What's the first question you will mostly face in any interview? "Tell me about yourself!"
Self-introduction is a very important element and can prove to be the most vital moment of your interview. Most of the subsequent questions the interviewer asks come from what you have said in the introduction. So this is an opportunity for you to drive your interview towards your strengths.
This article will give you an idea of how you can answer this question effectively:
Although this is the most common question asked to the candidates, Many candidates do not prepare for this question and they fail to answer it effectively.
There is a reason why the interviewer asks this question. He wants to start the interview to get your background information and give you the chance to put forth some points that you want him to know. This question also eases down your stress level, so that you should fill comfortable in the interview room.
In answering this question, the candidate has an opportunity to express his thoughts in the manner he/she wants. Take this as a challenge and express a positive side of your personality and skills. Display your strengths and achievements so that the interviewer will know how focussed you are in achieving your goals. Giving an impressive answer to this question will create a good impression of you on the interviewer.
In the excitement of giving the best answer don’t mug it up! Rather just make your key points and present them in a flow. Don’t give hypothetical answers, always try to be a rational person.
Tips to answer this question:
Keep it professional and brief: Don't give a 5-6 min introduction. Make your introduction simple which should ideally of 2-3 min. Try to include everything in this time frame. But also be ready to speak for different time periods answering this question.
Practice, But Don’t Memorize: The answer that you want to give in an interview should be thoroughly practiced, however it should not be memorized. You should know the answer good enough to not missout any important point at the same time it should not appear mechanistic.
Remember W.A.P. (Work, Academic, Personal): Every good answer to tell me about yourself should consist of these three printers
Work: Your 80% answer should include your work. Focus on your past experiences and achievements here.
Academics: 10-15% of your answer should include your academic details. You should tell about your academic background, scores, achievements in this part.
Personal: Only 5% of your answer should include about your personal details. But remember to keep it relevant to the company.
You can include your strengths and positive qualities. If asked about any weakness, you should always mention about your efforts to overcome it as well. This will show the interviewer that you are capable and willing to find a solution for problems. In addition to this, you can tell about your hobbies, work experience and what you have achieved from your Academics.
All in all the answer should be well structured that should convey your message clearly to the interviewer. We suggest you follow the Past-Present-Future formula while answering this question.
Past: This part must include your background and relevant work experience. It should also convey your achievements.
Present: This part answers questions like - "What is your current or recent/current role", "What do you do in brief", "What are your best achievements."
Future: This must include what are you looking to do next and why are you interested in this position.
It is a common saying that "Practice makes a man perfect", so always practice and analyze your answer before going to interview. Frame it in such a way that anything asked based on your answer, you should be able to answer that with confidence.
The interviewer does not want to hear an audio version of your resume. Include pointers that are not already mentioned in resume.
Things you should not tell about yourself
Don’t share your personal life in detail with the interviewer, as he might not be interested in hearing about it. Don't mention any references in an interview, to get selected. This can break the code of professionalism. Stick to points that are relevant to the job.
So those are some tips that will help you to answer this question in your next interview! Remember preparation is the key to succeeding in any task - so go ahead and spend time getting your answers ready!
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