Anyone else think this is the most difficult question to answer in an interview? Usually taking place at the beginning of the questioning, this is an excellent chance for you to grab the interviewers interest, but also an excellent chance for your nerves to kick in! So rather than rambling random facts about yourself and trailing off onto an irrelevant tangent, spend some time preparing your answer!
Create a concise and professional answer; you can include an interest or two but interviewers don’t need to know all of your hobbies, history, or home life. Touch on your educational experience during your answer and name one accomplishment during your schooling, maybe something that displays your ability to work in a team! Continue with a short professional summary; touch on your most recent or most relevant position and state one or two of your top accomplishments. Next, use this time to explain why you are interested in the position and why you will be a great fit for the company. This is where you can toss in a couple of your strongest qualities that are relevant to the position. If you want to display your honesty to the interviewer, share one or two weaknesses as well! Finally, mention your future goals if they are relevant to the position and to the good of the company. Remember to make sure your answer is completely honest; not only do most HR departments run background checks on applicants, if it’s at the beginning of the interview there is a lot of time for lies to spin out of control.
Get stuck answering this question during an interview? Give yourself a moment to breath by responding, “I’d love to, where would you like me to start?”
Natalie Swanson – Marketing/Client Relations – Vision Staffing Solutions
June 18, 2012
Tips for Job Seekers 