Getting in the eye of the counselors and interviewers is not an easy job. Especially for marketing Engineers, MBA graduates, and CS students. These guys get the toughest of the interview questions, but mostly theoretical. Keeping aside study, some questions are just to explain yourself. Like this popular question, “Tell me about yourself”. Rephrased, it comes as “Impress me”. If you are stunned, cool down. You can easily nail this “Tell me about yourself” question in interviews with the right ingredients. And that is not just telling everything you know about yourself.
Tell me about yourself
Technically, answering this question might sound easy. But it isn’t. Not at all. Most people hang up in the middle, as they just lost words. Lost track mostly, as what to say. This shouldn’t be you. As most counselors on-campus interviews, ask just to check your confidence. How well you react to such situations. What you do handle your self-esteem. And mostly your control. If you run out of options in the first round, you lose already.
Breathe for a second
A rush is good for the counselors to check how you handle it. Either you rush to a conclusion or just stay on the front. Or do nothing. Just sit there and stare. Similar goes for this question, “Tell me about yourself”. But instead, you should breathe for a while. Take a sigh. They won’t kill you for that. So, be cool.
Don’t lose out your confidence. Feel like that this job won’t matter to you, as there are other options. And this will take out your tension around 95%. You will be free to say whatever you want. They will give you permission to do so.
Don’t over exaggerate
Most interviewers are nothing, but a piece of detective. They keep a keen eye on you and your answers. If you go on saying how well you do your work, you might be blacklisted. This is true, as nobody wants a too proud person to do his work. Be humble and simple. But be clear with what you say. Make sure that gets done.
Now the tips. These are some of the cool tips that you should know when you get fired up with such questions.
Speak a little about yourself
When they ask you, “tell me about yourself”, make sure to keep a few points about yourself. Make it small and a little quick. Don’t go on saying and saying just on yourself. Make it short. The best way to deal with it is to prepare a small note. On just yourself. Learn it up, revise, spice it up a bit. And then do a practice. This will help you a lot. Plus, make sure to mention what you do.
Mention your last profession
Your last profession explains half of your story. And what they will get out of you. When working for a company, the interviewers will sure want to know how you did in your last job. This is a reflection on your performance and handling capability.
Mention your last job. Its practices, area of work, side assignments. Also, add how it enhanced you and your work performance. The new things you learned up.
Talk about how you do handle your profession
Handling your profession is the best thing you should say to them. It’s about how you will perform. Most MBA graduates get the toughest conditions, on several grounds. Aside, Computer Engineers are asked to design systems, they even never heard off.
So, when you answer this “Tell me about yourself”, mention your work preferences. Your ideas to work better, more efficiently and friendly to the company.
Don’t forget your Expertise and area of interest
The interviewer will surely love to know about your accomplishments. It’s about you and what actually you can do. Most graduates get selected right in this test, straight off. No further questions asked. Only if they succeed in presenting the idea or one’s work interests and achievements.
If you had worked with someone brilliant. You created new software, or algorithm. You made an industrial achievement that could make lives easier. Do mention your area of work. It’s very important.
Keep it short and simple
Don’t go on full description mode. Interviewers will get an impression on you for how long you speak. More is bad. Less is too little to hold up to expectations. But medium and sound are preferable. Nobody will hire you on just explaining “Tell me about yourself”. So keep it small and medium. Other questions are waiting for you to test your skills. Keep time for that.
Be slow and clear
Communicating is another obstacle that you should know. Prepare this before your interview session. Speak well, in the usual language that you prefer. One which will be familiar to them. And most importantly, the speed. Be clear and of sound hearing. Don’t get a too quiet or low voice. Not too illiterately loud. As it puts a bad impression on yourself. (you might get kicked out for that).
Don’t go too technical
Everybody loves technology. But not in interviews. Surely they will ask you about technical things. You need to answer that as it is asked. Don’t show you’re over knowledge trying to impress them. explain in the simplest of the forms, possible. Use technical words when you need to. As most interviewers check how well you explain something. (since you might need to guide a group).
Must read, How Elon Musk Learns And Masters Anything Quickly.
Be ready for the board
The board. Most campus interviewers don’t prefer it as it takes time. But always be ready for it. You might be asked to solve a problem. Do an analysis. Professional software engineering interviews take over an hour, as they need to solve algorithms. Make timing diagrams. Explain a damn optimization.
The same goes for DATA analytics. Explain data abundancies. When you go to the board, keep your cool. Don’t rush. Understand first. Open your mouth only when you get 90% of the problem. As you might need to show your talent when answering this “Tell me about yourself”.
Be honest
Don’t lie. Else if you get caught, you get simply kicked out. Keep this out of option. Tell what you know. Don’t go on the verge to answer everything. If you don’t know, try to explain.
This might get a good impression, at least better than just sitting. But be honest. As lying will eventually get you kicked after selection to the company.
Don’t go on the impressive quotes and lines
People love a person, whose life has been inspired by quotes and sayings. But that is just an inspiration. In the interview, you need to show the reality of yourself. And how you do it right. No sayings. Not at all. This is also out of the option. Keep it clean and to yourself. Interviewers will love you more on the action, then on words.
