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"So, why don't you tell me about
yourself?" is the most frequently asked interview question. It's a
question that most interviewees expect and the one they have the
most difficulty answering. Though one could answer this open-ended
question in a myriad of ways, the key to answering this question or
any other interview question is to offer a response that supports
your career objective. This means that you shouldn't respond with
comments about your hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities.
Trust me, interviewers aren't interested.
Interviewers use the interview
process as a vehicle to eliminate your candidacy. Every question
they ask is used to differentiate your skills, experience, and
personality with that of other candidates. They want to determine if
what you have to offer will mesh with the organization's mission and
goals.
If answered with care, your
response to the question, "So, why don't you tell me about
yourself?" could compliment the interviewers needs as well as
support your agenda. This is a question you should be prepared to
answer as opposed to attempting to "wing it".
Follow the four easy steps outlined
below to ensure your response will grab the interviewers attention.
- Provide a brief introduction.
Introduce attributes that are key to the open position.
Sample introduction: During my
10 years' of experience as a sales manager, I have mastered the
ability to coach, train, and motivate sales teams into reaching
corporate goals.
- Provide a career summary of your
most recent work history. Your career summary is the "meat" of
your response, so it must support your job objective and it must
be compelling. Keep your response limited to your current
experience. Don't go back more than 10 years.
Sample career summary: Most
recently, at The Widget Corporation, I was challenged with
turning around a stagnant territory that ranked last in sales in
the Northeastern region. Using strategies that have worked in
the past, I developed an aggressive sales campaign that focused
on cultivating new accounts and nurturing the existing client
base. The results were tremendous. Within six months my sales
team and I were able to revitalize the territory and boost sales
by 65%.
- Tie your response to the needs
of the hiring organization. Don't assume that the interviewer will
be able to connect all the dots. It is your job as the interviewee
to make sure the interviewer understands how your experiences are
transferable to the position they are seeking to fill.
Sample tie-in: Because of my
proven experience in leading sales teams, Craig Brown suggested
I contact you regarding your need for a sales manager. Craig
filled me in on the challenges your sales department is facing.
- Ask an insightful question. By
asking a question you gain control of the interview. Don't ask a
question for the sake of asking. Be sure that the question will
engage the interviewer in a conversation. Doing so will alleviate
the stress you may feel to perform.
Sample question: What
strategies are currently underway to increase sales and morale
within the sales department?
There you have it - a response that meets the needs of the
interviewer AND supports your agenda.
When broken down into manageable
pieces, the question, "So, tell me about yourself?" isn't
overwhelming. In fact, answering the question effectively gives you
the opportunity to talk about your strengths, achievements, and
qualifications for the position. So take this golden opportunity and
run with it!
About the Author(s):
Linda Matias is an Internationally Certified Job and Career
Transition Coach and a Certified Employment Interview Professional.
She specializes in career coaching, resume development, and
interview and job search training.
Visit her website (www.careerstrides.com)
or contact her directly at
linda@careerstrides.com.
Source:
http://www.jobseekernews.com
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