t mean that all will be quiet on the job front over the summer. In reality, these next few months can be an extremely busy time for successful job searchers, so here are a few tips for making the most of this time. Networking The single most important thing any job searcher can do is networking.   This can be easier to do in the summer when people have a bit more flexibility in their schedules, or a least a more relaxed attitude. Identify the target companies on your list. Use your alumni database, LinkedIn, former colleagues, etc. to identify contacts in those target companies. Request an informational interview to learn more about the company, but do not ask for a job. Rather, ask how the company hires, what skills are required for success, and how the function you are interested in fits in that organization. Set specific networking goals for the summer and hold yourself accountable. Meet people for coffee, lunch, a quick meeting or even a walk outside. Take advantage of this time of year to make as many connections as possible. Always ask your networking contact who else they think you should be talking to, given your career interests. Ask what professional association meetings you should be attending. Many professional associations continue to meet over the summer but often have less formal meetings. Take advantage of these opportunities to meet others in your chosen field. Have a Plan You wouldn’t plan your vacation without a destination in mind and at least a rough plan of how you are going to get there. Your job search deserves at least that much attention â€" if not more. It is hard to get where you want to be without a clear sense of where you are going, so create and follow a specific job search plan. Identify the type of position you seek and the target companies where you most want to work. Develop a networking strategy and list of contacts for each company.   Have a plan to make new networking contacts every week.   Always thank your networking contacts for their time, preferably in person and follow it up with a written note. Thank them again if they refer you to a valuable connection. Keep your network posted on your progress. Stay Positive No one wants to hire a complainer or a “Negative Nellie.” Stay positive and stay focused. Enjoy the networking along the way; you may just surprise yourself with how rewarding it is to make new connections, learn new things and expand your personal and professional networks! Reflect on the interesting people you meet and draw inspiration from their career journeys. Be positive about yourself and the skills you bring to the table.   Demonstrate that you have a vision for what you want to do in your career.   Show appreciation for their time and enthusiasm for additional contacts or activities they recommend. Also, be open and accepting of feedback. You may not want to hear it but, you need to hear it in order to grow and get to the next level. Learn from others who have more experience. At least seriously consider the advice they offer.   Be willing to learn and to try new things.   Remember, you can’t fix it if you don’t know it’s broken. It may be summer, but companies definitely don’t take a “school’s out” attitude, and neither should you. They still have business needs to be met, positions to be filled and some hiring managers have more time to focus on hiring at this time of year, so take advantage of it.  Don’t take a vacation from your job search â€" instead, step up your efforts and set a goal of getting your network in good shape for fall. Author: Lynne Sarikas is the Executive Director of the MBA Career Center  at DAmore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston. Prior to this Lynne held a variety of management positions in industry with experience in sales, account management, customer service, marketing and operations management responsibilities, with focus on corporate relationships and new business development.

Cant Get Started on Your Goals

Cant Get Started on Your Goals As you prepare for the end of one year and the beginning of another, youre likely beginning to think about goals for the upcoming year. We often have good intentions when it comes to creating goals, but the execution doesnt always come to fruition. As you begin the planning process, heres a suggestion for getting a jump-start on your goals. Having written out the goal, quantified it, and set a deadline, often we find ourselves still unable to get started toward achieving it. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. No goal achievement is a leap across some huge canyon. Many of us are intimidated and driven away from going after what we really want in our lives for fear we will have to take a giant leap across that canyon and, hey, what if I dont leap far enough? Disaster. But, if we can now break that goal down into its little component pieces so that achievement becomes realistic and manageable, if we can cross the canyon in steps instead of one leap, then taking that first step is easy. Lets say you have a goal to get an additional $50,000 in savings two years from today. Create a picture in your mind of your new account two years from now showing the additional $50,000. The goal is in writing. It is quantified, and a deadline has been set. Now you can break that goal into its little steps for achievement. To get $50,000 over the next two years requires getting an additional $25,000 per year. A year is made up of twelve months, so that means you need to get approximately $2,000 per month. A month is made up of four weeks, so thats $500 per week. And a week is made of, lets say, five business days. Thats $100 per day. (I have not added in interest to these calculations just for simplicity.) I dont know about you, but the notion of going out in the world tomorrow and getting an extra $100 is a whole lot more realistic and certainly a whole more doable than getting $50,000. Getting the entire $50,000 is the leap across the canyon. It scares me. $100 is the single step. Thats something I can handle. Now the goal seems realistic and is realizable. But until you write out your goal, quantify it, and set a deadline so that you can break it down to its small steps, it will forever appear to be too big a stretch and therefore unattainable. But every time you follow these three steps and break the goal down, you will always find that you have within your control what it takes to accomplish that next step. And once you begin, you are on your way!

Some Important Notes On Writing A HR Coordinator Resume

Some Important Notes On Writing A HR Coordinator ResumeIf you're in need of a new job and haven't had any luck so far, then an HR coordinator resume may be just what you need. Now is the time to start your own career on the right foot and it might even be worth the effort to hire someone else to help you with this. However, if you're already a worker at one of these firms then you will need to be certain that you do what's needed to get noticed and by the potential employer.Once you have an HR coordinator resume up for anyone to see, it's just a matter of getting it reviewed and read thoroughly. That means not only getting your resume in front of a manager or supervisor but also getting it seen by the Human Resources department. It doesn't matter whether you're a supervisor or not as the human resources team will review your resume based on what they need to know.When making sure that you get your HR coordinator resume in front of them, there are a few things that you'll want to do. First, make sure that you read through it word for word, including the cover letter, which may also be referred to as an executive summary. This way you can make sure that you have a well-written summary that details exactly what your skills and qualifications are.One thing that is very important is to make sure that your HR Coordinator resume outlines exactly how you can be of assistance to the HR department. You should state in your resume that you have experience working with the Human Resources department and explaining how you can be of assistance to them. After all, in a company such as this the Human Resources department will need people to come in and find the job openings.Your resume should also highlight your work history including employment at the company, what positions you held and what they were and if you have any certifications. By doing this you'll be able to demonstrate to the human resources department that you are capable of doing the job. Be sure to also highli ght any past employers who may be included as well.The next aspect of your HR coordinator resume is to highlight your strengths. After all, if you don't have a specific skill you may not be the right person for the job. These should include things such as communication skills, personal development, which include reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and problem solving.After you've given some thought to how you can be of help to the company, make sure that you cover all of the bases and make sure that you have included everything the likely look for. If you've ever heard about outsourcing or contract workers, then it's very important that you include this as part of your resume. The goal is to show that you are ready to start your own career.As a rule of thumb, if you're still in school, and have a degree, then your HR coordinator resume will probably be considerably shorter than if you didn't have a degree. For instance, those without a degree will only have the most basic skills and not necessarily skills that the company is looking for. Plus, the company may be looking for someone with a certain level of experience in the field.

Join the Woohoo Academy in Copenhagen or NYC - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Join the Woohoo Academy in Copenhagen or NYC - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog We have just announced the next two Woohoo Academies, which take place: June 21-24 2016 in Copenhagen, Denmark October 18-21 2016 in New York City, US We have held 2 editions?of the?Woohoo Academy?already, one in Copenhagen and one in Prague. Its?our 3-day intensive, in-depth training for anyone who wants to learn all about happiness at work. Heres what participants?said?about the training: The Woohoo Academy was, without a doubt, the best training I have ever experienced (and Ive participated in many trainings). It was very well organized, and provided the latest research, practical strategies and opportunities to engage in many meaningful experiential activities. Danielle, Canada I have attended many motivational and leadership courses over the past 20 years and never came out with so much clarity as after this course. It was interesting with so many nationalities, experiences and angles to the same topic.?The value vs time spend for me was immense as my entire organisation over 100 people will benefit directly. Monika, Czech Republic My main reason for going to the course was to got a broader perspective on happiness at work. I wanted to learn more about the theory behind joy, people, work, meaning and succes in businesses. The course gave me a lot of confidence on this topic and Im convinced that within a copple of years this will be a very important part of leading a business. Tamara, Netherlands The training is for: External consultants who want to build a business delivering happiness trainings to clients HR staff, managers and internal facilitators who want to get the knowledge and tools?to?make their organization happier For us, the Academy is a huge?pleasure too.?It lets us take a deep dive into many of the things weve learned about happiness at work over the years, which we find incredibly fascinating, but which we rarely get a chance to share because it goes into more depth than most of our clients need. Read all about the Woohoo Academy and sign up here. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Speech of my life - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Speech of my life - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog One hour ago, I gave my best speech on happiness at work so far to 400 people from the The Directorate for Food, Fisheries and Agri Business here in Copenhagen. Im sitting in a nearby caf? totally buzzing with the energy of getting up in front of a big crowd and totally kicking butt :o) I tried out a completely new format for this presentation, one that involves music, clapping, high-fives, various exercises that are more meditative and of course some presentations by yours truly. It works. No, let me rephrase that: IT WORKS and I rock :o) The feedback from the participants was amazingly positive. They especially remarked on the format, my energy, the topic (happiness at work, of course) and on the fact that it was accessible and practical. I cant wait to do it again, preferrably real soon!! MAN, I love being me. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related