"Tell me a little about yourself..."

How do you respond to this? Do you simply talk about your current/most recent job? Do you throw in any personal info?

Every job interview starts this way and I always panic!

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

ugh! this is a trap. I would write it out before I go.

Have a few lines that are basic but give enough info to make you seem approachable and employable.

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

My fave line is "well, my friends would say I am ...."

kinda takes the pressure off and gives them a view of you without it looking like you put yourself on a pedestal

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

What a great question! I would def. hear some more responses. I think this is a definite trap!

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

i always tie it in to what i am applying too..

for example, if i applied to be an editor/reporter, i would say,

"well, i love to read and continue to write and freelance, but I am eager to start with a new publication.." and then i talk up THEIR company and show what i know

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

I think of this as your elevator pitch -- explain in 2 minutes (or less) how your education and experience have prepared you to excel at this job.

They want to know about you as a job candidate, not you as a person, so best to leave out most of the personal stuff.

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

I found this template helpful - hope you do too - see the example below as well:


My name is ________________ and I’m an _________________________ .
Name Accountant, Project Manager, Engineer…

For the past ______ years, I’ve been in the role of ____________ in the _____________ .
# Function Industry / Industries

I am best known for ____________
___________________________ .

Describe one or two key strengths (i.e., analytical, troubleshooting, team work…)
For example, with my previous company, I ________________________________

Give example with concrete results, # or %
________________________________________________________________________________________________

My next step is to __________________________________________________________

Describe in specific terms, next steps on your career path and/or focus of your job search
________________________________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE...

Background

(Hi, my name is John Smith.)
I am a chartered accountant with over 20 years in management in both the retail and pharmaceutical industries. I’m best known for helping organizations make better use of their resources whether those resources are hard assets, money, or people.
Accomplishments
For example, I led several business turnarounds. At a Fortune 500 company, the team I led designed a protocol for meeting customer needs in half the time while cutting costs by 30%. I also consulted with an entrepreneurial company and helped them solve many of their financing problems with an improved sales process. This new program increased revenue by 20% and grew client base by 16% over the previous year.

Closing (2 Options)

Networking:
Currently, I’m seeking a senior level role in operations where I can contribute my organizational, financial and team-building skills... Who could you suggest I speak with to learn more about career or business trends in . . .

Interviewing:
I see a great fit with what you are looking for and what I bring to the table. I’m very excited about this opportunity so thanks very much for inviting me in today.

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

trish--that is great--thanks!

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."

Re: "Tell me a little about yourself..."