How to answer "Tell Me About Yourself"? Video Lecture | Interviewing Skills: The Ultimate Guide - Career Development

ON-SCREEN: Simple Layout-Character scene.
Narrator: It is a safe bet this will be one of the first questions you will face and the
way you answer it will set the tone for
the entire interview.
ON-SCREEN: "Keep it Professional” appears on board.
Narrator: One thing that stays true for this answer every time you are asked; KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL.
Narrator: Employers are not asking you this question because they want to know what
Narrator: your favorite color is; they want to know why you are the best candidate for the job.
ON-SCREEN: “Give a good First Impression” appears on board.
Narrator: Employers want to hire the best person for the job, and your job is to
Narrator: convince them this is you as it is most likely the first question you will face in your interview,
Narrator: it is one of the first
impressions you will be giving the employer.
ON-SCREEN: “Do Not Volunteer Personal Information” appears on board.
Narrator: You want to give the most professional image of yourself as possible,
Narrator: in order to accomplish this, do not volunteer personal information. please tell me
ON-SCREEN: At the Boss' Office
Boss: “Tell me about yourself…”
Interviewee 1: “Well, I'm 23 years old, I was born and raised in this city,
Interviewee 1: I have 2 dogs and I love basketball…”
ON-SCREEN: Narrator appears in foreground
Narrator: This candidate has already set himself back,
Narrator: you do not want to give any information about your personal life,
Narrator: but rather your professional life and how it relates to the position you are interviewing for.
Narrator: To do this successfully you need to prepare and structure your answer highlighting your relevant education,
Narrator: experience and professional qualities.
ON-SCREEN: “Highlight your previous experiences and education” appears on board
Narrator: From the job description you know what the qualifications for the job are and what skills the employer is looking for,
Narrator: so you want to highlight all of your previous work experience, education,
Narrator: training and all other professional skills that are relevant to the position.
Narrator: No matter what your work history is, you have transferrable skills.
Narrator: If this is your first job in your field then highlight the skills and training you received from your education as they
Narrator: pertain to the job and talk about any transferrable skills you might have gained from any of your work experiences.
Narrator: Highlight your accomplishments as well. If you received any academic awards,
Narrator: or any promotions or commendations from your job, feel free to mention it.
ON-SCREEN: “Tailor your answer” appears on board
Narrator: Not every position you interview for is going to be exactly the same, even if the job title is.
ON-SCREEN: “Study the Job Description” appears on board
Narrator: Each company has different needs, so study the job description and figure out exactly what it is they are looking for.
Narrator: Once you figure out what the employer is looking for in a candidate, your job is to be that person,
Narrator: so emphasize the skills and qualifications you have that relate to the job specifically.
ON-SCREEN: “Chronological Order” appears on board
Narrator: Try to keep your answers in chronological order. You do not have to recap your professional history year by year,
Narrator: but detailing the experiences and skills that you have gained as you attained them in an organized fashion will leave a good impression on the employer.
Narrator: Your resume can help you with this as it is in chronological order and can help you set a timeline.
Narrator: Now that you have the structure here is a good example:
ON-SCREEN: At the Office-Boss Office
Boss: “Please, tell me about yourself”
Interviewee 2: “Lets see, I believe I have a very solid background in Medical Assisting. I earned my degree in Medical Assisting where I learned valuable skills,
Interviewee 2: such as taking vitals, administering injections, explaining treatment procedures to patients,
Interviewee 2: preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician with examinations.
Interviewee 2: While earning my degree I worked in customer service at ABC Fashion for 3 years as well,
Interviewee 2: where I gained valuable communication skills and learned how to address customer’s needs,
Interviewee 2: which enables me to relate and effectively communicate with patients and their needs.
Interviewee 2: I also completed an internship at a Health Clinic while in school,
Interviewee 2: where I picked up more valuable skills including updating patient files and medical records,
Interviewee 2: handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and helped make sure the office ran smoothly.
Interviewee 2: These are all valuable skills which I will hopefully be able to apply to this position and bring to your office”.
ON-SCREEN: “Keep it Professional” on board
Narrator: Remember, when answering the question, tell me about yourself,
Narrator: keep it professional and do not give any personal information.
ON-SCREEN: “Highlight your previous experiences and education” appears on board
Narrator: Tell them your work history and transferrable skills as it relates to the job you are interviewing for,
Narrator: highlight your skills from your relevant education and training that will help you in the position…
ON-SCREEN: “Chronological Order” appears on board
Narrator:…and do so in an organized, chronological fashion.