How should you answer the #1 question in an interview.
So tell me about yourself…Tell me why you would be a good fit for the role…Walk me through your resume…ETC
This question or some variation of it will be asked in any interview you have.
It is often asked at the beginning of interviews as it (should) ease both you and the interviewer into the interview. — Being unprepared how to effectively answer this question tends to unsettle candidates.
It allows the interviewer to hear a highlights version of your background and skills, and it gives them insight into what soft and hard skills you think are most relevant to the position you’re interviewing for. ( i.e. Did you prepare and research the company and role)
By answering this question well, you are setting yourself up as someone who is confident, good under pressure and attentive to the qualifications of the position.
Everyone has their own story and figuring out how to craft it into a clear response takes time. I found writing it all out was useful to help me remember the key parts.
Remember to separate it out. Just like reading a huge block of text is overwhelming and quickly forgotten, so is a jumbled run-on of everything you have ever done before this interview.
Here are some brainstorming ideas:
Think of the question as a whole: Tell me about yourself and why you would be a good fit for this role/company.
This is the real question you want to answer.
Your answer should include:
- What you are currently doing,
- Why you do what you do,
- The past experience\responsibilities\technical experience you bring with you,
- The qualities (soft skills) that make you a great fit for the position
- Why this role/company,
The order of this is not as important as creating a cohesive story that hits all of the highlights without getting lost in too many details.
Here is how I would craft my answer into 5 key points.
1. Start with something interesting\unique that makes you stand out from the other applicants.
As I’ve mentioned, this is one of the most common interview questions. Therefore, interviewers have heard this answered time and time again. Try to think of something that will grab the attention of the interviewer.
Example:
My life’s motto is a quote by Ellen Sirleaf, “If your dreams don’t scare you they are not big enough” –I love how the motto challenges me to push myself and strive for things that challenge me. Having studied both the job description and IBM’s mission & visions statements, I know that this belief is mirrored in IBM’s learning culture. A culture that reflects a restless attitude to seek continual improvement to achieve your goals, both as a business and as individual employee.
2. Next discuss your most recent role and highlight relevant responsibilities and achievements.
For me that would be something like this:
For the last 4 years I have worked as an information technology consultant. My job was to utilize data insights to influence leadership and drive organizational change. On way I did this was to improve enterprise performance and efficiency through technology improvements.
Another part of my job was to create financial forecasts using predictive analytics and variance analysis. This reduced the strain of using a manual budgeting process and improved business insights.
3. Work backwards along your professional journey telling key points that have helped prepare you.
Focus on the results of your actions and quantify when possible. Also highlight relevant experience with technical skills.
My Example:
Previously I had the opportunity to join Management Science Associate as an Associate Business Analyst Intern. During the course of this internship, I worked on two projects for clients. The first project correlated coupon redemption campaigns to understand which demographics responded better to competing coupon strategies.
I utilized advanced excel techniques such as pivot tables and data simulations to model KPI metrics on the new campaign strategy which resulted in a 20% increase in clients’ coupon redemption. Project cumulated in presenting the finding to the to the client utilizing a dashboard and PowerPoint.
4. Now connect your background, interests, and qualifications to the current role.
Research the company’s core competencies and make sure you show how you meet them.
If I was interviewing for a role is Business Planning Analytics that had a focus on deriving insights and strategy's from forecasts I would answer like this:
Another project I worked on focused on forecasting how different demographic sectors would react to changing legal status of marijuana and the effects this would have on the tobacco industry. I tracked and modeled sector performance concluding with a business insights report containing possible strategies for market growth that was included in an international conference.
5. Finish with how your experiences will make you successful in the role
Mention how this job aligns with your career goals and aspirations.
Example: I want to work at IBM because I want to work for an incredible company, that is utilizing technology and analytics to enable data-driven decisions to make a difference in the world.
Another possible way to round out your answer is to mention a personal hobby. Discussing personal interests can share your personality with the interviewer while maintaining a professional tone. Good hobbies to mention are ones focused on personal development or community engagement.
If you know who you are interviewing with you can also try to research them and mention a shared interest you have.
Fundamentally, “Tell me about yourself” really boils down to “What do you want the interviewer to remember about you?” Answering this opening question effectively gives you the power to make a good first impression and sets a positive tone for the rest of the interview.
