If you’re a job seeker, you can bet you’ll run into the request, “Tell me about yourself.” And you can also bet that your interviewer isn’t looking for an answer like, “Well, I’m a Pisces, I like to read sci-fi novels, and I have a pet rabbit named Sesame.” (If only it were that easy, right?) The truth is, many people struggle to give interviewers an accurate, targeted portrait of themselves as job candidates.
If you’re one of them, you need to turn your rambling, unfocused answer into an articulate pitch that will leave interviewers wanting to know more about how you can help their company.
Think of your answer as a 90-second commercial that presents the essence of what makes you a unique, experienced, engaging businessperson. You’ll need to write and practice ‘performing’ this commercial with as much enthusiasm as you can muster while still seeming natural.
Here’s an outline you can use to develop your own 90-second commercial:
1. Start with a brief introduction.
State your name and thank the person for his or her time.
2. My background is…
List your degrees or certificates and the schools you attended. Avoid mentioning dates, unless you are asked.