“Tell me about yourself”
It’s such a simple question. You’ve literally spent your whole life learning about yourself, so you would think that a question like this would be easy to answer. Yet, your mind blanks. Who are you actually? What are you supposed to say? The truth is, “tell me about yourself” isn’t just a question that pops up when you’re meeting new people. It’s everywhere. Interviews, networking events, and even first dates. So, how do you answer?
- Start with your history.
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Where are you from? Where did you grow up? How did all of that make you who you are today? You want to make yourself the most interesting person in the room within the first few sentences of introducing yourself to someone. Just telling somebody about what town you are from doesn’t necessarily show them who you are. Try telling the interviewer, recruiter, or date what you gained from growing up in your area. Are you from a small town where you grew up with all the same people? Or are you from a big city where you explored something new every day?
- What are your aspirations?
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Maybe it’s weird to tell someone you just met about what you want in life. However, it’s important, especially in interviews, for the other person to know what you want and why the conversation should continue. Tell them your major in college, what you’re doing, what you enjoy in life. Where do you see yourself in the future?
- What are your interests?
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Nothing says more about a person than what they devote their free time to. More generally, nothing says more about a person than whether or not they have something they are passionate about. What do you enjoy doing on the daily? And, why?
Overall, think of the question, “tell me about yourself” as the introduction paragraph to a five-paragraph essay about you. You want to hook them in with a great opener so that they’ll be interested in learning more about who you are as a person. Good luck! Show ‘em what you’re made of.
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