What to Say When Asked to Tell About Yourself
Most job candidates dislike being asked the question, “Tell me about yourself.” Not only does it feel awkward to talk about yourself, but most people have no idea what to say in response to that question.
Why do They Ask?
The simple reason is, that the interviewer doesn’t know you and simply wants to get a better idea of who you are. There is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes the interviewer just wants to hear you talk. Listening to you talk on a subject you’re an expert on—yourself!—gives them an idea of how well you communicate. Other times, interviewers are just trying to get the conversation rolling, not realizing that this question often puts people on edge.
What to Include
You should include information that is pertinent to the job you’re applying for. Talk about your work history, what made you choose this profession and why you are excited at this opportunity.
You should also include a little bit of personal information about yourself, just to placate the interviewer. But keep it general.You don’t need to reveal everything about yourself when you don’t even know if you have the job yet. Things to include in the personal category include hobbies, your favorite kind of car, what kind of music you like, etc. This category should be things you might list when talking to someone you just met at a party.
What to Exclude
You don’t need to go into details about past life traumas, list your allergies or things you’re afraid of. By the way, you also aren’t required to disclose if you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant.
Hopefully knowing more about why employers ask and what you should say and not say will ease the discomfort of this question!
