Interviews can be fun if you take the time to prepare and plan for both a) the potential questions you can guess an interviewer will have for you, and b) what key messages you want to leave them with so you are recognized as a great candidate for the role.
Having a strong “professional narrative” developed will give you an opportunity to showcase your qualifications and assist you in successfully marketing yourself to employers with the most relevant information. The question “tell me about yourself” is asked at the beginning of almost every informal and formal interview. It may sound different, like “what brings you here”, “why do you want this role” and many other variations. Regardless, this is not just an opportunity to introduce yourself, but rather a chance to showcase that you have given this role a lot of thought and that you understand your qualifications.
By giving an intentional, targeted and well-thought through response that highlights your relevant skills and experiences, you are well on your way to relaxing, having fun and being impressive in this important step of the job search.
How do you get ready? It is important to spend time thinking about your answer prior to interviews and other recruitment events and shaping answers that are appropriate for the occasion. At a networking event, it might only be 30-60 seconds. At an interview, it might be closer to 2 minutes. Thinking about what you have done that proves you have the skills and an approach that is thoughtful is the key to developing content that will be right.
Check out the links below for more information about crafting your “tell me about yourself?” and schedule some time to practice your response with your career coach. You don’t have to wait for an interview to practice!
