In a job interview, you must know how to respond to questions like “describe yourself”, “explain yourself” and “tell me about your personal life”. It is so frequent that we often overlook it when preparing for interviews. It is, nevertheless, possibly the most crucial question of the conversation, as it sets the tone for the remainder of it.
The way you respond to any of these questions will affect the outcome of the interview and, ultimately, whether or not you are hired. Don’t be concerned: the interviewer is on your side and wants you to get the job (they want more than anything that you can fill that position, to stop spending hours reviewing resumes and doing interviews).
If you can effectively answer “describe yourself” or “tell me about your personal life” in a job interview, your chances of winning the job increase threefold. If you answer incorrectly, you will lose the chance and/or cause them to doubt that you are the person they are looking for.
There are two rules to keep in mind when answering this question:
- DO NOT narrate your life narrative.
- ONLY pertinent information is shared.
The first rule is quite straightforward. When the interviewee is unsure what to say, he frequently tells his personal narrative. The interviewer does not care about what has occurred to you since you were a child, nor does he or she care about the names of their pets or their favorite movie genres.
The interviewer is curious about the second guideline, which generates another question: “What information is considered pertinent to disclose, and how much should I say?”
To effectively respond questions like “describe yourself”, you must break your response into five areas.
- Recent professional accomplishments
- Academic accomplishments
- Competencies relevant to the position
- Objectives or goals in the workplace
- Reasons for your interest in the business
1. Results of recent professional experience
What you should not do:
- Recite your resume
- Going over your experience
- Highlighting accomplishments that aren’t immediately relevant to the position
In a job interview, doubting your ability to “describe yourself” shows the interviewer that you are unprepared and unprepared to handle yourself in an uncontrolled setting. A protracted response demonstrates your lack of faith in the company and might significantly reduce your chances of winning the job.
You must complete the following tasks:
- Before the interview, make a list of 3-5 professional accomplishments that are relevant to the position for which you are applying.
- Practice, practice, practice
Practicing your responses in front of a mirror is the easiest approach to sound confident and confident in a job interview. Plan up your responses and think about the main themes you want to cover in each category. This implies that you should plan your responses down to the last detail. Instead, make a list of your successes and practice until you can naturally improvise on each one.
2. Achievements in academics
What you should not do:
- Excessive enquiring If you’re already a seasoned professional.
- Talk about your thesis and the courses you’ve taken.
Don’t worry about cutting your educational achievements short if you already have a lot of practical expertise. The interviewer isn’t interested in hearing about every class you took in college. Employers are interested in learning more about your course projects and the lessons learned from them.
You must complete the following tasks:
- Only refer to extracurricular activities in which you have acquired leadership skills.
- Expand on large projects you have worked on.
- Explain how the skills and knowledge you have acquired can be used to satisfy the requirements of the position.
Bringing up your extracurricular leadership responsibilities is a terrific approach to unwind for a while while talking about your hobbies and personal interests. Although you should not overtly disclose your hobbies, you can utilize (judiciously) certain references to your personal life to personalize yourself, make you more memorable, and even prompt the interviewer to ask you more personal questions, making the interview more relaxed and stress-free.
3. Applicable skills for the position
What you should not do:
- Make a list of any abilities you have (riding a bike, unless you apply for a delivery man, not relevant)
- Discuss talents that aren’t relevant to the job.
- Omit information regarding your ability
When asked to “explain yourself” at a job interview, many people have a history of lying or exaggerating their abilities. This is a huge blunder. You will be found out by your boss, and nothing good will come of it.
You must complete the following tasks:
- 2–4 relevant skills should be prepared.
- Only those who perform activities linked to the position should be discussed or exposed.
- You should explain how you gained those talents.
Rather than describing your skills, it’s a good idea to explain how you acquired them. This will provide the interviewer an understanding of how they were previously used.
4. Describe yourself through your objectives or goals of professional life
What you should not do:
- Talk about your own objectives (buy a house of your own, have children, etc).
- Create the impression of being uninterested in pursuing a profession.
- Goals that you will not be able to attain with the organization should be mentioned.
Make careful to keep the conversation focused on your professional aspirations rather than your personal goals. You can convey the appearance that you are not a goal-oriented person if you don’t have defined goals.
You must complete the following tasks:
- Mention any objectives that the organization can assist you in achieving.
- Discuss your long-term aspirations to demonstrate that you are a forward-thinking individual who wants to develop a secure career.
Employers need applicants who are looking for a steady, long-term job. If your objectives are unclear, it may indicate that you do not intend to stay with the organization for long.
5. Reasons for interest in the business
What you should not do:
- Only discuss remuneration.
- Say you’re just looking for a job.
- Mention that you wish to work for the company because it is convenient for you.
In this section, you must be VERY CAREFUL with the words you use. If you merely exhibit interest in the salary or the convenience of transportation, you may give the impression that you are not truly committed to the company’s success.
You must complete the following tasks:
- Describe how the organization can assist you in achieving your objectives.
- Convey your interest in and respect for the company’s good work environment.
- Mention that you can picture yourself working there in the future.
Employers need applicants who are looking for a steady, long-term job. If your objectives are unclear, it may indicate that you do not intend to stay with the organization for long.
Final advices to answer “describe yourself” question in a job interview
Spend no more than 30 seconds per category unless absolutely required. That provides you a solid two minute and thirty second presentation to get you started. Take no more than two minutes and no more than three minutes.
Your path will be paved if you do things correctly. Let’s take a look at each part separately to see what’s vital in each one and what typical blunders to avoid.
If you follow these guidelines, you will be successful. Answering the oft-asked question “describe yourself” or “tell me about your personal life” in a matter of minutes, with poise and simplicity, will be a breeze. A confident response will impress the interviewer and guarantee that the interview runs well.
